COVID-19: results of testing campaign

Acting on the instructions of H.S.H. the Sovereign Prince, the Prince Government organised a testing campaign in schools, using self-tests. The campaign was carried out on 21, 22 and 23 February as pupils returned following the winter holiday.

As with the campaign held at the start of term in January, the aim was to enable pupils and staff in schools to test themselves, on a voluntary basis, after the February holiday.

The campaign proved very successful, with eight out of every ten people in schools taking advantage of the opportunity to test themselves.

A total of 4,964 people took a test, 37 of whom received a positive result for COVID-19. Those testing positive included 35 pupils (20 of whom are resident in Monaco) and 2 members of school staff (both non-residents).

The positivity rate was 0.7% (0.9% among pupils and 0.2% among staff), compared with 1.9% in January 2022. This demonstrates that while the virus continues to spread, it is doing do at substantially lower levels than after the Christmas holidays.

The individuals whose self-tests were positive then had to confirm these initial results via a PCR test.

The Prince’s Government would like to remind residents and employees that they can, if they wish, obtain a free PCR test without the need for a medical prescription, at the National Testing Centre in the Rainier III Auditorium. Contact the COVID-19 Call Centre on 92.05.55.00.