LIDL have announced that they will begin selling rapid Covid-19 antigen tests in all Irish stores from Friday.
The tests will be available across the country for €24.99 per pack of five test kits. Customers will however be limited to buying five packs at a time.
It takes only 15 minutes to produce a result, and like the PCR test, widely used by the HSE, the antigen tests use a nasal swab.
Because they don't need to be sent off to a lab for analysis, the tests are generally considered to be less reliable than the PCR tests, but are far more convenient to use and to access.
Lidl has 168 stores in Ireland, and dozens more in Northern Ireland, and tests will be available to buy in every single one of them.
As we add these antigen tests to our range, we urge our shoppers to continue to stringently follow the public health advice. We hope that by offering them, these tests will add an extra level of reassurance to our customers as they follow that advice. pic.twitter.com/RJx21lq2fd
— Lidl Ireland (@lidl_ireland) May 6, 2021
“Since the onset of the pandemic, our priority has been the health and safety of our colleagues and customers," said J.P. Scally, chief executive of Lidl Ireland and Northern Ireland.
"Following our announcement in April that we would be offering free antigen tests to all of our employees, we are pleased to now add these to our range for our shoppers with hopes that they will offer some peace of mind as the country begins to reopen and makes progress through the vaccination programme.
"We know this is a worrying time for everyone, and we urge our shoppers to continue to stringently follow the public health advice. It is our hope that by offering these tests, they will add an extra level of reassurance to our customers as they follow that advice."
See More: Antigen Test, Covid-19 Test, Lidl, Lidl Ireland
