Just a swab in your nose and throat and the corona test is over. It sounds very easy, and it actually is, but is it pleasant? The Santé editors talk about their experiences.
Editor-in-chief Lynn:“With two young children in the house, a cold is quickly taken over. I already had my first corona test in September and number two followed last week. I heard varying stories, from 'beeped in twenty seconds' to 'pure horror'. I myself was a bit in between. Because I have a huge aversion to throwing up, I was not thrilled about the cotton swab in my throat. Both times, the poor corona tester had to put his swab down the back of my throat four times:I couldn't control my reflex to shrink back. The nose gave a tingling sensation and especially the first time I thought:hello, does it have to go to the back of my brain or something? In short:no fun, but what must, must be. (And luckily:twice no corona.)”
Online editor Chantal:“I just finished my first corona test and what I thought of it:not nice. A colleague tipped me to make a yawning movement when the swab was stuck down my throat. I did and that helped, but then the test lady told me to say 'aaaa'. I immediately started gagging. Fortunately, I quickly got that reflex under control and it was my nose's turn. Not nice either. That rod went pretty deep, tears sprang into my eyes spontaneously. An advantage:my stuffy nose suddenly popped open. Now wait and see what the result is…”
Editor-in-chief Annalot:“I had myself tested a few weeks ago, when I got a sore throat and headache out of the blue and felt crippled. I wasn't seriously ill, but mainly wanted to know if I had to cancel my appointments later that week. Because I don't have a car, I had to cycle all the way to the other side of town. Quite a piece of shit if you're not feeling well. I was able to go to a large test street and after a short explanation it was actually so beeping. The woman taking the test calmly explained what she was going to do and how I could be as relaxed as possible:"Pretend you have to yawn," she said, after I kept gagging from the rod in my throat. That helped. The test went very well for me. I found the rod in my throat the most annoying, the one in my nose was doable. 24 hours later I had the result:negative:a relief. My complaints disappeared quickly afterwards.”
