Coronavirus: health ministry urges more testing in workplaces  

The health ministry on Friday urged employees who have returned to work after it relaxed the number of staff permitted at each premise to take a rapid antigen test.

It said that as from tomorrow and for a week, it would operate a separate station at all the test locations for the working population, who must show the relevant movement form signed by their employers.

And it recommended that half the staff physically present at each business be tested over the week.

Amid urgent calls from businesses that the previous restrictions impeded their operation, the government had on Wednesday agreed to raise the maximum number of employees permitted to be physically present at private businesses in the services sector from 15 per cent to 25 per cent. It said there can be a minimum of five employees and a maximum of 25.

This relaxation is being combined with more testing to allow close monitoring of the epidemiological situation and after consultations with the Chamber of Commerce and the Employers Federation, the ministry said it was “sternly recommending” that service businesses encourage and provide the necessary facilities to their staff to carry out rapid tests.

As from Saturday and for a week, the ministry is recommending that 50 per cent of employees physically present at service businesses undergo a rapid test, with priority to those who have returned to work following Wednesday’s decision.

Meanwhile, tests on employees at private businesses, factories, building sites and banks which have not suspended their operation are continuing. Rapid tests are also being carried out in the public sector, at care homes, other facilities, among health professionals at private and public hospitals and at private schools.

The ministry also announced the testing locations for the general public for Saturday as follows:

* For the communities of Kato Pyrgos Tillyrias, Pano Pyrgos, Pigenia, Mosphili and Pachiamos