Virus monitoring in Denmark
Virus monitoring is used by the Danish authorities to gather knowledge about, prevent and combat infectious respiratory diseases.
Several thousand people in Denmark are being invited via Digital Post to take part in this monitoring project. In addition, Statens Serum Institut collaborates with a number of businesses and educational institutions on this project.
By participating in this project, you can help the health authorities to gain insights into the prevalence of respiratory diseases – and the development of variants of respiratory diseases. This is based on voluntary self-swab tests, performed at home, if you are ill with symptoms of a respiratory infection.
The self-swabs done as part of the project are subsequently analysed by Statens Serum Institut. Here, tests are carried out for a number of viruses that can cause symptoms from the respiratory tract. Click here to read about which viruses we test for.
Invitation via Digital Post
Several thousand people in Denmark have been invited via Digital Post to participate in the project. By following the instructions in the welcome letter, you will be enrolled in the project and will then receive a test kit and return envelope. Anyone over the age of five in the household can also enrol. However, household members with a withheld name/address cannot take part in the project.
Participation via workplace/educational institution
At the participating workplaces and educational institutions, test kits and information material are handed out to employees and students. Anyone over the age of five in the household can also take part in the project.
When should you be tested?
You should do a swab test when you have symptoms of a respiratory infection.
Typical symptoms include:
- Fever
- Cough
- Headache
- Muscle pain
- Sore throat
- Nausea
- Tiredness
- Blocked nose/runny nose
- Loss of sense of taste or smell
How to participate
If you are invited via Digital Post, you will receive a test kit by mail once you have registered. You will receive the test kit 1-2 weeks after you have registered.
If you are employed by a participating business or are a student/employee of a participating educational institution, you must start by registering in the web app. You will receive instructions in the welcome letter. After having registered, you can pick up a test kit in the containers set up.
Remember to keep a test kit at home so you have it at hand when you need it.
Whether you participate via your workplace, educational institution or Digital Post,
- Participation is voluntary
- You do not have to disclose the result to anyone
- You do not need to self-isolate if you test positive
- You do not need to take a follow-up test
If you are ill
When you are ill, you must take a swab test and register the sample using your mobile phone. To do this, log into the web app and use the QR code on the envelope with the test kit.
In the web app, there is a video and a text guide showing how to perform the swab test correctly.
People aged 15 and above should be swabbed in the throat and nose, while people under 15 should only be swabbed in the nose.
Submission of sample and test results
The sample must be submitted within seven days from the swab date. Until then, you can store the swab at home. It should be stored in a dark and cool place.
Drop off the sample at a PostNord post office or PostNord store. Drop off the sample in the prepaid envelope provided with the test kit. The sample must NOT be dropped in a mailbox, as the sample may become unusable due to the longer delivery time.
If you participate via a workplace/educational institution that has a sample submission scheme, the sample can be handed in at your workplace/educational institution.
You can see the test result in the web app and on sundhed.dk 3-4 business days after submission.
Which viruses can the test detect?
As of the 20 February 2024 Statens Serum Institut analyses the tests for:
- SARS-CoV-2
- Influenza virus (A and B)
- RS virus
- Adenovirus
- Rhinovirus
- Enterovirus
- Metapneumovirus
- Parainfluenza virus
- Coronavirus (not SARS-CoV-2)
You can read more about the individual viruses here.
Tests received as of 20 February 2024 will be tested for all of the viruses above. Tests received up to and including 19 February 2024 will be tested for influenza viruses (A and B), SARS-CoV-2 and RS virus. Whether we test for three or nine viruses depends on when we receive the test at Statens Serum Institut.
How should I respond to my test result?
Most respiratory tract infections, especially in the upper respiratory tract, cause only mild illness and resolve on their own without treatment. Most people catch a cold or another mild respiratory tract infection several times a year.
You should contact your doctor if you feel so ill that you would seek medical advice in any case, even if you did not know the test result.
Contact
If you have any unanswered questions, please check the FAQ below or get in touch with the support service of the project by e-mail: tcdkapp@ssi.dk or by phone +45 4046 8599. The phone is open on all work days 10.00-12.00 and 13.00-15.00.
1. Support
Where may I ask if I have any questions about Virus Monitoring in Denmark?
If you cannot find answers to your questions on this page, you may contact our support team by:Mail: tcdkapp@ssi.dk
Telefon: +45 4046 8599
The phone is open on all work days 10.00-12.00 and 13.00-15.00. The phone is closed on weekends and holidays.
2. The test kit
What does a test kit contain?
Your test kit consists of a swab stick, a test tube, an alcohol wipe, a tongue spatula and a transport tube or safety bag. The kit also includes a guide. The test kit is packed in a prepaid envelope.
Follow the instructions to self-swab and register in the web app of TestCenter Denmark.
Where may I hand in my sample?
After swabbing, place the disinfected test tube in the transport tube or safety bag. Then place the transport tube or safety bag in the prepaid envelope. Remove the cover paper from the adhesive strip and close the envelope carefully.
Send your sample from a PostNord post office or PostNOrd store within 7 days.
3. The TestCenter Denmark web app
What is a web app?
A web app is an app that opens in the internet browser of your mobile phone. Therefore, you do not need to get the web app in the App Store or Google Play. Simply access the web site: tcdkapp.ssi.dk.
You can save the web app of TestCenter Denmark as a bookmark on the home screen of your mobile phone to make it more accessible in future.
What is the web app used for?
Use the web app to sign up for the project and then to register samples. If you have children above the age of 5, but under the age of 15, you can also register their samples. Follow the instructions enclosed with the test kit and then the instructions in the web app.
How do I start using the web app?
This is how you start using the web app:
The web app is accessed using your mobile phone via this
- link: https://tcdkapp.ssi.dk
- Log in using NemID/MitID.
- You will now be prompted to scan a QR code. You can find the QR code on the envelope you received from Statens Serum Institut. In some cases, the QR code will appear in the test kit folder.
Most people can simply use the camera of their mobile phone. In a limited number of cases, a QR scanner/reader is needed, which you will need to install on your mobile phone. The app will recognise and validate the QR code.
- You will now be prompted to sign up if you are not already registered.
- Then follow the instructions in the web app. You will be instructed in how to swab yourself correctly.
Who can use the web app?
Anyone aged 15 years or more who holds a Danish civil registration number (CPR) and NemID/MitID can register a sample via the web app of TestCenter Denmark.
To use the web app, you need a mobile phone that has access to the internet and a working camera capable of focusing. Most smart phones focus automatically. If yours does not, you can adjust this in the phone options.
For technical reasons, you cannot use the web app if you have an administrative civil registration number (CPR). Parents may register self-swabs on behalf of their children who have not yet turned 15 years old.
My mobile phone cannot find the page with the web app. What should I do?
Please check:
- If your mobile phone is connected to the internet
- If you have entered the internet address correctly or if you are scanning the correct QR code
- Alternatively, you may gain access using this link: https://tcdkapp.ssi.dk/
- If you are still experiencing problems, please contact the support.
I cannot make the scanner function of the web app work. What should I do?
Please check if you have given the web app the permission needed to use the camera on your mobile phone.
The first time you click on ‘Start scanner’, your device will ask whether you want to allow 'tcdkapp.ssi.dk’ access to the camera on your mobile phone. Here, you need to give permission.
If you have not been asked if you would like to allow the app to use the camera or if you have accidently pressed “Block/Do not allow/Cancel”, you can do as follows (depending on the operating system of your phone):
iPhone:
Settings > Safari (or the browser you use) Camera > Allow
Android:
Settings > Apps > Chrome (or the browser you use) > Permissions > Camera > Allow
Next, you need to refresh the webapp. When you have done this, the scan function should work.
Alternatively, you can log out and back in with NemID/MitID and start the registration again, after which you can give permission to use the camera on your mobile phone.
If the scan function still does not work, please contact our support team.
The web app shows an error message during the scanning of the registration QR code. What should I do?
This may happen if you try to scan an invalid QR code. Use the QR code provided in the leaflet you received as part of the test kit or on the envelope. If you still experience problems, please contact our support team.
I am unable to scan the code on the test vial. What should I do?
Your mobile phone camera needs to support focus. Most smart phones focus automatically. If yours does not, you can adjust this in the phone options. To focus, the QR code on the test vial needs to be around 10-11 cm from the camera of your mobile phone. Avoid moving the phone around or try to adjust the distance between the phone and the test vial. Please note that the test vial should have focus. Also be aware of the following:
- The QR code on the test vial must be well-lit. But try to avoid any reflections from direct lighting. Reflections may reduce the ability of the camera to focus on the QR code.
- Check that the camera lens of your mobile phone is not greasy or dirty.
- If you are still having problems scanning the test vial, please try to rotate the test vial slowly in a circular movement.
The cameras of more recent mobile phones are configured to focus on recognisable objects, e.g., finger nails. You may therefore need to ensure that other objects are not in focus. Try holding the test vial as shown in the image:
Why does the web app ask me to log in using NemID/MitID again when I try to register more than once?
This may be because the web apphas remained inactive for more than 30 minutes after which your session expires. Therefore, you need to log in once more using NemID/MitID.
Please note that if you are asked to log in again with NemID/MitID before you had time to register the test tube and swab yourself, you will have to start again from the beginning.
The web app shows you a receipt when you have finished registering your sample. When you see the message “You have completed your registration”, this confirms that your registration was successful and that your data were, in fact, submitted to Statens Serum Institut.
Is it possible to log in using NemID/MitID if your phone blocks pop-up windows?
Yes. Pop-up windows are windows that open automatically without your permission. When you register a sample via the web app, you actively choose to log in using NemID/MitID. Therefore you can continue to block pop-up windows while using the web app.
Can I use any browser when registering in the web app?
Yes. This is so because the web app is not a so-called native app as those normally found via stores like the AppStore and the Google Play Shop. The web app is accessed via a browser on your mobile phone.
If you find that you are unable to open the web app in your browser, please contact the support team.
4. Self-swabbing
Why do I need to self-swab my nose as well as my throat?
If you have become infected with SARS-CoV-2, influenza or RSV, the chance of collecting virus with the cotton wool swab increases if you self-swab your nose and your throat. The viruses are located in different places depending on how long you have been infected. Furthermore, we have no way of knowing where any future variants may prefer to lodge: In the throat or in the nose. Therefore swabbing the throat as well as the nose is a good way of ensuring that we find the virus in someone who has become infected. If the person being swabbed is a child below 15 years of age, he or she should only swab the nose, not the throat.
Why do my children below 15 years of age need to be swabbed only in the nose?
Some children find it difficult to be swabbed in the throat. Therefore, we ask that they be swabbed only in the nose.
When is a self-swab invalid?
You will need to repeat the self-swabbing procedure if you accidently drop the cotton wool swab. If that happens, you need to use a new cotton wool swab and to start swabbing once more.
If you accidently touch your tongue/cheek/teeth/other parts of your mouth before swabbing the back wall of your throat, simply continue swabbing.
How exact is the swabbing when I have done it myself?
Provided you follow the swabbing instructions closely, a previous study of ours showed that your sample is just as good as if it had been taken by a test centre employee.
When is a self-swab too old?
The tube with the self swab must be handed in within 7 days; otherwise the material will become to old for analysis.
How should my swab be stored until I send it in?
The sample should be kept in a dark and not too hot place.
5. Test result
Where do I find my test result?
When your test result is ready, you can access it in the web app and on sundhed.dk.
In the web app, you can see the latest test results on the front page, and all results of tests completed within the past 180 days are shown under “Test results” in the menu. If you are the holder of rights of custody, you can also see the test results of any children you have below 15 years of age.
Please note that you will not be notified automatically when the test result is available. If you have provided your email address, however, you will receive an email notification when there is a new message in the web app. If you have not provided your email address, remember to check your test result yourself.
How long will it take before I get my test result?
You can see the test result in the web app sundhed.dk 3-4 business days after you handed in the test.
What does the test result mean for me?
Most respiratory tract infections, especially in the upper respiratory tract, cause only mild illness and resolve on their own without treatment. Most people catch a cold or another mild respiratory tract infection several times a year.
You should contact your doctor if you feel so ill that you would seek medical advice in any case, even if you did not know the test result.
The general advice of the Danish Health Authority is to stay at home when you are ill with symptoms of an infectious disease, until you are well again.
The test result is exclusively for use in the Virus Monitoring in Denmark project.