Travelers need a PCR test for Austria and Italy - but there are exceptions

Created: 12/23/2021 Updated: 12/23/2021, 3:11 PM

From: Manuel Eser

Only a current PCR test leads to Austria (or Italy) without quarantine.

Accordingly, demand increases in the Freising district before the winter holidays.

© dpa

Holiday travelers need a PCR test to enter Austria and Italy.

However, not all are affected by the rule.

Freising

- That catches the district cold: Holidaymakers who have booked holidays in Italy or Austria now need a PCR test for entry because of the worsening corona situation if they want to avoid quarantine.

A rapid antigen test also applies in Italy.

However, this must not be older than 24 hours.

A PCR test, on the other hand, is valid for 48 hours.

However, this rule does not apply to everyone.

For example, those who have been boosted do not have to present a PCR test upon entry.

Children under the age of twelve are also exempt from the rule.

All current editions for Austria, Italy and Switzerland can be found here.

However, most test centers in the Freising district either do not offer the required tests at all or do not have the necessary capacities to cope with a holiday wave.

After all, the FT has been looking for PCR test contact points for vacationers - and has even found what it is looking for.

Wrong port of call

The BRK Freising operates four test centers in the Freising district - in Moosburg, Neufahrn, Au and Mauern.

"But we don't offer PCR tests anywhere," reports BRK district manager Albert Söhl.

You don't even have the necessary equipment.

After all: for people who need a rapid antigen test, the BRK test stations are open on Christmas Eve until noon and on both public holidays.

(By the way: Everything from the region is now also available in our regular Freising newsletter.)

The district's official test center in the Freising Luitpoldanlage is open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Christmas Eve and on Christmas Day, but does not offer PCR tests for holidaymakers, as Robert Stangl, spokesman for the district office, reports.

Only people who are entitled to free PCR tests are served there.

These include people with a positive rapid test, residents of care facilities or pregnant women, but not vacationers.

Stangl: "Chargeable tests are only carried out by private test centers."

Intended for others

The Johanniter, who operate a test center in Allershausen, have the necessary infrastructure to be able to analyze PCR tests. For 95 euros you get the result after a quarter of an hour. And they are also open on all three Christmas days from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., says Johanniter local representative Heinrich Märkl.

The big but: “We only have one machine, so we only manage eight PCR tests per day at Christmas,” explains Märkl.

“We cannot cope with a wave of vacations.” And that was not intended at all.

It was the "Christmas thought" that motivated the volunteers to test on the festive days.

“The offer is aimed at grandchildren who want to see their grandparents at Christmas, or at people who want to visit relatives in hospitals or old people's homes.

We want to help them. "

Correct addresses

Nobody has to cancel their winter vacation, however, it is important to plan a little more travel budget. The corona test center at the airport, for example, offers PCR tests that are subject to a fee. Depending on how quickly the result should be there, the price is between 239 and 69 euros. It is open at Christmas from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.

In Freising, the inner city test station (Weizengasse 3) offers PCR tests for holidaymakers.

"There is a result within 24 hours," reports Sabrina Rebhan from the Harrer medical service.

“The test costs 85 euros and has to be paid for in cash.” However, those interested in going on holiday at Christmas or immediately afterwards would have to take the test on Christmas Eve at the latest.

"Then this week the throat swabs will be picked up for the last time." The next delivery to the laboratory will only take place on December 27th.

The appointment requests for PCR tests have increased significantly since Monday.

Good to know

If you want to do further research yourself: An overview of the private test sites in the Freising district is available online, here.