Free antigen testing in the Czech Republic to continue after mid-January

During the first eight days since it launched earlier this month, over 157,000 tests were conducted, with about 9,500 positive results

ČTK

Written by ČTK Published on 30.12.2020 17:16:00 (updated on 30.12.2020) Reading time: 1 minute

The chance to use free antigen tests for COVID-19 will continue after Jan. 15, 2021, Czech Health Ministry spokesperson Barbora Peterova told journalists today.

Peterova said there had been hundreds of thousands of antigen tests since Dec. 16, roughly 4 percent of which turned out positive, she added.

There was a great interest in the testing, especially before Christmas. There are few if any vacancies on the booking website.

"It makes it possible to detect the people without symptoms who still spread the disease. Thanks to this, they have a chance of behaving responsibly, protecting not only themselves but also, above all, the people around them against the infection," Peterova said.

The ministry only released detailed data on antigen tests on Dec. 23. During the first eight days, over 157,000 tests were conducted, with about 9,500 being positive. In the same week, about 195,000 PCR tests were conducted. At present, the sampling centers for antigen tests only offer booking until January 15.

The website of the Health Ministry is offering hundreds of vacancies for the next three days, but their number largely differs according to regions. In Prague, there are only about 40 vacancies for the next three days.

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