Nearly a month after preventing most of the population from being tested using the PCR testing method, the Ministry of Health updated tonight that the HMOs will be allowing PCR testing for those over 30 from tomorrow, Channel 12 News reported.
According to the report, the change in the test outline follows the severe complaints about the effectiveness of antigen tests and after the decrease on the testing load.
According to the outline introduced a few weeks ago, only those aged 60 and above or belonging to at-risk groups were allowed to be tested using PCR machines.
A senior official in the Ministry of Health clarified that the increase in the number of patients with severe conditions could not be stopped, and as a result, the health system is preparing to reduce non-urgent treatments and surgeries in the next three weeks.
"There will be another two to three difficult weeks in the hospitals," the senior official said. "I estimate that we will not pass the 1,300 patients in serious condition, but in truth even if the number is higher - we do not currently have real tools to stop this increase, so we also do not have a red line. The only way to deal with the increase in severe cases would be to reduce surgeries and non-urgent treatments, despite the difficult significance for patients - because there is no other choice."