An important aspect of the strategy lies in the large-scale testing procedures, which are supposed to provide an overview of the general population. And the administration will continue to use this method, with the second phase being launched and presented on Monday.
Press briefing by Minister of Education Claude Meisch and Minister of Health Paulette LenertThe beginning of the large-scale testing process was considered to be rather unenthusiastic, only few people showing up for the voluntary procedure at one of the seventeen stations. By June, the number of performed tests was nowhere near the envisioned 600,000 mark, merely amounting to about 50,000. Many staff members at the stations were still unknowingly wearing fraudulent masks. When the numbers began rising again, the contact tracing mechanism started reaching its capacity at certain moments.
Nevertheless, the Ministry of Health considers the results of the first phase of the testing procedures, which came to a conclusion in July, a success. Officials stated that the maximum capacity of 16,000 tests per day had almost been exhausted over the course of 10 weeks.
During the month of August, which was the transition period between phases 1 and 2, around 56% of tests were performed in the context of the large scale testing. 10% of positive cases were identified via the strategy. The budget for the first phase was set at €40 million, but remained slightly below that number at €32 million. A further €60 million has now been freed for the second phase.
Meanwhile, the Grand Duchy received international praise for its strategy and its implementation. The ECDC released a rapport that took a closer look at several countries, such as Norway, Switzerland, and Great Britain, and concluded in several instances that the Luxembourgish strategy should be considered a role model.
