Mikkeller offers Covid tests at the entrance to Warpigs brewpub
From tomorrow, Mikkeller will offer convenient testing of customers, who do not already have a negative Covid test registered in their corona passport. The healthcare company Practio, who holds the medical responsibility, trains the staff at Warpigs to supervise customer’s self-testing.
When the smell of hops, malt, and smoke finally spread again tomorrow at Mikkeller’s brewpub in The Meatpacking district of Copenhagen, it will be with a mini Covid test station as a supplement to craft beer and Texan Barbeque. In collaboration with the healthcare company Practio, Mikkeller has set up a small, isolated section of the brewpub as a test station, so that all applicable rules on hygiene, etc. are complied with accordingly. Here, customers who don’t already have a negative covid test in their corona passport can get tested for 20 EUR. This gives people the opportunity to spontaneously go out or skip the extra time in line at a public test center.
The hope is that the initiative will make more customers stop by the brewpub, explains operations manager in Mikkeller Jacob Gram Alsing:
“Warpigs is extraordinarily affected because a really large portion of the customer base, before corona, were foreigners. As long as there are still no tourists in Copenhagen, you have to be tested to eat and drink inside, and comply with a large number of other restrictions; it’s still a huge challenge for us to run a sensible business. In addition, it is a service that we really want to offer our guests - both to make life easier for them, but also to give them the opportunity to make a spontaneous decision to go to a restaurant."
The test is a simple nose test, which is currently used by school children, where you yourself insert a cotton swab 2-3 centimeters into each nostril and rotate five times. The staff at Warpigs will supervise that you do it correctly and take care of the analysis of the test.
After 15 minutes, you have the answer, which is entered and registered directly in the corona passport after another 10 minutes. In addition to training staff to perform the tests, Practio makes its IT-system available, reports to health authorities, and Infection Detection.
Free beer while you wait
Practio, which is also based in Kødbyen, since 2015, has specialized in making access to medical services easier. The company has offices in four countries and is responsible for vaccination and Covid-19 antibody tests at Danish pharmacies. A few weeks ago, they won the offer of private Covid-19 vaccination centers in the Region of Southern Denmark. With the ambition of saving the Danes time in the waiting room, it makes good sense to save them the queue at the test centers before a restaurant visit.
"Overall, we want to bring the test capacity out to the citizens and make it easier for people to be tested," explains Jonas Nilsen, medical doctor and founder of Practio.
Initially, the idea was initiated in collaboration with Mikkeller, but over the next few days and weeks, the intention is to create collaborations with many more restaurants.
According to the new Danish rules, you must book a table in advance at least 30 minutes in advance for indoor reservations, which makes it even harder for people to just swing their way past the brewpub to have a beer and some food in a guaranteed warm environment after work. It creates an ocean of logistical problems, but Jacob Gram Alsing from Mikkeller has the solution:
"We suggest that you book a table on arrival, get a test taken, and then we provide a free beer while you wait outdoors."
About Practio
Practio delivers highly digitalized healthcare across Europe safely. In Denmark, Practio is responsible for vaccination and antibody testing in pharmacies, and has also won the supply of private Covid-19 vaccination centers in the Region of Southern Denmark with a capacity of up to 61,200 vaccinations per day. Practio was founded in 2015 by doctor Jonas Nilsen and CEO Mads Mikkelsen with the ambition of saving Danes time in the waiting room and ensuring fast and safe treatment.
Read more about Practio's offerings on COVID-19 tests here
How we test
The testing takes place in a dedicated and screened test area at the back entrance of Warpigs. Guests line up and are called in one at a time. The customer is given a swab and is supervised for proper inoculation. When you have finished the testing, you go outside and wait. Mikkeller / Practio is responsible for the analysis of the test, record keeping and registration. When the result is ready, the guest receives an SMS. The answer is in the Corona passport within 10 minutes.
Mikkeller tilbyder Covid-test ved indgangen til brygpubben Warpigs i Kødbyen
I samarbejde med sundhedsvirksomheden Practio kan Mikkeller fra i morgen tilbyde skånsom, hurtig testning af kunder, der ikke på forhånd har en negativ Covid-test registreret i deres coronapas. Practio, der har det lægefaglige ansvar, træner personalet på Warpigs til at supervisere selvpodningen.
Når malt- humle – og røgduften fra i morgen endelig igen spreder sig på Mikkeller brygpub i Kødbyen, bliver det med en mini Covid-teststation som supplement til specialøl og texansk barbeque. I samarbejde med virksomheden Practio har Mikkeller indrettet en lille, isoleret afdeling af brygpubben som teststation, så alle gældende regler om hygiejne osv. bliver overholdt. Her kan kunder, der mangler en negativ Covid-test i deres coronapas, blive testet for 149 kr. Dette giver folk muligheden for spontant at gå ud eller springe den ekstra tid over, som det ellers vil tage at tage forbi et offentligt testcenter.
Forhåbentlig vil tiltaget give flere kunder i biksen, forklarer driftsleder i Mikkeller Jacob Gram Alsing:
“Warpigs er ekstraordinært hårdt ramt, fordi en rigtig stor del af kundelaget før corona var udlændinge. Så længe der stadig ikke er turister i København og så længe, at man skal være testet for at spise og drikke derinde og overholde en lang række andre restriktioner, har vi stadig meget store udfordringer med at køre en fornuftigt forretning. Desuden er det en service, som vi rigtig gerne vil tilbyde vores gæster – både for at gøre livet lettere for dem, men også, så de har muligheden for at tage en spontan beslutning om at gå på restaurant.”
Testen er en simpel næsetest, som i øjeblikket også bruges af skoleelever, hvor den, der skal testes selv fører en vatpind 2-3 centimeter ind i hvert næsebord og drejer den fem gange rundt. Derefter assisterer personalet på Warpigs med at udføre selve analysen. Efter 15 minutter har man et svar, som indtastes og registreres direkte i coronapasset efter yderligere 10 minutter. Udover at træne personalet i at udføre testene stiller Practio IT-system til rådighed og indberetter til sundhedsmyndighederne og smitteopsporingen.
Om Practio
Practio leverer højt digitaliserede sundhedsydelser på tværs af Europa sikkert, effektivt og i stor skala. I Danmark har Practio ansvaret for vaccination og antistoftest på apoteker, og har også vundet udbuddet af private COVID-19 vaccinationscentre i Region Syddanmark med en kapacitet på op til 61.200 vaccinationer om dagen. Practio er stiftet i 2015 af læge Jonas Nilsen og CEO Mads Mikkelsen med ambitionen om at spare danskerne for tiden i venteværelset og sikre hurtig og tryg behandling.
Sådan foregår testningen
Testningen foregår i et dedikeret og afskærmet testområde ved bagindgangen af Warpigs. Gæster stiller sig i kø og bliver kaldt ind en ad gangen. Her får man udleveret testkit og bliver superviseret i korrekt podning. Når man er færdigpodet, går man udenfor og venter. Analysen, journalføring og indberetning til Coronapasset står Mikkeller/Practio for. Når resultatet er klar modtager gæsten en sms. Svaret er i Coronapasset indenfor 10 minutter.
