Testing for COVID-19

The Danish Health Authority recommends that you get tested if you have symptoms of a respiratory infection and are at increased risk of serious illness related to covid-19.

Updated: 31 March 2023

It is recommended that you get tested for covid-19 if you develop symptoms of a respiratory infection and are at increased risk of serious illness related to covid-19. You may choose to perform a self-test at home. Otherwise, you should contact your doctor.

If you are at increased risk of serious illness related to covid-19, you may be eligible for an early pill treatment.

If you are not at increased risk of serious illness, you do not need to be tested, even if you do have symptoms. If you experience any symptoms of illness, you should stay at home until you recover.

As of April 1, 2023, the regional test centers, where PCR testing had previously been available free of charge, will be closed.

In the future, your doctor or hospital staff will decide whether to perform a PCR test.

Current recommendations for testing

When is testing for covid-19 recommended?

The Danish Health Authority recommends testing in situations where a test result may have an impact on the treatment of covid-19.

You do not need to get tested if you live with or have been in contact with an infected person.

  • You have symptoms of covid-19 (read more about the symptoms below) and feel ill. This applies if you are 65 years old or more, or otherwise at risk of serious illness related to COVID-19 for other reasons. This also applies if you are pregnant.
  • You have consulted a doctor as a result of illness, and the doctor wants to investigate the cause of the symptoms.
  • In case you are unsure whether to get tested, or if you have any other concerns, you should consult your doctor.

Read more about who is at increased risk here:

People at increased risk

Read more about the Danish Health Authority’s recommendations for testing here:

When is testing for COVID-19 recommended? (sst.dk - in Danish)

In the event that you feel ill, it is recommended that you stay at home until you recover, regardless of whether your covid-19 test is positive or negative. If your test is positive and you feel ill, it is recommended that you contact your doctor to see if you are eligible for early covid-19 treatment.

More information from the Danish Health Authority is available here:

If your test for COVID-19 is positive (sst.dk)

People with symptoms of a respiratory tract infection are advised to wear a face mask in the waiting rooms of the doctor’s office, emergency treatment centers and special practitioners.

More information from the Danish Health Authority is available here:

When is testing for COVID-19 recommended? (sst.dk)

Early treatment

If you are infected with novel coronavirus, have symptoms and are at increased risk of serious illness, you may be in the target group for early treatment, which may reduce the risk of serious illness related to covid-19.

More information about early treatment from the Danish Health Authority is available here:

Early treatment of COVID-19 - Danish Health Authority

Contact with an infected person

Testing is no longer recommended if you have been in contact with a person that has been infected with covid-19.

Symptoms of covid-19

The Danish Health Authority does not recommend that you get tested unless there is a medical reason to do so.

It is recommended that you get tested if you have symptoms of covid-19, feel ill and are at increased risk of serious illness.

  • Fever
  • Dry cough
  • Headaches
  • Muscle pain
  • Sore throat
  • Nausea
  • Fatigue
  • Stuffed or running nose
  • Loss of sense of taste and/or smell

If you develop symptoms of covid-19 and feel ill, it is recommended that you stay at home until you recover. If you experience mild symptoms, such as a running nose, throat tickles, infrequent coughing, etc., without otherwise feeling ill, you do not need to stay home or get tested.

If you feel ill enough that you need to consult a doctor, or you feel worried about your symptoms, you may call your own doctor or the emergency doctor / 1813.

If you are worried about being infected with covid-19, or would like to know for some other reason, such as if you are living with someone who is at increased risk, you may consider performing a self-test.

It is no longer possible to schedule PCR tests through the public testing system.

Types of tests

There are several types of COVID-19 tests. Regardless of the type of test you use, you should remember that the test result only provides a momentary indication of your condition.

As a result, it is recommended that you continue to follow the recommendations to prevent infection, even if your test is negative.

PCR is a highly sensitive testing method that detects the RNA of novel coronavirus. It is also able detect if you are infected with a different strain of the virus. The test is performed by swabbing the throat, and provides the most reliable result. However, as the result only provides a momentary indication of your condition, it is important that you continue to follow the recommendations to prevent infection, even if you receive a negative result.

Read more about PCR testing at Statens Serum Institut (ssi.dk)

A rapid test (also known as an antigen test, quick test, lateral flow test or self-test) is a chemical test used to detect viral proteins in a sample. The rapid test is less sensitive than the PCR test, which means that the result is less reliable. However, the result is ready after only about 15-30 minutes.

The rapid test, like the PCR test, provides only a momentary indication of your condition. As a result, it is recommended that you continue to follow the recommendations to prevent infection, even if your test is negative.

Still looking for answers?

You can find out more information in our FAQ section or by contacting one of the authorities' covid-19 hotlines.