Recommendations to prioritise testing for COVID-19

Symptomatic people with a record of international travel, symptomatic close contacts of confirmed cases, the medical-sanitary personnel, including the asymptomatic one, close contact with the confirmed case have priority in the testing for the novel coronavirus, according to a testing algorithm published on the website of the National Centre for Surveillance and Control of Communicable Diseases within the National Institute of Public Health.

"Prioritising the testing in a descending order of importance is the following: symptomatic persons with a record of international travel; symptomatic close contacts of confirmed cases; medical-sanitary personnel (including asymptomatic) close contact with a confirmed case; cases of SARI [Severe Acute Respiratory Infections] without other etiology (negative for influenza test), from all age categories and from all hospitals; symptomatic institutionalized persons," the quoted source informs.

According to the source, the recommendations are based on the document drafted by the European Commission having in mind the scientific advice provided by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).

"Currently, Romania is at a pre-epidemic stage, with import cases and limited local transmission cases (2,3,4 generation), not yet existing proof of sustained intra-community transmission. In these circumstances, the strategy should be focused on the fast detection of COVID-19 cases in view of limiting the transmission and obtaining evidence of undetected community transmission," the quoted source shows.

The testing will be carried out only at the doctor's recommendation, both in the public and private health system.