The testing for COVID-19 of education system employees should be done with public money, considers public health expert Ala Tocarciuc. According to her, for increased efficiency, the teaching staff should be tested more often than once in two weeks, while the state should cover the testing costs. Moreover, the defective communication of the authorities is one of the causes that make the Moldovans oppose vaccination, IPN reports.
Under the authorities’ decision, the unvaccinated education system employees as from September 1 must show a negative COVID-19 test result once in 14 days. The Government announced that it will not cover the costs of testing as long as the state ensures free vaccination. Public health specialists said the “confrontation method” is not the most efficient one.
“If a teacher who is an intelligent person has doubts about vaccination, it means that they have particular arguments in favor of their opinion. Communication is the best solution. The benefits of vaccination should be explained. The teachers should be tested, but more often than once in 14 days. They should be all tested, not only the unvaccinated ones, as they are in contact with children. Testing should be covered by the employer, not by oneself,” Ala Tocarciuc stated in the talk show“Prime Time” on PrimeTV channel.
According to Tocarciuc, since the start of the pandemic, the government’s communication with the citizens has been defective. This generates uncertainty and distrust in authorities’ messages in society.
“Studies show the vaccine acceptance level is at 80% in the poor countries as the people here realize that the vaccine is the only solution for surviving. They know that if they become infected, the health system that is in a precarious state will not treat them. In rich countries, the people afford not to get vaccinated as they know that if they become infected, the health system will treat them. We witness a paradox. We have a health system on its knees, but the people do not want to get vaccinated. It is a problem of communication and the authorities bear 50% of the responsibility,” stated Tocarciuc.
According to official reports, the national vaccination rate in Moldova is of 22%. The highest immunization rate was recorded among health workers, of 89%.
