The free Covid 19 tests are storming in Vienna just before Christmas. All are fully booked up to and including December 24.
Monday morning, a steady stream of people makes its way to the test lane at the Austria Center Vienna (ACV). All people living or working in Vienna have had the opportunity to be tested for coronavirus there free of charge since December 15. “But today is our strongest day so far,” says ACV executive Susanne Baumann-Söllner.
And that’s how it will continue. Up to and including December 24, all appointments are already fully booked, although 15,000 corona screenings can be performed per day.
Upon entering the test lane, each pre-registered person receives an FFP2 mask. Then the participant is assigned to one of four lines, each with three stations. A total of 20 employees are on duty there per shift. The whole procedure only takes about 20 minutes, and then you have your results in your hands.
Reasons of taking the test are varied: because one wants to visit his family in Eastern Europe over the Christmas holidays; another wants to be sure not to infect his parents on Christmas Eve. In addition to the ACV, a test track at the stadium is also available by appointment.
But there, too, the dates are already booked up. “We are trying to set up more test streets before Christmas,” says the office of Health City Councilor Peter Hacker (SPÖ). However, this is not certain, he said. And: “No matter whether with or without test. You have to be careful in both cases,” Hacker said.
- hp with reports from krone.at. picture: orf.at screenshot
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