Only limited clarity: The most important questions and answers about Corona Test

The opportunity to be on the novel Coronavirus testing, continues to employ many people in Germany.

Because some States require travelers from Corona Hotspots now a negative Corona Test, Bayern wants to allow the Test to everyone in the state – even without symptoms – nationwide free of charge.

However, as the Test runs? And when you should really test? Important questions and answers.

How does the Test for the detection of an infection?

“You can make only a swab from the nose and throat,” explains Andreas Bobrovsky from the professional Association of German laboratory physicians.

The Test for the direct detection of Sars-CoV-2 is then carried out in a laboratory by a Polymerase chain reaction – PCR for short.

In this case, the genetic material of the virus is duplicated so strong that it can be proven, even if it occurs only in small amounts, explains the Federal Ministry of health.

Who is the PCR Test?

According to the Ministry, these are the house doctors, and the doctor on-call service, or the local health Department.

What is the PCR Test says?

A negative result says that, at the time of the Smear, no viruses were detected in the corresponding amount.

Nevertheless, it is not excluded by the fact that you could have a short time before the smear is still infected and you can infect, of course, after the Test at any time.

When to pay health insurance for the proof test?

You definitely pay for people whose symptoms indicate an infection. Under certain circumstances, the costs are covered but even then, if you have no symptoms.

For example, if a Corona-Warning-App indicating that a risk could exist. Or then, if, for example, in a school, a kindergarten or a nursing home, the man has visited a case, seemed, although this also depends on whether the health Department so directs in the subsequent Series of tests.

Before admittance to the hospital, you will be tested always.

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What the Test costs?

So far the only Federal state of Bavaria has announced that all citizens – even without symptoms – soon Tests allow to carry in case of doubt, the cost.

Who wants to be at their own expense to test, depending on the provider, with more than 100 or even 200 euros.

When should you get tested?

According to the Federal Ministry of health, then, if you are showing cold symptoms, or other typical signs of Covid-19, loss of Smell, for example.

Also in the case of a contact to people, who have tested positive for the pathogen, is recommended.

It is important, however, in such cases, it is not easy to go, but before that, call the family doctor, the medical on-call service (telephone number 116 117) or to the competent health office.

Then there’s the blood tests – what the?

You want to test the body’s response to the Coronavirus, for example, if you want to know if someone was infected in the past and already has formed antibodies, it needs blood to be removed.

One of the Tests for the IgG antibody test, with IgG for Immunoglobulin G is.

The Problem with this Test according to Bobrowski: A relatively high proportion – around 15 to 20 percent, probably even more – the picture according to the studies, no or only very low amounts of these IgG antibodies, despite the positive smear Tests.

“And even if IgG antibodies are measured, you do not know yet for sure whether they protect against re-infection – for this, other neutralisation tests must be carried out. What exactly are the protective IgG antibodies, and intensive research is being conducted – here you can meet, but still not one hundred percent safe statements.”

Rapid tests for the detection of antibodies in addition to IgG is also the Immunoglobulin M (IgM), are also available commercially, says the Robert Koch Institute.

The results but alone as a criterion for diagnosis, of which the RKI advises currently. It points out that the world health organization, WHO, tests, recommends the fast-currently only for research projects.

Also you can be according to the cash-medical Federal Union (KBV) is not settled.

How long will it take before the results are available?

“The pure analysis time in the lab will take the swab for three to four hours, when the blood test about an hour,” says laboratory physicians Bobrovsky.

Depending on the amount of samples, the emergence in the laboratory, takes it in, as a rule, a total of 24 hours, until the result is present also in the case of the patient – “it can, however, take a very high sample volumes up to 48 hours.”

Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa)

*The contribution of “limited clarity: The most important questions and answers about Corona-Test” is published by FitForFun. Contact with the executives here.