Simple website reveals how good Covid rapid tests are
The "Zerforschung" initiative has built a website that allows you to quickly and easily check how good a Corona quick test is.
Covid rapid tests are helpful, but vary in reliability. You can check how well the different tests detect an infection using your smartphone via the schnelltesttest.de website.
Quick access to scientific data
After you have accessed the website, scan the barcode of a test. Alternatively, you can enter the EAN code by hand. The website then tells you what percentage of the test reliably detects a very high or high viral load. The reliability data comes from the Paul Ehrlich Institute (PEI), the German Federal Institute for Vaccines and Biomedical Products. Quasi the counterpart to the Swiss Agency for Therapeutic Products Swissmedic or the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety.
The PEI's PDF table is damn impractical when shopping at the pharmacy, drugstore or supermarket. Spektrum.de had already prepared the data in a clearer and easily searchable way. Zerfoschung" goes one step further with schnelltesttest.de. The developers have published the source code for the web app on Github.
However, the web app is not yet complete and has not yet captured all the barcodes of the tests. This is where you come in. The developers call on all users to send in photos of the barcodes if schnelltesttest.de does not yet recognize them.
We can sort out the rapid test in the Hamburg office. It detects a very high virus load 94 percent of the time, but only 4 percent of the time for a high virus load - and thus almost not at all. The one I just bought for my private use does better: 100 and 87 percent. With figures like these, it's easy for me to decide which test to put in my shopping basket.
When I was but a young student, I'd sit in my friend's living room with all my classmates and play on his SuperNES. Since then I've had the opportunity to test out all the newest technology for you. I've done reviews at Curved, Computer Bild and Netzwelt, and have now arrived at Galaxus.de.