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Archived COVID-19 guidance

Test criteria for coronavirus

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Anyone above school age who has symptoms of COVID-19 should be tested, including people who are vaccinated.

The following should be tested: 

  1. With symptoms 

    Everyone above school age (including upper secondary schools) with newly-arisen respiratory tract infection or other symptoms of COVID-19. This also applies to people who are vaccinated or have had COVID-19 less than 3 months ago, who may have mild symptoms.

  2. Other screening after infectional control assessment*

    In certain healthcare institutions after local assessment.

    Regular testing in certain situations.

For testing with symptoms associated with vaccination, see: 

COVID-19 consultations and testing are free in the public health service for everyone who is staying in the country, regardless of residence status.

  • There is usually no basis for forcing people without symptoms to be tested, according to the Infection Control Act.

Supplementary information about who should be tested

1) With symptoms 

Anyone above school age (including upper secondary schools) with symptoms of COVID-19, including those who are vaccinated, should be considered for testing. For those who have had COVID-19 in the last 3 months, PCR results after retesting may be difficult to assess because long-term PCR positivity is a known phenomenon among some people after SARS-CoV-2 infection.

COVID-19 often has the following symptoms; fever, cough, shortness of breath, loss of taste or smell, sore throat, headache, aching muscles or feeling unwell. Vaccinated people may have mild cold symptoms such as a blocked or runny nose and sneezing with COVID-19. Read more about COVID-19 symptoms:

For residents of nursing homes, there should be an extremely low threshold for testing even for mild symptoms, even though they may be vaccinated.

Self-testing, rapid antigen tests and PCR can be appropriate. Self-testing is particularly useful for a quick response time. People who have received a booster vaccine dose and who test positive with self-testing no longer need to take a confirmatory PCR test. Instead, people who test positive schould register their result on their municipality's website.

2) Other screening after infection control assessment

a) When moving in / admissions to some health insitutions

Before admission to certain health institutions, testing may be relevant. The health institution's infection control officer will provide advice on this.

b) Other screening after assessment

After a specific infection control assessment, advice can be given about testing different groups more regularly for better control in certain situations with widespread transmission. 

In such situations, rapid antigen testing will be most appropriate.

Test for use in COVID-19 certificate

A negative COVID-19 test taken during the last 24 hours is equivalent with vaccination and immunity after having COVID-19 disease in the COVID-19 certificate. Testing will mainly take place using rapid antigen tests, will take place under the supervision of the responsible doctor and will be notified to MSIS.

The domestic COVID-19 certificate has been discontinued, but is still in use in EU/EEA. The test result can be found under the EU/EEA tab. This will be displayed for seven days after the test is taken. The EU/EEA certificate does not use colour codes. Those who travel have a duty to familiarise themselves with the rules of the country they travel to.

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