How to get tested for COVID-19 in Slovakia

The Slovak Spectator has prepared a complete guide for you, with some practical tips.

COVID-19 drive-in testing in Bratislava. COVID-19 drive-in testing in Bratislava. (Source: Sme)

Testing is now available to anyone who is willing to pay for it and who is older than 10 years of age.

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In Bratislava, the Medirex company offers testing on demand at two testing sites - one near the inverted pyramid building of the Slovak Radio (Mýtna 5) and the other near the Avio Shopping Centre at Galvaniho 17/C.

More testing sites are available in other Slovak cities, including Košice, Nitra, Prievidza, Piešťany, Poprad, Trnava.

  • Appointments can be made up to three days in advance.
  • The testing costs €70.
  • The results are available within 48 hours, by e-mail and as a text message

Drive-in testing

Officially the testing sites are organised as drive-ins: you arrive in your car, and get tested without getting out. This is the preferred option. If you do not have a car, you can also attend on foot or by bike.

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How to prepare for testing

Related article Do I have the new coronavirus? How to proceed if you have a suspicion Read more 

Two hours before your swab test, do not eat, drink, smoke, chew gum, use nose drops or throat sprays. Also, do not brush your teeth or use mouthwash.

Make sure to be punctual, ideally plan to come 5 minutes ahead of your scheduled swab appointment. If you miss your appointment, you will neither be tested nor get your money back.

How to communicate with the lab

After you make your appointment online, you will get a confirmation e-mail and a text message in Slovak.

The result of the test is also available in English.

How it is done

You make an appointment for an exact date, time, and place.

You get two messages in Slovak: one confirms your appointment, one confirms your payment has been processed.

You will get another text message, in Slovak, 24 hours before your appointment, as a reminder.

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Make sure you arrive at the testing site you have chosen on time.

The first person you meet at the site checks your ID or asks your name, surname, and rodné číslo (personal identification number that anyone dealing with the Slovak authorities is assigned).

You get a clean napkin to clean your throat and nose. Cough the phlegm out and blow your nose properly.

Afterwards you will be directed to the testing point, usually about 5 metres away. You drive your car there (walk or cycle if you did not come by car). This is where your swab test is done: one swab from your throat, and one from each nostril. The sensation is more unpleasant with the nose swab, since they need to reach the root of your nose).

Within 48 hours you get a text message in English to tell you if you are negative or positive. A more detailed test report is sent to your e-mail, which you will open using a 5-digit passcode that you receive via another text message.

How to make your COVID-19 test appointment

Go to the website of the lab company, www.laboratornadiagnostika.sk (this link takes you directly to the section for COVID-19 testing).

Scroll down to: Testovanie na ochorenie COVID-19

Pick the testing site of your choice. There is always a note to tell you that there are appointments available on a particular day (TERMÍNY VOĽNÉ UŽ DD.MM ) or that they have free appointments as early as tomorrow (TERMÍNY VOĽNÉ UŽ ZAJTRA).

Click the button to make an appointment (OBJEDNAŤ VYŠETRENIE).

You will not be redirected to any other website in the following steps, just follow the categories and fill them out as they gradually scroll through - first dates with exact times, then fill out your personal data.

First you will pick the date and time for your appointment (Vyberte si termín a čas vyšetrenia).

Then, you will fill out your personal data (Vyplňte údaje osoby, ktorá bude testovaná).

Meno:* (Name)

Priezvisko:* (Surname)

Rodné číslo bez lomítka (minimálny vek je 10r.):* Your birth number (personal identification number) without the slash. If you have not been assigned this number, just put your birth date in this format: YYMMDD1234. For instance, if you are born March 21, 1981, you can put 8103210000. Make sure to remember this number, you will be asked to repeat it at the testing site.

Mobilné číslo pre doručenie výsledku SMS správou:* (Mobile phone number where you will get the result via text message)

E-mail:*

Pokiaľ máte príznaky ochorenia Covid-19, stručne ich popíšte: If you have COVID-19 symptoms, briefly describe them.

Jazyk, v ktorom pacient obdrží výsledok: The language that your result will be delivered in. You can choose between SK, EN, GER.

At the end of the form, you need to tick the boxes:

  • Súhlasím s obchodnými podmienkami. I agree with the terms and conditions.
  • Zaškrtnutím políčka potvrdzujem prečítanie a udelenie informovaného súhlasu. I confirm that I have read this and I grant my informed agreement.

Then click REZERVOVAŤ A ZAPLATIŤ (Book and pay).

You will then be taken to the form with invoice details: VYPLŇTE VAŠE ÚDAJE

You only need to tick the box Nie som občan SR (I am not a Slovak citizen).

Enter your birth date in the format DD.MM.YYYY

Then proceed to Fakturačná adresa (Invoicing address) and fill out:

Ulica, číslo (Street, number)

Mesto: (Town), must be in Slovakia

PSČ: (postcode) must be in Slovakia

At the bottom of the form tick the box Súhlasím s podmienkami ochrany osobných údajov. (I agree with the terms of personal data protection)

Press the button PREJSŤ K PLATBE (Proceed to payment)

You will be taken to the next page: 3. KONTROLA ÚDAJOV A SPÔSOB PLATBY (check your data and choose payment option)

Select the option: Online platba kartou

Then press the button ZAPLATIŤ (Pay) and confirm the payment.

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