IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v19y2022i8p4721-d793351.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Free PoC Testing for SARS-CoV-2 in Germany: Factors Expanding Access to Various Communities in a Medium-Sized City

Author

Listed:
  • Anna Kristina Witte

    (HTK Hygiene Technologie Kompetenzzentrum GmbH, Heinrichstr. 6, 96047 Bamberg, Germany)

  • Janina Grosch

    (HTK Hygiene Technologie Kompetenzzentrum GmbH, Heinrichstr. 6, 96047 Bamberg, Germany)

  • Beate Conrady

    (Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 1870 Frederiksberg, Denmark
    Complexity Science Hub Vienna, 1080 Vienna, Austria)

  • Lena Schomakers

    (HTK Hygiene Technologie Kompetenzzentrum GmbH, Heinrichstr. 6, 96047 Bamberg, Germany)

  • Marcus Grohmann

    (HTK Hygiene Technologie Kompetenzzentrum GmbH, Heinrichstr. 6, 96047 Bamberg, Germany)

Abstract

During the third wave of the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic in Germany, free SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) point-of-care (PoC) antigen tests were offered to citizens at least once a week to prevent spreading by asymptomatic infected individuals. This study investigated user groups, timing, frequency, and test center locations in a typical medium-sized European city. We analyzed 27,369 pseudonymized datasets from eight centers over 12 weeks. Those were evaluated according to age, residence, appointment, and potential repeated test occurrence. The centers were visited by different groups; some centers were preferred by a predominantly younger demographic, whereas a mobile option attracted an older age group by reaching districts with few other testing possibilities. Elderly individuals were tested more spontaneously than younger individuals, and a test center at a ‘park and ride’ had more spontaneous visitors from outside of the city compared to other test locations. Only a small proportion of less than 4% came for testing more than five times. To preferably address many people for voluntary antigen testing, it is crucial to offer different test opportunities accounting for individual behavioral patterns, despite this requiring more complex and costly design than conventional forms.

Suggested Citation

  • Anna Kristina Witte & Janina Grosch & Beate Conrady & Lena Schomakers & Marcus Grohmann, 2022. "Free PoC Testing for SARS-CoV-2 in Germany: Factors Expanding Access to Various Communities in a Medium-Sized City," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(8), pages 1-16, April.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:8:p:4721-:d:793351
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/8/4721/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/8/4721/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mrinank Sharma & Sören Mindermann & Charlie Rogers-Smith & Gavin Leech & Benedict Snodin & Janvi Ahuja & Jonas B. Sandbrink & Joshua Teperowski Monrad & George Altman & Gurpreet Dhaliwal & Lukas Finnv, 2021. "Understanding the effectiveness of government interventions against the resurgence of COVID-19 in Europe," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-13, December.
    2. Matthew Cleevely & Daniel Susskind & David Vines & Louis Vines & Samuel Wills, 2020. "A workable strategy for COVID-19 testing: stratified periodic testing rather than universal random testing," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press and Oxford Review of Economic Policy Limited, vol. 36(Supplemen), pages 14-37.
    3. Thomas Gries & Paul J. J. Welfens, 2021. "Testing as an approach to control the Corona epidemic dynamics and avoid lockdowns," International Economics and Economic Policy, Springer, vol. 18(1), pages 1-24, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Abel Brodeur & David Gray & Anik Islam & Suraiya Bhuiyan, 2021. "A literature review of the economics of COVID‐19," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 35(4), pages 1007-1044, September.
    2. Miquel Oliu-Barton & Bary S. R. Pradelski & Nicolas Woloszko & Lionel Guetta-Jeanrenaud & Philippe Aghion & Patrick Artus & Arnaud Fontanet & Philippe Martin & Guntram B. Wolff, 2022. "The effect of COVID certificates on vaccine uptake, health outcomes, and the economy," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-13, December.
    3. Caixia Wang & Huijie Li, 2022. "Public Compliance Matters in Evidence-Based Public Health Policy: Evidence from Evaluating Social Distancing in the First Wave of COVID-19," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-13, March.
    4. Yuki Furuse, 2022. "Properties of the Omicron Variant of SARS-CoV-2 Affect Public Health Measure Effectiveness in the COVID-19 Epidemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-8, April.
    5. Jonas Dehning & Sebastian B. Mohr & Sebastian Contreras & Philipp Dönges & Emil N. Iftekhar & Oliver Schulz & Philip Bechtle & Viola Priesemann, 2023. "Impact of the Euro 2020 championship on the spread of COVID-19," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-14, December.
    6. Cameron Hepburn & Brian O’Callaghan & Nicholas Stern & Joseph Stiglitz & Dimitri Zenghelis, 2020. "Will COVID-19 fiscal recovery packages accelerate or retard progress on climate change?," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press and Oxford Review of Economic Policy Limited, vol. 36(Supplemen), pages 359-381.
    7. Nagel, Kai & Rakow, Christian & Müller, Sebastian A., 2021. "Realistic agent-based simulation of infection dynamics and percolation," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 584(C).
    8. Tamás Hajdu & Judit Krekó & Csaba G. Tóth, 2023. "Inequalities in regional excess mortality and life expectancy during the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe," CERS-IE WORKING PAPERS 2316, Institute of Economics, Centre for Economic and Regional Studies.
    9. Ely, Jeffrey & Galeotti, Andrea & Jann, Ole & Steiner, Jakub, 2021. "Optimal test allocation," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 193(C).
    10. Kate M. Bubar & Casey E. Middleton & Kristen K. Bjorkman & Roy Parker & Daniel B. Larremore, 2022. "SARS-CoV-2 transmission and impacts of unvaccinated-only screening in populations of mixed vaccination status," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, December.
    11. Coilín ÓhAiseadha & Gerry A. Quinn & Ronan Connolly & Awwad Wilson & Michael Connolly & Willie Soon & Paul Hynds, 2023. "Unintended Consequences of COVID-19 Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions (NPIs) for Population Health and Health Inequalities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(7), pages 1-40, March.
    12. Sebastian Contreras & Jonas Dehning & Viola Priesemann, 2022. "Describing a landscape we are yet discovering," AStA Advances in Statistical Analysis, Springer;German Statistical Society, vol. 106(3), pages 399-402, September.
    13. Liu, Jielun & Ong, Ghim Ping & Pang, Vincent Junxiong, 2022. "Modelling effectiveness of COVID-19 pandemic control policies using an Area-based SEIR model with consideration of infection during interzonal travel," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 161(C), pages 25-47.
    14. Souad Hassanie & Olusegun A. Olugbade & Georgiana Karadas & Özlem Altun, 2022. "The Impact of Workload on Workers’ Traumatic Stress and Mental Health Mediated by Career Adaptability during COVID-19," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-18, September.
    15. Marlon Fritz & Thomas Gries & Margarete Redlin, 2023. "The effectiveness of vaccination, testing, and lockdown strategies against COVID-19," International Journal of Health Economics and Management, Springer, vol. 23(4), pages 585-607, December.
    16. Broughel, James & Kotrous, Michael, 2020. "The Benefits of Coronavirus Suppression: A Cost-Benefit Analysis of the Response to the First Wave of COVID-19," Working Papers 10632, George Mason University, Mercatus Center.
    17. Yong Ge & Wen-Bin Zhang & Xilin Wu & Corrine W. Ruktanonchai & Haiyan Liu & Jianghao Wang & Yongze Song & Mengxiao Liu & Wei Yan & Juan Yang & Eimear Cleary & Sarchil H. Qader & Fatumah Atuhaire & Nic, 2022. "Untangling the changing impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions and vaccination on European COVID-19 trajectories," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-9, December.
    18. de Mello-Sampayo, F.;, 2024. "Uncertainty in Healthcare Policy Decisions: An Epidemiological Real Options Approach to COVID-19 Lockdown Exits," Health, Econometrics and Data Group (HEDG) Working Papers 24/01, HEDG, c/o Department of Economics, University of York.
    19. Apel, Johannes & Rohde, Niklas & Marcus, Jan, 2023. "The effect of a nighttime curfew on the spread of COVID-19," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 129(C).
    20. Richard J. Sheppard & Oliver J. Watson & Rachel Pieciak & James Lungu & Geoffrey Kwenda & Crispin Moyo & Stephen Longa Chanda & Gregory Barnsley & Nicholas F. Brazeau & Ines C. G. Gerard-Ursin & Danie, 2023. "Using mortuary and burial data to place COVID-19 in Lusaka, Zambia within a global context," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-15, December.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:8:p:4721-:d:793351. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.