New consultation centres have been opened in Kirchberg and Esch-sur-Alzette. What exactly are the used for, and what is the difference between them and a test centre?

The Covid consultation centres have been installed to relieve emergency rooms as well as general practitioner offices. As the name suggests, here the medical staff offer consultations, not screenings.

Six doctors can attend to 150 patients per day at the old national library building in Kirchberg, but Dr Sébastien Français, responsible for coordination at the centre, is relieved to see that this number has not been reached. About fifty patients come here on average every day, with sometimes 80 on weekends. Patients may be taken to the emergency room from this centre, as the first treatment is carried out at the CCC until the ambulance's arrival.

The consultation centre has been set up for people who show symptoms of Covid-19 as well as for people who test positive. The general state of health is assessed upon entry and the patient's information is recorded in the system. People who are not affiliated with any health insurance fund can also benefit from the CCC. After a first step with the nurse, it is the doctor who will take charge of the patient and who can, if necessary, prescribe a Covid screening. This test can be carried out on site.

A testing centre opened its doors last week in Leudelange. Patients are welcomed Monday to Friday between 6.30 am and 6 pm, and Saturday between 6.30 a.m. and noon. An appointment is not necessary while a prescription is mandatory in order to be tested, as in all 22 blood collection centers in the country.

This site was opened in order to take the extra workload off the laboratories. There are no consultations here, but a Covid-19 test is prescribed by a doctor. Furthermore, staff here also help with the tracing of contacts,