After Easter at schools, only one PCR test per week

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After the Easter vacations, schools will only have PCR tests once a week. Education Minister Martin Polaschek (ÖVP) informed schools of this in a letter on Tuesday. Antigen tests will only be provided more if there have been positive cases before. The masking requirement outside of class, on the other hand, will remain in place “until further notice.”

Currently, schools are tested three times a week – at least twice using the more informative PCR method and once using an antigen test. After Easter, only one weekly PCR test will take place. Antigen tests are then only used if positive cases have been registered beforehand. Thus, the “redimensioning” of the testing strategy is carried out by the Ministry of Health, it said in a statement.

“In line with the general testing strategy, we are also adjusting coronal testing in schools. After close coordination with the health department, we redimension the corona tests to one test per week after the Easter vacation. This corresponds to 4-5 PCR tests per month at the schools,” Polaschek said.

There is no change in the mask requirement: no mask needs to be worn in class, but it does outside, of course, in the school building. Furthermore, the respective school administrations can decide on an additional mask obligation if necessary – for example, after frequent infections. A catalog with illustrations is currently being compiled.

The Easter vacations end on April 18. Before the holidays, students will receive two more antigen tests so that they can be tested while on vacation or before returning to school.