On Monday, medical experts of the Austrian armed forces tested 130 youngsters and their teachers at the Vienna Boys Choir
school for coronavirus. The surgical masks worn by the boys were later given to the armed forces' canine training centre.
14-year-old Maris is delighted, „to think that this can help them train Coronavirus sniffer dogs."
Members of the Vienna Boys Choir are tested on a regular basis; Emil and Louis, both 12, recount Monday's test.
"In the morning, we were all given a new surgical mask. We had to wear it for 15 minutes."
"There were two test stations. You went to one of them. An officer took down your details and wrote a number on your sheet. The same number was written on your test vial, and on a small brown glass bottle."
"You were asked to sit down, relax, and tilt your head. The doctor told me to open my mouth as well. I think that helps to relax. She swiftly administered the test. It is not my favourite thing in the world, but it is only a few seconds. I have been tested many times, so I am used to it."
"Afterwards, I took my mask off and scrunched it up to fit it in the glass bottle."
"Next, I went into the salon - one of our state rooms - and handed the bottle to another officer. There were the two sniffer dogs, Fantasy Forever and Piet Störtebeker."
"Fantasy Forever is a Belgian shepherd, Piet Störtebeker is a Rottweiler. They were well-behaved. The dog trainers told us that they wait a day, and once they have the test results from the lab, the dogs are given the masks to sniff."
"All our test results were negative, which is great. But it means the dogs have nothing to do."
"There were two test stations. You went to one of them. An officer took down your details and wrote a number on your sheet. The same number was written on your test vial, and on a small brown glass bottle."
"You were asked to sit down, relax, and tilt your head. The doctor told me to open my mouth as well. I think that helps to relax. She swiftly administered the test. It is not my favourite thing in the world, but it is only a few seconds. I have been tested many times, so I am used to it."
"Afterwards, I took my mask off and scrunched it up to fit it in the glass bottle."
"Next, I went into the salon - one of our state rooms - and handed the bottle to another officer. There were the two sniffer dogs, Fantasy Forever and Piet Störtebeker."
"Fantasy Forever is a Belgian shepherd, Piet Störtebeker is a Rottweiler. They were well-behaved. The dog trainers told us that they wait a day, and once they have the test results from the lab, the dogs are given the masks to sniff."
"All our test results were negative, which is great. But it means the dogs have nothing to do."