Registration of 11,000 Bucharest residents for Real Time PCR testing to start Friday

The Bucharest City Hall launches on Friday an online platform where 11,000 Bucharesters can voluntarily register to be tested for free for the infection with the novel coronavirus, Bucharest General Mayor Gabriela Firea announced on Thursday.

In a Facebook post, she mentioned that another unveiled project to perform antibody tests for COVID-19 for 10,500 Bucharest residents will begin next week.

"The big testing begins in the capital city! The Bucharest Capital City Hall launches tomorrow, May 22, at 13:00hrs, the online platform www.testampentrubucuresti.assmb.ro, where 11,000 Bucharest residents can register voluntarily to be tested free of charge for the infection with the novel coronavirus. The platform is part of the 'Test for Bucharest' project - the first initiative of a local authority in Romania to provide large-scale testing of asymptomatic people with Real Time PCR devices," said Firea.

The testing will be carried out free of charge, with the Bucharest City Hall, to pay for each tested person the amount of 200 lei directly to the public and private laboratories affiliated with the project.

The people of Bucharest will fill in a form that includes eligibility criteria and personal data. After completing this first stage and accepting enrollment with the programme, an application form and a consent form for participation will be filled in.

Each registered participant will receive a registration number and a confirmation e-mail, and will be contacted for scheduling and the actual testing. A dedicated call centre will keep in touch with the Bucharest residents enrolled with the programme and will communicate the date and time when they will have to report to the affiliated medical units for testing.

Firea mentioned that the city, through the Administration of Hospitals and Medical Services, has already concluded partnerships with state hospitals and private clinics that wanted to enter this project and that have PCR testing devices accredited by the Ministry of Health and approved by the Directorate of Public Health