Starting today, Tuesday 6th April, Covid-19 self-tests will be available to purchase in pharmacies across Belgium. Following the country’s health minister’s decision a week ago that pharmacists would be allowed to sell self-tests, supplies are now being rushed out, with most pharmacies receiving stocks by the end of the week. From then on the number of self-tests supplied will also increase.
Any customer is allowed to purchase as many tests as they wish, however not all chemists will be fully stocked by today so people looking to buy may have to shop around a bit. The tests should cost around 8 euros each, although some people will qualify for increased reimbursement from their health fund, making it only one euro per test. There is however a maximum of two tests per person per week in order to receive a refund.
Whilst in Germany self-tests are available in supermarkets, this won’t be the case in Belgium. Only chemists will sell the tests, and will provide the necessary explanation to customers regarding how to do the test and what to do if it’s positive. The test requires people to swab their nose at a depth of two centimetres, and a quarter of an hour later you should know the result, however this isn’t 100% accurate. An information leaflet for the self-tests is still in the pipeline.
