Free PCR Tests in Lower Austria's Pharmacies Starting Immediately
Lower Austria's pharmacies are now offering free COVID-19 PCR tests. This will be especially helpful given the new requirements of a negative PCR test or proof of vaccination to enter clubs or discos. The offer will be provided in conjunction with the progress being made with vaccines. Read about how to get a test and the latest news about Lower Austria's vaccination efforts.
Free COVID-19 PCR tests will be available in Lower Austria’s pharmacies. / Picture: © Wikimedia Commons / joho345, Public Domain
Lower Austria’s Deputy Governor, Dr. Stephan Pernkopf, and State Council Member, Ulrike Königsberger-Ludwig, have announced that free COVID-19 PCR tests will soon be available in Lower Austria’s pharmacies. “In addition to rapid vaccination progress, good test offers in the fight against the coronavirus are also important to us in Lower Austria. Free PCR tests are to be offered in Lower Austria's pharmacies as early as the end of next week. Thanks to our pharmacies, who are now creating this offer quickly and regionally.”
Peter Gonda, President of the Lower Austrian Chamber of Pharmacists, and Andreas Hoyer, Vice President of the Lower Austrian Pharmacists' Association, said, “We want to start in the larger pharmacies in all regions and then quickly roll out the offer across the board. We have made intensive preparations for this in the last few days and hours.”
After making an appointment, which can be done at www.oesterreich-testet.at and www.testung.at, the swabs are taken in the pharmacies. The result is then automatically sent via SMS or email. One can also get the result printed out.
Pernkopf and Königsberger-Ludwig also provided an update on the latest vaccination news, “Currently 1,053,515 of the Lower Austrians aged 12 and over - that is 71 percent - have received at least the first dose and will also be fully immunized in mid-August. Our booking platform www.impfung.at is still used intensively. Since the switch to individual appointments and free choice of vaccines a week ago, the demand has even increased. To make it even easier to plan the vaccinations, it has been possible since last Wednesday to book the first and second appointments independently of each other. This enables better planning, especially during vacation time.” Up to 5,000 appointments were booked per day, and a total of 19,128 have been booked since the switch.
Pernkopf and Königsberger-Ludwig concluded with information about receiving the Johnson & Johnson vaccine “In addition to the fixed appointment booking, it is also possible to get a vaccination with the vaccine from Johnson & Johnson in over 300 ordinations without booking an appointment. Of course, it is necessary to contact the local doctor about this. An overview of which doctors are offering the vaccine can now also be found on www.impfung.at.