The 7-day incidence climbed back to over 240 on a national average. Because the so-called citizen tests are no longer free, self-tests are playing an increasingly important role. FOCUS online says where you can get the test kits cheapest.

Since mid-July, German citizens have had to pay for the corona test. Most people have to pay at least three euros for the quick test from the pharmacy or the test center. Only certain groups of people, including children or people who work in care, are entitled to free citizen tests.

Self-tests, which anyone can carry out at home and without supervision, are much cheaper. As FOCUS learned online, drugstore chains such as Rossmann and dm are also seeing increased demand for the test kits.

In the self-tests, the prices vary greatly.

Depending on the provider and retailer, the test kits for taking home cost between 79 cents and five euros on average.

It is cheaper if you order the self-test online. If you have found a cheap offer, you should pay attention to the minimum purchase. Many retailers require you to purchase at least ten, 20, or 30 test kits. The more test cassettes you buy, the cheaper it gets. If you order from well-known online shops, you have to reckon with prices between 79 cents and three euros.

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The self-tests are available in retail stores for less than two euros. Aldi Süd, Aldi Nord, Lidl, Rewe or Edeka call prices from €1.69 upwards across the board. They offer well-known brands like Hotgen or Biotech.

The most expensive are the rapid tests in the pharmacy. In Berlin, Frankfurt, Cologne, Munich, Offenburg, Stuttgart and Wolfsburg, those affected paid between 2.70 euros and five euros. A pharmacy in Kassel, for example, offered Anbio’s rapid antigen self-test for four euros. In Nuremberg, the same test cost 4.10 euros.

Although detailed instructions are included with each self-test, errors often occur. FOCUS online tells you what to look out for when using a self-test at home.

It is important, for example, that you pay attention to the storage temperature and application temperature. Tests should always be at room temperature at the time of use. If you have stored the test in a cooler place, you should leave it on the work surface for a while and not use it immediately.

The work surface should always be clean. Clean the surface and dry it well. In addition, your hands should be clean because you could possibly contaminate the buffer solution during use.

While using the test, you should note the following: The nasal swab always belongs in both nostrils. Gently and gently slide the swab into the nostril. It must not be pushed into the transition from nose to throat. Two to four centimeters deep into the nostril are sufficient.

Probably the biggest source of error lurks when determining the result. The following applies: If lines can be seen at C and T, the test was positive. If only C shows a line, the test is negative. If only a line is visible at T, it is invalid – this also applies if no line appears at all.