Covid-19: Gov’t approves two rounds of comprehensive antigen testing in schools

Elementary and high school students will undergo comprehensive antigen testing for Covid-19 on the coming two Mondays (November 22 and 29), Minister of Education Robert Plaga announced on Friday.

Plaga said that the two rounds of testing should help schools contain the spread of coronavirus and prevent the need to reintroduce online distance learning.

However, Chief Hygienist Pavla Svrčinová has said comprehensive antigen testing in schools in ineffective, arguing it is better to test symptomatic students using the more accurate PCR tests.

The Czech Republic had on average 820 coronavirus cases per 100,000 inhabitants over the past 14 days, a greater percentage than in 16 other EU member states.