Get a COVID-19 test
by Admin
Posted on 23-09-2022 11:13 AM
There are 2 types of free covid-19 tests available
online
from the hse:
antigen tests (home test kits)
pcr tests (done at a test centre and sent to a lab)
you do not need a test if you are:
under 55 years of age with symptoms of covid-19 and you are otherwise healthy
age 55 or older and you are fully boosted, even if you have symptoms of covid-19
if you know which type of covid-19 test you should get, here is the link to get a test:
get a covid-19 pcr or antigen test.
Our in-store service is a convenient way to get a nose swab antigen test to check for a current covid-19 (coronavirus) infection. What does the service entail? a member of our pharmacy team will swab your nose. The service will be carried out in the care room/consultation room. You’ll then be able to leave the store whilst your test is being processed. Once your result is ready, we’ll notify you. If your result is negative, we will input your details into the department of public expenditure and reform’s eu digital covid certificate service and your eu digital covid test certificate will be generated.
Most children do not need to get tested unless they have symptoms and they: have a condition that puts them at higher risk live with someone who has a weak immune system find out when your child may need a test for covid-19.
Antigen tests are also known as 'lateral flow tests'. They are the tests you buy in shops and pharmacies and can use at home. When using an antigen test, you use a swab to take a sample from your nose. Unlike a covid-19 pcr test, the test sample does not have to go to a lab. You usually get your result in 15 minutes. The information on this page is about using antigen tests you buy in a retail outlet yourself.
When to get a PCR test
If you’re planning to travel out of ireland, you will need to purchase a rt-pcr (polymerase chain reaction) test from a private clinic.
Check our guide to find out which tests and certificates you’ll need for international travel. However, if you want to find out whether you have the virus before paying for a pcr test, a rapid antigen test is a viable solution. Rapid antigen tests, also known as lateral flow tests, are cheaper and faster than a pcr test. However, they are also less accurate. Let’s get you up to speed.
There are two ways to test for covid-19: pcr tests are done by a healthcare worker in a test centre. They send your sample to a lab where it is tested for covid-19. Antigen tests are tests you can do yourself at home. The test sample does not have to go to a lab and you usually get your results in 15 minutes. Antigen tests are quicker but less reliable than a pcr test. In some cases, they may not detect the virus. The hse provides free antigen tests to some people and they are also widely available to buy in pharmacies and.
— cllr elisa o'donovan (@elisaodonovan) november 14, 2021 while they're no substitute for a more accurate pcr test where symptoms present, they're handy for checking yourself on the go, especially if you do a lot of travel or public-facing work - and knowing when to take immediate measures if one comes up positive. Until they're more widely available at retail, they're starting to get a little thin on the ground, especially with nphet recommending twice-weekly testing for those going to their physical places of work - here's where to look. Chemists pharmacies up and down the country will have both testing kits and in-house testing on offer - though availability in the current circumstances for testing kits varies from shop to shop, of course.