ARCHIVED - Overloaded health centres in Alicante unable to carry out PCR tests
ARCHIVED ARTICLE
People with positive antigen tests refused PCRs in Alicante and told to isolate
As the sixth wave of the coronavirus pandemic sweeps through Alicante and the number of infections continues its steady climb, it stands to reason than more and more people are testing positive through over-the-counter antigen tests. The rise in demand as people scramble to test themselves before attending festive events has led to a nationwide shortage of the self-test pharmacy kits, but the problems don’t end there: the surge in cases means that health centres simply don’t have the manpower to conduct the number of tests required.
According to the Ministry of Health guidelines, anyone who receives a positive result from an at-home antigen test should book a PCR with a medical practitioner to confirm that they have Covid. However, patients in Elche and Alicante have reported that their health centres told them they could not facilitate a PCR test, and advised them instead to self-isolate.
“All five of my family members have tested positive with antigen self-tests”, one Elche resident said. “We have contacted the telephone number for Covid warnings and they tell us that they are not doing confirmation PCR and that we have to quarantine".
The trouble for this family is that most workplaces require proof of a positive PCR test if people ask for the time off, so many are left in a catch-22 because of the increasing pressure on primary care. The Ministry has countered that PCR tests can be dispensed with “at the discretion of the family doctor” and that physicians should be able to provide a letter for workplaces.
For those who do manage to get a PCR test appointment, the situation is little better, with Alicante residents complaining of waits as long as two hours among crowds of potentially Covid-positive patients.
According to staff at the General Hospital of Alicante, between 800 and 1,000 PCR tests are being carried out daily, and the waiting list is currently four days with results expected between 48 and 72 hours.
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