Status: 10.10.2021 10:38 a.m.
As of Monday, the citizen tests will no longer be free. As a result, the Marburger Bund is warning of further infections, and the social association VdK fears overpriced prices. Health Minister Spahn defends the measure.
The Marburger Bund doctors’ union warned of further infections due to the end of the free corona tests on Monday. “Chargeable corona tests mean that fewer people with symptoms will be tested in the future,” said the union chairman Susanne Johna of the newspapers of the editorial network Germany (RND). “This is a gateway for further transmission of the virus.”
As of Monday, the citizen tests will no longer be free. Politicians want to increase the pressure on unvaccinated people to get vaccinated. Exceptions apply to all groups who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons and who can prove this, or for whom a vaccine is not yet available.
Unclear about the vaccination rate
According to Johna, the lack of clarity about the population’s vaccination quota adds to the complication of the abolition of the free tests. The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) reported on Thursday that based on surveys on willingness to vaccinate and registration data, a vaccination rate of 80 percent of doubly vaccinated adults and of up to 84 percent of those who were vaccinated at least once could be assumed. That would be five percentage points more than recorded in the digital vaccination rate monitoring.
Johna sees a systematic problem in the discrepancy: “There are no current field studies from which we can extrapolate how high the infection rate in the population is, for example.” Reliable figures on vaccination rates are important in order to be able to decide whether to relax protective measures.
Patient advocates fear barriers to visits in homes
With the end of the free tests, the German Foundation for Patient Protection fears a new isolation and isolation of home residents. It therefore calls for special regulations for old people’s and nursing homes. The federal and state governments would have to offer visitors free test options, said board member Eugen Brysch of the dpa news agency. Because many of the around 12,000 inpatient facilities nationwide required an up-to-date and certified negative rapid test even from fully vaccinated visitors.
If many test centers stop their work, a recognized negative evidence is difficult to get, especially in rural areas, said Brysch. “Sometimes 20 kilometers are unreasonable for relatives.” The facilities would have to be obliged by ordinance to offer rapid tests on site, demanded Brysch. The costs should be reimbursed to them promptly by the health insurance companies or the legislature. It must be ensured that the nationwide around 900,000 nursing home residents can be visited unhindered.
VdK for capping the costs
With a view to the end of the free tests, the social association VdK advocates limiting the costs. “We fear that it will come back to completely overpriced offers,” said VdK President Verena Bentele on Saturday the RND. So far, there is no plan to cap the costs of the tests. “People with little money should also only have to pay a small contribution,” she demanded. “However, there is still no regulation from the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs.”
The Paritätische Gesamtverband was also critical. The abolition of the free tests is problematic, “because wealthy vaccine skeptics, who can also afford paid tests, are privileged,” said managing director Ulrich Schneider of the RND.
Spahn defends measure
Health Minister Jens Spahn, however, defended the measure. “Abolishing free citizen tests requires fairness in front of the taxpayer,” said the CDU politician to the newspapers of the Funke media group. Everyone for whom it is recommended and who wants to have been vaccinated by now. Tests in nursing homes, hospitals, schools or at work will continue to be free, the minister said. “That is important to get through autumn and winter well.” Everyone can continue to get vaccinated free of charge to protect themselves and others.
Incidence increased slightly
The seven-day incidence in Germany rose again slightly compared to the previous day. The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) gave the value of new infections per 100,000 inhabitants and week in the morning as 66.1. The previous day the value was 64.4, a week ago it was also 64.2 (previous month: 83.8). The health authorities in Germany reported 7612 new corona infections to the RKI within one day. A week ago the value was 6164 infections. According to the new information, 24 deaths were recorded across Germany within 24 hours. A week ago there were nine deaths.