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Covid or flu? Combo tests now available in Spain

The Local (news@thelocal.com)
The Local ([email protected])
Covid or flu? Combo tests now available in Spain
Combined tests which allow users to find out whether they’ve become infected with Covid-19, influenza type A or influenza type B (two different strains of the flu) are being stocked in pharmacies. (Photo by Josep LAGO / AFP)

Spanish pharmacies have started selling self-diagnostic tests which allow users to determine whether they have tested positive for flu or Covid-19. Here’s everything you need to know, from their price to how they work.

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As of September 2022, Covid-19 cases are dropping in Spain and the pandemic has for some
months now not dominated daily life in the country, with hardly any restrictions still in place.

However, there are still people dying from the virus and others suffering serious complications after becoming infected.

The recommendation from Spanish health authorities continues to be that if you have Covid-19 symptoms, you should get tested in order for you to take the necessary precautions with yourself and others.

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Some people choose not to get tested because they assume that their symptoms are consistent with the common cold or the flu rather than the coronavirus.

That’s in part because clear Covid symptoms such as the complete loss of smell are far less prevalent now, whereas those that are common in flu and cold sufferers such as congestion, a cough, headaches, a sore throat and sneezing are the norm.

Fortunately, there’s now a quick and easy solution to this available in Spain which can help anyone resolve any doubts about what virus they have, if any. Combined tests which allow users to find out whether they’ve become infected with Covid-19, influenza type A or influenza type B (two different strains of the flu) are being stocked in pharmacies across Spain since September 4th.

Their price is €2.94, slightly higher than that of antigen tests, since the Spanish government began to regulate their cost following huge price hikes based on high demand over the 2021 Christmas period.

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In terms of how they are used, it’s no different to how antigen tests work. The user puts the swab deep up one or two of their nostrils and then places the sample on the tester to be provided with a positive or negative result. It’s expected that as the cold weather arrives in Spain over autumn, these combined self- test kits will become increasingly popular.

In other Covid-19 news, Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez recently announced the country’s health ministry will start administering coronavirus vaccines adapted to new variants in late September and early October, starting with the most vulnerable.

READ ALSO: EU approves new dual-strain Covid vaccines in time for autumn booster campaigns

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