The large scale testing was designed to test up to 53,000 people per week. Already, demand has exceeded that number Shutterstock

The large scale testing was designed to test up to 53,000 people per week. Already, demand has exceeded that number Shutterstock

“Laboratories need you to strengthen their sampling teams to perform nasopharyngeal and buccopharyngeal smears,” the mass email sent by the health reserve mailbox on Saturday evening reads. “Given the current evolution of the pandemic, your short-term availability would be of great value.”

It goes on to say that “All health professions are eligible to perform these samplings and will receive adequate training beforehand.”

A link in the email takes people to a registration page which explains that the contact of interested parties will forward their details to Luxembourg testing laboratories Bionext, Ketterthill, Laboratoires réunis and LNS.

Demand exceeds capacity

Phase 2 of Luxembourg’s large-scale testing programme set out procedures to enable up to 53,000 tests to be carried out per week, down from 20,000 per day at the height of the first phase. But it has exceeded the capacity goal--during the week of 19-25 October, 60,669 tests were conducted in Luxembourg.

Private laboratories are meanwhile struggling to find staff. In September, Bionext Laboratories’ Dr Jean-Luc Dourson told Delano the problem was a combination of lack of staff and competition from the public health sector. Recruitment firm the Adecco Group has created a task force to recruit the expected 190 staff required for the second phase, including administrative and logistic roles.