EduMin Cîmpeanu asks for non-invasive COVID-19 testing in schools

Education Minister Sorin Cimpeanu said on Monday that he requested in the Interministerial Committee and the Ministry of Health to apply non-invasive COVID-19 testing in schools, mentioning that that has to be solved before students return from their break.

"At the Interministerial Committee's meeting on Thursday, I made this proposal, in a written request, a request from the Ministry of Education; I transposed this idea to the Ministry of Health as well, a request to the Ministry of Health, and I am convinced that they will comply with the utmost care given that increasingly more European countries are using this solution of non-invasive testing in schools.The latest example is Italy followed by Germany, Austria, and France where these non-invasive tests are used in schools. They are later validated by PCR tests, but they are a very important tool to ensure health protection in schools. It is about testing the students who show specific symptoms during the educational process, as well as the students who have noticed that they are contacts of confirmed cases," Cimpeanu said at the Parliament House.

He said the government would "analyze and decide on" who would buy the tests.

The minister added that the tests were not validated by Romania's National Public Health Institute (INSP), but voiced conviction that the institute will look into that.

"INSP has not validated a methodology for then, but I am convinced that it will look into that possibility," Cimpeanu added.

Asked when such tests could be introduced in schools, he said: "Students will return to school on May 5, it is about all students, except those in the final grades who will return on May 10. Ideally, this issue should be resolved before children return to school after the Easter break."