Slovakia and South Tyrol showed how it is, and now Austria is following suit: As of today, millions of citizens in several federal states will be asked to take a voluntary quick test. The goal is ambitious and the meaning of the action is controversial. In Austria, mass tests are intended to effectively contain the spread of the corona virus. The project starts on a large scale in the federal states of Vienna, Tyrol and Vorarlberg. In Austria’s capital, citizens can have themselves tested at three locations until December 13th. The capacity in Vienna is up to 150,000 tests per day. The government’s goal is to have millions of people examined. The mass tests are considered to be an important component, especially to discover symptom-free infected people. Critics like the epidemiologist Gerald Gartlehner, on the other hand, speak of “political activism”. The antigen tests only provide a snapshot and there is a high risk of false results.

Quarantine when entering Austria makes borders practically closed

Due to the almost three-week lockdown, which will be lifted again next Monday – at least as far as trade is concerned, the high number of infections in Austria has recently fallen significantly. Nevertheless, the government made up of the conservative ÖVP and the Greens is taking a rather cautious opening course. This also includes the travel restrictions over Christmas and New Years. Anyone entering from a risk area – this also includes Germany – must be put into a ten-day quarantine, which can be ended after the fifth day at the earliest with a negative PCR test. In the case of mass tests, Austria is also based on experiences from neighboring Slovakia.

Other countries are already trying. Could mass tests save Christmas?

Slovakia carried out mass corona tests across the country on All Saints’ Day weekend (October 31 and November 1). Participation was formally voluntary, but those who did not have a negative test were not even allowed to go to work for two weeks. Therefore, in the first of several test rounds alone, 3.6 million of the 5.5 million inhabitants underwent a rapid antigen test. In view of the expense of the millions of tests in Slovakia, there was no more capacity left to follow up the contacts of those who tested positive. In addition, despite the knowledge that the rapid antigen tests were less reliable, there were no control tests if someone tested positive. In the meantime, Slovakia is gradually moving away from its strategy of nationwide corona mass tests. The nationwide corona mass tests planned again for the first weekend in December have been postponed indefinitely.

Corona mass test in South Tyrol Veneto issues sets for home use

Another example of mass tests is the northern Italian region of South Tyrol. After a corona mass test lasting several days, a positive balance was drawn in the second half of November. In the small Alpine province, more than 350,000 citizens had a free smear test. There were queues at the stations for the rapid antigen test. The target, which is important for success, was precisely achieved – despite voluntary action. A good 3,600 participants (around 1 percent) received a positive corona result at the end. You have been ordered to quarantine.

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