The number of Covid-19 tests soared by 50% last week, when the use of the health pass was extended to places of culture and recreation, according to figures released Thursday by Drees.
“Between July 19 and 25, 2021, 3.6 million RT-PCR and antigen tests were validated”, against 2.39 million the previous week, a “strong increase in connection with the gradual deployment of the health pass”, specifies the statistical direction of social ministries.
97% of results known within 24 hours
This increase was mainly driven by rapid antigenic tests, which went from 43.1% of the total tests carried out during the week of July 12 to 18 to 52.3% last week. The increase in screening was “driven by 26-40 year olds,” who performed 75% more tests, adds Drees.
Friday July 23 saw a new maximum number of tests in one day (834,000 tests of all types), exceeding the previous peak of December 23, 2020 (814,000 tests taken). This increase had no impact on the time taken to render the tests, since “the share of tests (all RT-PCRs and antigens) validated in less than 24 hours remains stable, at 97%”, according to Drees .