For people who do not wish to be vaccinated and who have never been infected with the covid-19 virus, getting tested will be an expensive option that can cost more than €900 per month. (Photo: Paperjam)

For people who do not wish to be vaccinated and who have never been infected with the covid-19 virus, getting tested will be an expensive option that can cost more than €900 per month. (Photo: Paperjam)

From 15 January, you will have to be vaccinated, recovered or tested to access your workplace. For those who opt for the tests, the bill will be substantial. At the same time, pharmacists are concerned about the additional workload that will be created.

While the scheme will put pressure on the unvaccinated, it will also put pressure on pharmacies. The latter are currently facing a strong demand for certified antigenic tests which are valid, for the moment, for 48 hours. But from 15 January, the validity of this type of tests will be 24 hours. “At the moment we are doing about 100 antigen tests a day. On Fridays and Saturdays, we do more than 250,” says a pharmacist in the station area. “With the reduction in the validity of the antigen test, I fear that we will be overworked and I don't think we will be able to keep up. It is also sometimes difficult to get antigenic tests from our suppliers. In November, I ordered six times as many tests as in October,” he adds.

The same is true for the vast majority of pharmacies in the area. “People with a medical prescription for medication obviously have priority over those who come for an antigenic test,” for fear that the queues in front of the pharmacies will discourage customers who need medication.

The choice of antigen test

Depending on the pharmacy, the antigen test can be carried out with or without an appointment. The principle is simple: the pharmacist takes a nasal swab and uses a reagent plate similar to a self-test to read the result, which is then sent to the ministry of health. The ministry then sends a document with a QR code to be scanned, which serves as a key. “The pharmacies do not generate the QR code. However, we print it out if the person presents us with their CNS card”, highlights a pharmacist who also specified that he cannot make a duplicate of the QR code. “Every day, I have at least one person who comes to ask me if he can have a new QR code, because his is unreadable. You must not fold the sheet over the QR code, nor get it wet,” he explains.

From €511.72 to €767.8 a month

The price of a certified antigen test is not regulated, so a pharmacy is free to agree on the price. In the pharmacies in the Gare district, the price varies between €25 and €34.90. Some pharmacies even offer loyalty cards with 15 antigen tests for €349 euros, or €23.26 per test.

There are 22 working days between 15 January and 15 February. A person choosing the 24-hour antigen test to go to work will therefore have to pay between €511.72 (thanks to the loyalty card) and €767.8 (the maximum price found multiplied by 22 days) to be tested daily. The amount can of course be reduced by teleworking several days a week.

Currently, however, there is a cheaper option by using the certified self-test of the Luxembourg City municipality. It charges 5 euros in exchange for a voucher (limited to two vouchers per person on the same day) to go for a certified antigen test in partner pharmacies. But beware, there is already a very long wait to collect the vouchers in question. Moreover, it is not certain that the initiative will be extended to 2022.

Choosing the PCR test

In principle, pharmacies do not perform PCR tests. But some have reached an agreement with laboratories to carry them out. It is done in the nose or in the mouth. If, at present, a PCR test is valid for 72 hours, from 15 January next, it will be valid for 48 hours.

Please note: as with the antigenic test, the validity period begins at the time of the test and not when the result is known.

The sample is sent to a laboratory. In the best case, the result is known within 24 hours. However, if the laboratories are overloaded, it may take a little longer, especially as PCR tests on prescription are given priority.

PCR tests cost between €659.45 and €934.45 a month

Again, the price of a PCR test is not regulated and varies between €59.95 and €84.95 euros. There are 22 working days between 15 January and 15 February. A person choosing the 48-hour PCR test to be able to go to work will therefore have to pay between €659.45 and €934.45 to be tested every two days (11 times), in the most optimistic scenario. The bill can obviously be reduced if the person teleworks several days a week.

Some pharmacies and laboratories offer a rapid PCR test. In these cases, you have to pay between €99 and €124 euros to get your result in 4 hours.

This story was first published in French on . It has been translated and edited for Delano.