Now you can book a COVID-19 test online even if you have mild symptoms

At today’s press meeting, new guidelines for booking a test were presented. They are to alleviate the GPs as more cold season infections rise amidst the coronavirus epidemic.

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By Bente D. Knudsen

The season for various kinds of respiratory infections with symptoms like the ones of a coronavirus infection will put increasing pressure on the phone lines of Danish GPs.

Until today, anyone with a bad cough, a slight fever or a running nose has had to call their GP first to be able to get a coronavirus test.

This has put a great deal of pressure on the phone lines of GPs the past months, making it difficult for those with any other ailments to get through to their GP.

As the cold season brings more colds, flus and other respiratory infections, with symptoms which resemble those of the coronavirus, it is necessary to enable those with mild symptoms to get tested quickly and without having to pass through their GP first.

A serious looking director of the Danish Health Board, Søren Brostrøm from Sundhedsstyrelsen, presented the new guidelines saying that with this new guideline, those with mild symptoms, who want to be tested for COVID-19, are now able to book a test online at one of the Testcenter Denmark locations.

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As part of the new guideline a requirement for someone with mild symptoms of a respiratory disease is that they must wear a facemask at all times when they leave their home and until they are back home again and, if they can, avoid taking public transport to the testcenter location.

Søren Brostrøm underlined that now Danish residents are to do what they did before the 11 March 2020 when Denmark was confined:

”If you feel ill this autumn and winter season with mild symptoms such as a cold, a slight fever, sore throat or any other flu like symptom, then do as you would normally do; think about how you feel, how ill do you feel and do you feel the need to see a GP.

If you don’t, then stay at home and self-isolate until you feel better. If you want to find out, whether you are infected with COVID-19, then book an appointment online for a test.

If you feel the need to talk to a doctor, then call your GP, this is also valid if it concerns your child.”

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Also, a set of new so called “coughing clinics” are being set up on a regional basis, they are to help GPs avoid getting suspected coronavirus patients into their waiting rooms thus potentially infecting others.

If residents call their GP because they have flu like symptoms and feel the need to see a doctor, they can be directed to these clinics instead of to their GP.

It will be their GP who determines whether they should go to such a centre or whether they should take a test and await the results before coming into their GP’s clinic.

Guidelines for wearing facemasks when going to a test at a Denmark Testcenter:

1) If you present any COVID-19 like symptoms you should wear a facemask from the moment you leave your home until you get home again

2) If you have been contacted because you were in touch with a confirmed coronavirus case, you should wear a facemask from the moment you leave your home until you are back again

3) If you for any other reason, than one of the two above, take a test you should wear a facemask while you wait in line at the test centre and during you stay at the test centre