Last Christmas, getting a COVID-19 test was a practically impossible mission in Spain, where, since January 15, its price has been limited to one maximum of 2.94 euros. However, other countries are offering these tests at lower prices or even for free: this is the case of Austria, which offers unlimited free tests for everyone.
An expensive strategy that, however, has not prevented high spikes in hospitalizations or closures of the economy and social activity in the Central European country, despite the fact that so far some 140 million PCR and antigen tests have been carried out there, an average of 15 tests per person, which places it as the second country in the world with the most tests carried out in proportion to its population.
Thus, in Austrian schools children must undergo three weekly tests and in the capital, Vienna, there are 30 points and more than 250 pharmacies where a free PCR can be done, while in almost all regions of the country it is possible to do an unlimited number of PCR tests by gargling at home, which are delivered in supermarkets or drugstores.
A testing strategy cost the country some 1.6 billion euros last year and in spite of which its cumulative incidence exceeds the European average, which last November became one of the highest in the world, taking the country to lockdown, and that it has not prevented hospitalizations from being several times higher than that of countries that perform far fewer tests.
Although several experts believe that the huge Austrian investment in tests is not justified, the city of One insists on maintaining this public service: the Austrian capital has carried out some 33 million PCRs to date, with a test ratio per inhabitant 19 times higher than in Spain. There, each PCR costs between 5 and 8 euros, compared to the approximately 70 euros it costs in a private laboratory.
However, the impact of the omicron variant in the country is reinforcing the thesis that the idea of a free test for all is not efficient, while in several regions -except Vienna- laboratories are overwhelmed by the sharp rise in cases of more than 70% in seven days.
Mario Twitchell is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his insightful and thought-provoking writing on a wide range of topics including general and opinion. He currently works as a writer at 247 news agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
