Aena has awarded the space to locate a Covid diagnostic testing clinic for departing passengers at Lanzarote airport to Eurofins Megalab S.A.U. The contract is for six months with the possibility of extension until December 31, 2021.
In addition to Lanzarote, diagnostic testing clinics will be installed in another 14 airports, those with more international or tourist traffic: Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas, Josep TarradellasBarcelona-El Prat, Málaga-Costa del Sol, Alicante-Elche, Valencia, Seville, Bilbao, Palma de Mallorca, Ibiza, Menorca, Tenerife South, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, César Manrique-Lanzarote and La Palma.
In the five airports of the Canary Islands, in those of the Balearic Islands and in those of Catalonia, the Valencian Community and Bilbao, Eurofins Megalab has been the successful bidder. For its part, in the Madrid airport and in those of the south of the Peninsula, the spaces have been awarded to the UTE Recoletas-Arquimea-Lagben-GTT.
The premises will be located in the departure areas and will mainly carry out tests on passengers who are going to need them at the airport of destination, not for those who land at those airports, who have to bring them from origin to pass the health controls that are carried out in the network since May. This service will help facilitate the return of tourists to their origins.
Currently, to access an airport to perform these tests it will be necessary to have a boarding pass, since access is restricted to passengers.
The service providers may perform diagnostic tests for active infection (PDIA) for SARS-CoV2: PCR test (RT-PCR of COVID 19. Nasal and pharyngeal exudate); rapid antibody tests, rapid antigen detection tests or high-performance serologies (ELISA, CLIA, ECLIA) and clinical analysis. The authorized diagnostic tests must comply with current health regulations and be approved by the Ministry of Health.
The establishments will have an area for performing the test and waiting and isolation areas, and must preserve the privacy of the passenger. If a positive result is detected after performing a PDIA for SARS-CoV-2, the health alert protocols established by the health authorities of the autonomous communities will be activated.
Non-abusive prices and health authorization
Aena requires that the price of the tests be "competitive and adequate". "It cannot be abusive and cannot, in any case, be higher than the price of those same tests or services in reference establishments," he specifies. In fact, the service providers have been the companies that have made a greater discount on the prices of the tests, which will be updated every month.
Regarding the awarded companies, Aena highlights that "they have experience in the sector and accreditation for carrying out clinical analysis and health activity in airports and/or in the city center at least in the last two closed financial years." They also have administrative authorization from Health to import, purchase, distribute and sell sanitary material (in vitro diagnostic devices, PPE materials).
In addition, they have an authorized clinical analysis laboratory and professional qualification to perform PCR tests and other types of analysis, as well as to prepare reports of results of any type of laboratory test.
They will have a telephone number and/or a website to make reservations and must inform of the waiting time for receiving the result before performing the test, so that the departing passenger schedules its performance according to the time of the flight.
