Since April 2021, the Ministry of Health has officially allowed public and private laboratories to perform viral tests if prescribed by a doctor from either the public health system or a private clinic, even though many private clinics had already been offering tests to their patients since March-even without a prescription.Īlthough all public hospitals have laboratories, they will only test patients admitted to the hospital, or referred from other centers within the public health system. The public health department organized a batch of free mass testing in Barcelona and other Catalan cities in August 2020, but with the exception of health workers, diagnostic tests are simply not available via the public system for asymptomatic patients. In order for the public system to cover the costs of your test, you must receive a prescription from a doctor in the public health care system. There is no public health care option for voluntary testing at this time. Antibody tests are less expensive, and usually cost between €30 and €65. The prices for these tests aren’t regulated, so the more expensive PCR tests tend to run from €95 to €190, though some clinics have been known to charge up to €230. The quick antibody test is performed on-site, without sending results to a lab. The antigen test is the quick alternative to the PCR test: it looks for parts of the protein that make up the virus in order to determine if you are currently infected. Some centers offer “rapid” versions of both viral and antibodies tests, which are much quicker to process but are not as accurate as a laboratory test. It detects the presence of the virus’ genetic material in your body at the time of the test, allowing you to find out if you are currently infected.

The PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) is a viral diagnostic laboratory test, which is usually performed using a sample taken from a nasal swab.

Though there are various kinds of COVID-19 tests out there, the two most common types of laboratory tests are the PCR test and the antibodies test. What Are the Different Kinds of Tests Available? The government recommends calling your local public health center (CAP) or 061 if you believe you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, or 112 emergency services if you are in need of urgent assistance. While there is a lot of information on the Spanish Ministry of Health website covering a variety of topics, including dozens of videos answering FAQs on everything from how to help your children cope with homeschooling to how to properly wear a mask, it doesn’t make it clear where to go if you want or need to be tested. As of July 20, 2021, official figures state that there have been 786,811 confirmed coronavirus cases in Catalunya and 4,219,723 cases in Spain since the start of the pandemic.

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