The goal is a reduction to a maximum of five free PCR tests per person per month. In addition, there are five antigen tests for self-administration (“living room tests”) free of charge in pharmacies to pick up. Eight federal states want to stick to the throat system for the PCR tests, and some states are also working on additional solutions. Styria relies exclusively on pharmacies.
Video: From April 1st everything will change in Austria’s test strategy: From this date there should only be 10 tests per person per month. However, the regulation with the necessary details is still missing.
According to the Ministry of Health, in future only those tests that are officially ordered will not be counted among the five free PCR tests, as will tests for visits by employees to “vulnerable areas”. Anyone who has symptoms should therefore call the 1450 hotline. Only then will it be decided whether an officially ordered test (apart from the five free tests per month) can be carried out. This is intended to prevent people from classifying themselves as “symptomatic” and thus receiving additional free tests. The Ministry of Economic Affairs is discontinuing the financing of operational tests. The program expires at the end of March, according to the Ministry of Economic Affairs. So far, participating companies have received a flat rate of ten euros per test carried out, according to the department.
Video: ORF expert Helma Poschner talks about the new test strategies
According to the Ministry of Health, there will be no data comparison between the federal states – so you could call up the free tests in each federal state. The following is an overview of the test systems planned or being developed in the respective federal states:
Vienna: In any case, the tried-and-tested “Allesgurgelt” test system is to be continued in Vienna. A cooperation with the pharmacies is currently being worked on in order to be able to continue this test track. It is still unclear in Vienna how those tests can be carried out that go beyond the five free PCR tests or five antigen tests, specifically for visits to old people’s and nursing homes and hospitals. The city has already ruled out its own test streets in front of the respective facilities. The official tests are carried out as before – according to federal guidelines, symptomatic people should call the 1450 hotline. In Vienna, a test is then either carried out directly at home by a messenger – or you go to one of the test streets. It is also possible to take the test directly at the doctor’s. However, the city fears that the 1450 hotline will be massively overloaded if people who suspect symptoms themselves no longer do a gargle test but call the hotline.
Upper Austria: In Upper Austria, the five free PCR tests will in future be available either via the “ooe-gurgelt” campaign (in cooperation with Spar) or directly in pharmacies. What is new is that you have to choose one of the two variants at the beginning of the month. In the savings markets, the test kits are still available in packs of ten. This amount must now be enough for two months. Only five of the PCRT tests can be redeemed per month, the online system will not allow more. From April, visitors to the old people’s and nursing homes can take a free antigen test on site, but it is still unclear whether this will also be possible in the hospitals. For suspected cases or for people with symptoms, 1450 remains as before. There will also continue to be a separate route via the Red Cross on the official test roads. For the free test, a throat set will be given to take home in the usual way.
Lower Austria: Lower Austria also continues to rely on the proven “NÖ gurgelt” system in cooperation with Spar and McDonalds. It is still unclear whether the Chamber of Pharmacists will continue their service. The number of tests should be checked by registering when submitting the tests, which must be registered online. The subjects would have to choose which test system they would like to use. In principle, no more “NÖ gurgelt” test materials should be issued than planned for the respective period. If, however, more than five tests are submitted per month because there are still leftovers, there will be no evaluation. The procedure for those free tests that will go beyond the quota of five (for visits to old people’s and nursing homes and hospitals) is still open.
Burgenland: In Burgenland, the vaccination and test centers (BITZ) will close at the end of March. From April 1st, the five free PCR tests per person per month can be accessed via “Gurgeln at home” or in pharmacies. From then on, everyone from Burgenland will receive five free PCR tests per person per month after registering in the gargle test app (https://test.zmdx.at) via the previous collection and distribution points (Spar or pharmacies). For people who do not have a smartphone and no Internet access, there should be an alternative test offer via the Burgenland pharmacies. The drive-in test streets of the Red Cross are again available in Burgenland for suspected cases and free tests. In the future, the COVID-19 vaccination will only be possible via the resident doctors in Burgenland.
Salzburg: The state of Salzburg will most likely continue the “Salzburg gurgles” model, and PCR tests in pharmacies should also be possible. The test kits are to be handed out in savings markets and can also be thrown in there after the test. Since you have to register online for each test in advance, the system automatically recognizes if someone wants to submit the sixth test for evaluation in a month. However, it is still unclear for the time being how to prevent someone from giving further tests to a pharmacy in the same month after the five tests at “Salzburg gurgelt”.
Styria: In Styria, the five free PCR tests will only be available in pharmacies in the future. A separate digital solution is currently being worked on to check who gets how many. This should show the employees in the pharmacies who has already received how many tests. It is not yet entirely clear how people who work in vulnerable areas (or visitors to the same areas) can receive more than five tests – but it should also work via the platform in the long term. One thinks about a simple form of explanation, it said from the state of Styria. The official tests are to be carried out over 1450.
Tyrol: In Tyrol, the five free PCR tests will be available via “Tirol gurgelt”. Alternatively, the PCR gargle tests can also be carried out in pharmacies. The processing should also be done digitally via “Tirol gurgelt”, the pharmacy staff should support those affected in the implementation. The test result can then be picked up again at the pharmacy. The digital system will not allow more than five tests. Recently it was also open in Tyrol. which group of people could make use of an extended test option and how many tests should be available for them.
Carinthia: In Carinthia, too, the campaign “Alles Gurgelt” will continue. In addition, efforts were recently made to create a second PCR test system – for example for people without a smartphone. The control of who has already picked up how many tests per month should continue to be carried out via a mobile phone app. It has not yet been fully clarified how the increased need for PCR tests will be dealt with, for example by people who want to visit relatives in nursing homes or hospitals. It is roughly planned that the Tauernklinik (the provider of the gargle test in Carinthia) should be contacted by email. With regard to the officially ordered suspected case tests, the test roads provided for this purpose in the district capitals in Carinthia will remain in operation. These tests will continue to be handled via the 1450 hotline in the future.
Vorarlberg: In Vorarlberg, the PCR screening tests will continue to be carried out via the “Vorarlberg gurgelt” platform (www.vorarlberg.at/vorarlberggurgelt) from April. This means that there are still 172 acceptance and delivery points for the PCR gargle self-tests. Compliance with the upper limit of five free tests per month is controlled by the necessary registration on the platform. However, a PCR test variant via the pharmacies is currently being tested. The concrete design of the free tests for visits to hospitals or nursing homes is still open in Vorarlberg, but one wants to create a possibility via the “Vorarlberg gurgelt” platform. The officially ordered PCR tests will continue to be carried out in the test streets.
Austria-wide school tests: After the Easter holidays, only one PCR test per week should be carried out in schools across Austria. Until the beginning of the holidays on April 9th, tests will continue to be carried out three times a week (at least 2 PCR tests and 1 antigen test). Antigen tests are only made available if there have been previous positive cases. The mask requirement outside the class, on the other hand, remains in place “until further notice”.
Source: Nachrichten
