Pandemic
Free corona citizen tests should be limited
Across Germany, 10.5 billion euros have already been paid out to the commercial operators of the test stations. Photo: Bernd Wüstneck/dpa
© dpa-infocom GmbH
A test booth on every corner, free quick tests for everyone, billions in costs for the state – this should soon be over. Does Karl Lauterbach also find approval among his country colleagues?
According to Health Minister Karl Lauterbach, access to the free Corona citizen tests will soon be significantly restricted. Only patients with symptoms should be eligible, plus other selected groups such as small children and pregnant women.
This emerges from the ministry’s “Corona Autumn Strategy”, which is available to the German Press Agency. The editorial network Germany (RND) had previously reported on it. So far, free quick tests for all citizens are only fixed until the end of June.
Lauterbach (SPD) said on Wednesday night on the ARD program “Maischberger” about the citizen tests that he would have “liked to have them more restricted and better controlled”. He reproached the states that they wanted to continue having the free tests, but did not want to share in the costs.
According to the Ministry of Health, testing should remain free of charge for the following cases and groups:
– Preventive tests in nursing homes and hospitals
– a spreading infection situation in “hotspots”
– War refugees from Ukraine
– People with increased contacts, for example before major events
Much abuse in billing in test stations
Across Germany, 10.5 billion euros have already been paid out to the commercial operators of the test stations. There was a lot of abuse: investigators assume a fraud sum of at least one billion up to 1.5 billion euros. The strategy paper says: “More controls are intended to reduce fraud.”
Despite the restrictions, an easily accessible test infrastructure – including in pharmacies – should be maintained, the ministry continues. The prices for rapid tests and PCR tests are also to be reduced.
Two-day consultations between the health ministers in Magdeburg will begin this Wednesday. The number of infections has recently risen again.
Federal Minister of Justice Marco Buschmann (FDP) rejected demands from the federal states to quickly create a legal basis for further corona restrictions. There is a “well-considered and serious schedule” from the federal government, which all prime ministers agreed to at their last conference, he told the RND. On June 30, the committee of independent experts will present its report evaluating the pandemic measures. You don’t want to anticipate that.
Head of statutory health insurance against expansion of the mask requirement
Head of panel doctors Andreas Gassen spoke out against extending the mask requirement despite the increased number of infections. “The narrative was always that the health system should not be overloaded,” said the chairman of the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians to the RND. There are currently high numbers of infections, but the course of the disease is mostly mild. “Many of those affected do not even notice it.” Therefore, higher infection numbers alone could not be the basis for measures, “e.g. for a new mask requirement”. Mouth and nose protection must currently still be worn in everyday life, especially on public transport. Gassen also called for the unprovoked citizen tests to be stopped soon. “They bring very little and cost a lot,” he criticized.
The Hamburg virologist Jonas Schmidt-Chanasit warned against overestimating the effect of the masks. Correctly worn FFP2 masks could protect against infection, but other measures are more efficient and should be introduced before masks become mandatory. In the RND interview, the virologist cited working from home as an example.
Pediatricians: Leave schools open
In the debate about changes to the Infection Protection Act, pediatricians in Germany spoke out against testing without cause in schools and insisted that daycare centers and schools remain open – even with increasing numbers of infections and also in hotspots. The President of the Professional Association of Pediatricians, Thomas Fischbach, told the “Rheinische Post”: “The number of children with behavioral problems or overweight has increased significantly, and children from educationally disadvantaged households in particular are suffering. They must be caught.” Unreasonable mass tests in schools are unnecessary. “Anyone who has symptoms should be tested. There should only be a mask requirement in the classroom in hotspots.”
The opposition Union also called for more precise data on immunity in Germany for the autumn in order to close a possible gap through targeted vaccination campaigns. According to a statement by the health politicians from the CDU and CSU, it is still unclear how big it really is after vaccinations and infections. A representative antibody study should therefore be carried out quickly and a data protection-compliant, unbureaucratic vaccination register set up. An evaluation of the compulsory corona vaccination for employees in clinics and nursing homes, which has been in effect since March, should be submitted to the Bundestag by September 30th. The federal government must also clarify whether this vaccination requirement should continue to apply beyond December 31st.