Free PoC Testing for SARS-CoV-2 in Germany: Factors Expanding Access to Various Communities in a Medium-Sized City
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Free PoC Testing for SARS-CoV-2 in Germany: Factors Expanding Access to Various Communities in a Medium-Sized City. / Witte, Anna Kristina; Grosch, Janina; Conrady, Beate; Schomakers, Lena; Grohmann, Marcus.
In: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Vol. 19, No. 8, 2022, p. 4721.Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Free PoC Testing for SARS-CoV-2 in Germany: Factors Expanding Access to Various Communities in a Medium-Sized City
AU - Witte, Anna Kristina
AU - Grosch, Janina
AU - Conrady, Beate
AU - Schomakers, Lena
AU - Grohmann, Marcus
PY - 2022
Y1 - 2022
N2 - 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
AB - 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
U2 - 10.3390/ijerph19084721
DO - 10.3390/ijerph19084721
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 35457587
VL - 19
SP - 4721
JO - International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
JF - International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
SN - 1661-7827
IS - 8
ER -
ID: 303188738