Vienna Introduces New Covid-19 Testing System
The City of Vienna has introduced the new testing system "Alles Gurgelt!". Every Viennese is eligible to pick up PCR tests at the 152 BIPA stores throughout Vienna, record herself or himself while conducting the test and drop off the tests at one of 620 REWE locations. The results of the test is available after 24 hours and works as "entry test" for body-related services.
The Viennese population has now access to free PCR tests with results provided in under 24 hours. / Picture: © Magistrat der Stadt Wien / Christian Jobst / PID
All Viennese have now the opportunity to be regularly tested for Covid-19 free of charge by means of PCR gargle tests as part of the "Alles gurgelt!" program.
For this purpose, the laboratory capacities and the delivery network have been massively expanded with the project partners.
The result will be delivered digitally within 24 hours.
Following the success of the pilot project launched at the end of January, for which 5,500 Viennese companies and organizations with more than 330,000 employees signed up, the City of Vienna and the Vienna Chamber of Commerce are now making the "Alles gurgelt!" testing offer available to all Viennese.
Mayor Michael Ludwig:
"The safety of people and the health of the population - this is our top priority. That's why we all need to exercise patience once again in the coming weeks and be as disciplined as possible to achieve our common goal of returning to a largely normal life. This includes keeping our distance, wearing FFP2 masks, but also largely limiting our personal contacts and direct encounters with people. In particular, regular testing of the Viennese is a crucial key to containing the pandemic. With the Vienna-wide roll-out of 'Alles gurgelt!', Vienna is taking the next innovative step in the fight against the pandemic."
Walter Ruck, President of the Vienna Chamber of Commerce:
"Rolling out 'Alles gurgelt!' to the whole of Vienna is a milestone in combating the consequences of the pandemic. PCR tests that are accessible to all and free of charge create the prerequisite for further opening steps until vaccination is complete and can prevent lockdowns. After all, lockdowns entail far-reaching consequences. They cost us billions of euros and tens of thousands of jobs in Vienna. In the future, there will be no reason to restrict the economic and social life of people who certainly do not pose a danger to their environment due to area-wide PCR testing."
City Health Councillor Peter Hacker:
"With 'Alles gurgelt!' we are making a testing service available to all Viennese, which is unique not only in Austria. And on a scale that catapults us into a completely different league, although we have already achieved remarkable things in Vienna. We rely on the PCR method and thus on the highest standard of tests, with which we can also detect symptomless people."
To make this project, which is unique in Europe, possible, the laboratory capacities and the dispensing network were massively expanded in cooperation with the exclusively Austrian project partners. After registration via the website www.allesgurgelt.at and the WebApp of test kit manufacturer LEAD Horizon, the test kits can still be picked up at 152 BIPA stores throughout Vienna.
Dropping off samples is now possible at all of the more than 620 REWE locations throughout Vienna (Billa, Merkur, BIPA, Penny, gas stations with REWE stores) - thanks to the gas station stores, this is also possible on Sundays. The drop-off points are easily accessible for all - 70 percent of the Viennese can reach such a store within 5 minutes walking time, 100 percent within a driving time of 5 minutes by car. 1.5 million test kits have been prepared for the next few days, and another 1.2 million kits will be delivered each week.
How do the tests work?
All participants can download a barcode via www.allesgurgelt.at, which entitles them to pick up a maximum of four test kits at any BIPA store. After use, new tests can be picked up. Registration and sample number entry is done on the LEAD Horizon WebApp (www.lead-horizon.org/public), which is also linked on the 'Alles Gurgelt!' website.
The gargle tests are performed under the guidance of the WebApp, which is available in ten languages (German, English, Portuguese, Spanish, Slovak, Bulgarian, Romanian, Hungarian, Croatian, Turkish). The procedure enables reliable sample collection. The test is officially recognized, and the identity of the test persons is confirmed by means of digital documentation.
If proof of identity is required, a passport, e-card or ID card must be held up to the camera when setting up the profile. Proof of identity is not obligatory, the WebApp can also be used without this function - in this case, the analysis result does not count as an "entry test", but merely provides information about the infection status.