The first pharmacies in Austria are selling the new “triple test”. The pharmaceutical novelty shows whether you have Covid-19, influenza or RSV.
Cough, runny nose, sore throat – the “Triple-Welle” sweeps across Austria. It is unclear for many sick people whether they are suffering from influenza, Covid-19 or RSV. Medical practices and hospitals are stormed to clarify the pathogen. Now a new combined test should relieve the medical professionals.
They work like conventional corona quick tests: nose swab with a stick, stir into test liquid and put on the test kit. After 15 minutes the result should be visible. Caution: When evaluating, other “dash” rules must be observed.
In the video you will learn how to interpret the result:
This is how the triple tests read
If only one dash appears in all three columns, one is clearly negative. If there are two red bars, everything stays the same in the case of Covid-19 and RSV – you are positive (don’t panic). If three dashes appear under the influenza bar, keep a cool head. You are definitely positive, but you have to differentiate between influenza viruses A and B.
How reliable are the tests?
Combination tests are usually industry standard and reliable. They must be CE certified to meet EU-wide requirements. In addition, each test should state how high its sensitivity and specificity are. Sensitivity indicates how often a test correctly detects an infection. The higher the sensitivity of a test, the more reliably the disease is detected with a positive result. The specificity shows how likely it is that a healthy person will be recognized as such. The result is then negative.
Pharmacy price, but reliability
Several test offers are available online, for example from Solmira, fluorecare or CorDx. The prices are between 2.91 and 4.95 euros per piece. However, the reliability of the products is not guaranteed on the Internet. To be on the safe side, go to the local pharmacies. The Solmira product is available in a Viennese pharmacy for EUR 7.10.
Also read: Austria introduces compulsory testing for travelers to China
