From November, anyone who has had symptoms of the coronavirus for less than six days can take a rapid antigen test at a pharmacy. Pharmacies will thus play an additional role in the fight against Covid-19, even if not all pharmacies will offer this service, underlines the Belgian Pharmaceutical Association (APB) on Thursday.
Pharmacies are already doing rapid antigen testing for people who want to travel or attend a mass event. In the near future, they will also screen people with symptoms of SARS-Cov-2 using rapid antigen tests. The results of such tests are known within 15 to 30 minutes.
This is in fact a decision by the health authorities aimed at relieving the workload of general practitioners, who are already in great demand. While the fall illnesses are back, they fear having to test anyone with symptoms of Covid-19.
“Pharmacists are proud to be complementary to doctors and screening centers and thus to be able to make a contribution in the fight against the coronavirus”, commented Koen Straetmans, president of the APB. Especially since they have the necessary experience, he adds. Since July 12, some 2,500 of the country’s 4,700 pharmacies have indeed offered antigenic tests to the population. Since then, some 430,000 tests have been performed on asymptomatic citizens.
Each pharmacy is free to carry out these rapid screening tests or not. “It is therefore preferable to contact your pharmacist beforehand,” recommends Mr. Straetmans.
Belgian citizens returning from abroad or tourists traveling to our country will soon no longer have to carry out a PCR test and will be able to be satisfied with a rapid antigen test.
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