The first rapid tests for the detection of coronavirus cases that began to be marketed yesterday Saturday in the Aldi and Lidl supermarkets in Germany were sold out in just a few minutes, after registering long queues for their purchase, despite the fact that their purchase has been limited to a maximum of five tests per person.
This diagnostic system is only sold in Germany, at a price between 5 and 10 euros. The kit includes the swab that is inserted into the nose to obtain the sample. The result is available in 15 minutes and with an efficiency of between 80% and 96%. In Spain, the legislation does not allow its sale in supermarkets, and the Government has always been reluctant to have tests carried out outside the health circuit.
In different Aldi shopping centers in the states of Berlin and Brandenburg, the tests had run out minutes after seven in the morning, the opening time, something that has also happened in other cities, according to the newspaper The time. Images of queues outside the Aldi supermarkets were also seen at dawn, with masks and shopping carts in the car parks, before they opened their doors. The rival chain Lidl, which also began offering rapid coronavirus tests this Saturday but only on its website, suffered server problems due to an excess of visits.
In the next few days, other large German distribution chains, such as Rewe and Edeka, as well as the Dm and Rossmann drugstores, are also expected to start marketing the rapid tests. Pharmacies have also indicated their intention to sell them.
Three passed tests
The Federal Institute of Medicines of Germany has approved three rapid tests: Rapid SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Test Card, LYHER Covid-19 Antigen Schnelltest Nasal and CLINITEST Rapid COVID-19 Self-Test. The German Government intends with this measure to speed up the detection of infections in the country. In addition to the two aforementioned chains, the tests will also be sold in pharmacies, drugstores and other supermarkets.
The Siemens Healthineers company explains that its rapid Covid-19 CLINITEST antigen test can be done perfectly by people without health training. Thus, he conducted a study of 50 people without medical training who practiced the test themselves with the help of the instructions for use. “The CLINITEST COVID-19 Antigen Self Test offers users great flexibility to test with very good quality results,” said Christoph Pedain, Director of Point-of-Care Diagnostics at Siemens Healthineers.
The company explains that this self-test involves taking samples from both nostrils with a swab. The swab is then washed in a reagent, dissolving a specific protein from the surface of the virus. This liquid is dropped into a hole in the test box. Within 15 minutes, the test sample flows into the field of view of the cassette and becomes visible by means of a dash. The position and number of lines indicate whether the test result is positive or negative, or if something was done incorrectly during the test procedure and the test needs to be repeated.
“By making the rapid Covid-19 antigen test available for non-professional use in Germany, we are breaking new ground and further fulfilling our social responsibility to support the return to social normality,” said Bernd Ohnesorge, head of the region. from Europe, the Middle East and Africa at Siemens Healthineers. The pharmaceutical company has started the regular procedure for assessing the conformity of the CE marking for self-administration by non-professionals.
The rapid tests are, together with the vaccination campaign, a key pillar of the de-escalation strategy of the German Government. The Executive believes that the massive use of these tests will help to detect those infected more quickly and will cut the chains of infections.
High incidence
Germany registers a cumulative incidence in the last seven days throughout the country amounting to 65.6 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, with which this variable remains stable. In comparison, the cumulative incidence this Friday was 65.4 and a week ago, 63.8. In total, Germany has 2,492,079 infected people, of which about 2,299,400 have recovered, and 71,804 deaths from Sars-CoV2.
According to data from this Friday, Germany has vaccinated 4.915 million people, of which only 2.410 million have received the two doses (2.9% of the population).
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