opinion
Rising corona numbers
Make the quick tests for free again!
Corona rapid tests have cost most people for a few weeks now. Our author believes that this should be changed quickly in view of the current corona situation.
© Oliver Berg / DPA
The number of corona infections is increasing, experts are warning of a harsh corona winter. Rapid tests would be needed to get a better overview of the infection situation and to prevent infections. However, they are no longer free. A mistake that needs to be fixed as soon as possible!
It is no surprise that the corona numbers are now rising again. We already know that from last winter. In November 2020, however, two important “tools” in the fight against the spread of the coronavirus and the pandemic did not yet exist: vaccinations and rapid tests for everyone, also known as “citizen tests”.
Now – a year later – we are faced with almost the same situation as we were then. The only difference is that we now have these “tools”. In Germany at least 66.7 percent of people are fully vaccinated – 69.4 percent are vaccinated at least once. At least one must emphasize, because that Robert Koch Institute assumes that the actual vaccination rate is up to five percentage points higher. And the booster vaccinations are underway.
Rapid tests give an exact corona picture
The quick tests are also available to us. A test center was set up almost on every corner, where anyone could have a stick inserted into their noses and after 15 minutes they knew whether they were negative or positive. Often you had to endure this procedure if you wanted to go to the restaurant, the hairdresser or to the mother’s in the nursing home.
Since October 11th however, the citizen tests are no longer free. Reason: Everyone: r received a vaccination offer. A permanent cost assumption by the federal government – and thus by us taxpayers – is no longer necessary. Those who have no symptoms now have to bear the costs themselves – with a few exceptions.
In view of the current Corona situation, this must be changed as soon as possible! Even the decision to end the free rapid tests was not very intelligent. Because the rapid tests have the advantage that on the one hand they reveal undetected infections and thus can also prevent further infections if the person concerned is sent into quarantine. On the other hand, a better picture of the infection process is drawn with free rapid tests, dark figures are brightened. With a more precise picture of the situation, you are better prepared and can react more precisely.
Consider compulsory testing for vaccinated people too
But if such a quick test costs something, it hinders many people from being tested at all. Instead of being tested for a restaurant visit, you move the appointment to your own apartment – without a test, because you don’t need one. The virus can spread and be passed on. Free tests also reduce the inhibition threshold to test yourself before and after private visits. And to believe that a few euros for a test will induce the unvaccinated to vaccinate is naive. Almost two thirds of the unvaccinated do not want to be vaccinated anyway, according to a Forsa survey.
In addition, one should consider asking a fully vaccinated person to have a rapid test again – at least on some occasions and locations. For example, at larger events, visits to hospitals and nursing homes or when entering the airport. Because vaccinated people – we also know that – have a significantly lower risk of seriously contracting Covid-19 and of being hospitalized, which relieves the health system. But they can still get infected and theoretically pass the virus on – albeit that RKI assumes that this risk is significantly reduced. This has a total of 117,763 likely vaccine breakthroughs RKI registered since February 1st (as of October 28th). Almost 54,000 of them (around 46 percent) were recorded in calendar weeks 39 to 42.
This is one of the reasons why rapid tests should be free again for everyone. This is the only way to detect infections, break chains of infection and dampen the winter wave.