Self-test before Christmas: how much does it cost, how does it work, when to do it?

Tick...Tick.Tick. New WhatsApp notifications in family conversation. "Did you hear Van Laethem? Are we doing a self-test for Friday?" "Good idea. Where else can we find some?" "You have to put it in your nose or it's saliva, I don't know anymore."

Doing a self-test before going to party is one of the advice of interfederal spokespersons for the fight against Covid. With a result in ten minutes, it represents a solution for family gatherings at the end of the year. Le Vif takes stock.

"Courtesy"

Unlike the PCR test, the primary purpose of a self-test is not to determine an infection, but to determine if you are contagious. A self-test indicates whether you are contagious at the time you take it. It is recommended for people who have no reason to think they are infected. "It can be used as a gesture of courtesy towards those around you, before contact with people outside the family / close contacts, and where there is fear of a risk of transmission despite compliance with the measures in force. " nicely indicates Sciensano on its site. Perfect to reassure good-dad. The risk of false negative or false positive results is higher than for other types of tests.

Read also: Self-test or rapid test in pharmacies: what are the differences, what to choose?

Where are they sold?

The self-tests have been delivered in pharmacies since April and have also potentially been delivered in supermarkets since July.

A sharp increase in demand has been observed in pharmacies since mid-October. "There is always a lot of tension on stocks," explains Vif Alain Chaspierre, spokesman for the Belgian pharmaceutical association. "But a priori there would be no supply problems for the holidays. People like to have advice for the correct use, which may explain why they go to the pharmacy more easily."

If you are the planning type and you go to get them at the beginning of the week, keep your self-tests in a dark place at room temperature. Never put them in a fridge or freezer.

Please note that falsified self-tests have been reported on the market. To check that yours is compliant, the Federal Medicines Agency has compiled a list of self-tests that have a CE certificate and a list of professional rapid tests authorized for sale as self-tests. They can be viewed here. The tests sold in pharmacies are checked by the Medicines Agency before they are put on sale.

When to do it?

A self-test indicates whether you are contagious at the time you do it. Better to do it the same day. Last Friday, during a press conference, Yves Van Laethem encouraged citizens to carry out a self-test on the same day: "This self-test must be done on the very day of the holiday, not the day before. It is important for it to have good validity. We know that these self-tests are less sensitive (than PCR tests for example) so they must be done at the last moment, for example at lunchtime before going to an evening".

How it works ?

Unlike antigen tests, and as its name suggests, a self-test is to be carried out yourself. You will therefore have to take the sample and interpret the result. A video has been produced by the FPS Health to explain how to do it, step by step.

Namely: the nasal swab should not be as deep as an antigen test, the swab should be introduced 2 to 4 centimeters into the nose. You must then perform 10 circular movements. A relatively large amount of virus must be present for the test to work optimally.

What prices?

In pharmacies and supermarkets, there is no fixed price. The price will therefore depend on the place but also on the brand of the self-test. Purchase prices may indeed vary between tests. The price is often between 3.5 and 8 euros per test.

People with BIM status can be reimbursed for self-tests at the rate of two tests per week. Pharmacists can then invoice the self-test 7 euros to the health insurance fund. The BIM person will pay a personal share of 1 euro.

Tick...Tick.Tick. New WhatsApp notifications in family conversation. "Did you hear Van Laethem? Are we doing a self-test for Friday?" "Good idea. Where else can we find some?" "You have to put it in your nose or it's saliva, I don't know anymore." Doing a self-test before going to party is one of the advice of interfederal spokespersons for the fight against Covid. With a result in ten minutes, it represents a solution for family gatherings at the end of the year. Le Vif takes stock. Unlike the PCR test, the primary purpose of a self-test is not to determine an infection, but to determine if you are contagious. A self-test indicates whether you are contagious at the time you take it. It is recommended for people who have no reason to think they are infected. "It can be used as a gesture of courtesy towards those around you, before contact with people outside the family / close contacts, and where there is fear of a risk of transmission despite compliance with the measures in force. " nicely indicates Sciensano on its site. Perfect to reassure good-dad. The risk of false negative or false positive results is higher than for other types of tests. Self-tests have been delivered in pharmacies since April and have also potentially been available in supermarkets since July. A sharp increase in demand has been observed in pharmacies since mid-October. "There is always a lot of tension on stocks," explains Vif Alain Chaspierre, spokesperson for the Belgian pharmaceutical association. "But a priori there would be no supply problems for the holidays. People like to have advice for the correct use, which may explain why they go to the pharmacy more easily." If you are the planning type and you go to get them at the beginning of the week, keep your self-tests in a dark place at room temperature. Never put them in a fridge or freezer. Please note that falsified self-tests have been reported on the market. To check that yours is compliant, the Federal Medicines Agency has compiled a list of self-tests that have a CE certificate and a list of professional rapid tests authorized for sale as self-tests. They can be viewed here. The tests sold in pharmacies are checked by the Medicines Agency before they are put on sale. A self-test indicates whether you are contagious at the time you do it. Better to do it the same day. Last Friday, during a press conference, Yves Van Laethem encouraged citizens to carry out a self-test on the same day: "This self-test must be done on the very day of the holiday, not the day before. It is important for it to have good validity. We know that these self-tests are less sensitive (than PCR tests for example) so they must be done at the last moment, for example at lunchtime before going to an evening". Unlike antigen tests, and as its name suggests, a self-test is to be carried out yourself. You will therefore have to take the sample and interpret the result. A video has been produced by the FPS Health to explain how to do it, step by step. Namely: the nasal swab should not be as deep as an antigen test, the swab should be introduced 2 to 4 centimeters into the nose. You must then perform 10 circular movements. A relatively large quantity of virus must be present for the test to work optimally. What prices? In pharmacies and supermarkets, there is no imposed price. The price will therefore depend on the place but also on the brand of the self-test. Purchase prices may indeed vary between tests. The price is often between 3.5 and 8 euros per test. People who benefit from BIM status can be reimbursed for self-tests at the rate of two tests per week. Pharmacists can then invoice the self-test 7 euros to the health insurance fund. The BIM person will pay a personal share of 1 euro.