Take a test before going to see your grandparents, to meet up with friends ... Free PCR or antigenic tests in France encourage the French to use them as often as possible.
But their care varies considerably within European countries.
There are two strategies: free access to tests with or without a prescription and coverage only for people with a prescription.
The price range is wide.
However, for patients with symptoms or with a prescription, the test is reimbursed in all European countries.
For people without a prescription, 8 European countries offer PCR tests at more than 100 euros.
The price can even go up to 300 euros in Sweden and 200 euros in Finland.
As a result, Swedes and Finns voluntarily isolate themselves before meeting vulnerable people so as not to spend such sums.
In Andorra, the TMA test (Transcription mediated amplification), very similar to the PCR test, is reimbursed, unlike the PCR test which costs between 80 and 90 euros.
Read the file: Covid-19: all about the tests
Another strategy: some countries charge only residents who take the test to go on vacation ... The aim is to discourage travelers.
In the Netherlands, for example, the PCR test is always free except for people wishing to go on a trip.
In this case, the person concerned must carry out a PCR test in a private organization for a price varying between 80 and 150 euros.
In Iceland, residents wishing to take a PCR test to travel abroad must also pay 90 euros.
A record deficit for Social Security
Countries other than France have nevertheless opted for a systematic reimbursement strategy.
Denmark, Norway but also Montenegro and Malta have chosen this operation.
An option that comes at a cost.
With 40 million PCR and antigenic tests carried out between March 1, 2020 and January 10, 2021 in France, the country claims at all costs its strategy "test, alert, protect", and whatever the cost.
In France, health insurance pays directly to laboratories about 62.79 euros per test, which widens the deficit of "Social Security".
It is expected to reach 35.8 billion euros in 2021, a record.
For antigen testing, the situation also varies from country to country.
On average, an antigen test does not exceed 40 euros in Europe, with a few exceptions such as Finland with a price of 147 euros.
Germans can get one free test per week per person.
Some countries such as Iceland have preferred not to use antigen testing.
Read also: Covid-19: will France and Europe be able to achieve “collective immunity” on July 14?
Regarding the serological test, it is sold in France in pharmacies between 15 euros and 25 euros.
Those carried out in the laboratory are reimbursed only in certain cases.
In Europe, a serological test is sold for less than 40 euros except for some countries such as Andorra and Finland where it costs around 80 euros.
In the Netherlands, the serological test is not considered to be reliable but is offered by private organizations.
While in France, the number of daily cases is around 60,000, Finland has a maximum of 700 per day.
But with such a dissuasive price policy for tests, it is more difficult to perceive the reality of these figures ... To each his own method.