As of 1 September, people returning to Estonia from COVID-19 risk countries can have themselves tested for coronavirus at the airport and at the ferry port to reduce the period of self-isolation and to return to work. Testing is free for the Estonian residents, while foreigners can pay on-site by a bankcard.
The test can be taken based on a referral provided on-site, in the pedestrian area of terminals A and D of the Port of Tallinn with the help of medical personnel from Confido, and at the temporary Qvalitas testing point at Tallinn Airport. Drawing up referrals and obtaining the sample takes approximately five minutes. People are tested at the port and the airport in order of arrival. The testing points remain open until the last ferry or airplane passengers have arrived.
Foreigners can take a coronavirus test for a fee in order to reduce their compulsory self-isolation period. To book a time please call one of the service providers that provide a fee-based testing service.
Testing will be carried out by a public testing organisation based on a contract concluded with the Health Board; samples will be analysed by the SYNLAB lab.
Individuals who have been tested must fully self-isolate until they have received their test results. Negative test results will be communicated by a text message. Those who tested positive will receive a call. The results can be viewed also in the digilugu.ee health information system by logging in using the ID card. In the case of a negative test result, the person will be required to self-isolate in a limited form for the first seven days, which means that they may go to work and get groceries, but must avoid all unnecessary contact. They should also maintain a distance from the others at work.
Another test must be taken no sooner than seven days after the first test result and if this is negative as well, a person can continue their normal life. This means that an individual who has tested negative twice will not be subject to the fourteen-day self-isolation requirement which is applicable to everyone who has arrived from a risk country and has not been tested. The public testing call centre will contact the person to agree on a time for the second test.
A risk country is a country in which the coronavirus infection rate is at least 16 cases per 100,000 people.
The list of risk countries is updated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs every Friday and the list will enter into force from the following Monday.
