SSI System update cost Danish family a small fortune on PCR test before departing for Thailand

The family had to leave earlier for the airport to have a quick PCR test taken at a private company. Photo: Morten Storch

A system update delayed over the weekend some people’s PCR test results which ended up costing a Danish family a small fortune as they were departing for Thailand, media TV2 reports. 

The Danish sector research institute ‘Statens Serum Institut’ (SSI) updated its IT systems the night between Friday and Saturday last week, which caused 3-4 hours of downtime over the weekend, SSI writes on its website.

The downtime meant that some people’s PCR test results were delayed. 

Amongst those were Danish Troels Nielsen and his family who all got a PCR test done Friday because they had a flight to Thailand Sunday midday. To be able to board the Thai Airways flight Sunday they needed a PCR test that was a maximum of 48 hours old from the time of sampling.

Troels Nielsen, his wife, two children, and daughter-in-law all had a PCR test done Friday evening which in normal cases would mean they would have the result within 24 hours. SSI figures show that under normal circumstances, up to 95 percent get answers to their PCR tests either the same day or the day after.

Sunday morning, however, none of them had received their result.

“We panicked a little before we went to the airport. The airline required a test that was less than 48 hours old, but what if our answer did not come through before the plane took off,” Troels Nielsen says.

The family rushed to the airport where they found a private company that offered PCR tests with a response time of two hours. The price was DKK 1800 per person with a total of DKK 9000 that they paid because the trip to Thailand had been planned for over a year and a half so they were determined to leave.   

The family has been PCR-tested many times before and has always received a response within 24 hours. 

“Our mistake is that we have done as we usually do, where we have always received a response within 24 hours.” Troels Nielsen says. 

Ironically, Troels Nielsen managed to get an answer to his original PCR test before the family boarded the plane on Sunday afternoon. At that time, however, the rest of the family had not yet received an answer so the expensive quick results at the airport did not turn out to be a total waste. 

About Gregers Møller

Editor-in-Chief • ScandAsia Publishing Co., Ltd. • Bangkok, Thailand

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