From the FDP there is sharp criticism of the Federal Ministry of Health's plans for further corona requirements in the next few months and an end to free corona tests.

Party Vice-President Wolfgang Kubicki accused the federal government in the Bild newspaper Wortbruch.

In terms of purpose and effect, it is tantamount to a direct vaccination requirement if the government excludes unvaccinated people from social life.

As the FAZ reported on Tuesday, Health Minister Jens Spahn (CDU) is planning a mask requirement until next year. In a report by the ministry, which was sent to the federal states and the Bundestag and which is available to the FAZ, it is said that further corona requirements are necessary to contain a new large wave of infections. Due to the advanced vaccination campaign, protective measures could be more moderate than last autumn and winter.

On August 10th, Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) will consult with the Prime Minister on how to proceed in the pandemic. The ministry report mentions continued compliance with hygiene measures and the need to wear a medical protective mask "until spring 2022", especially in local and long-distance public transport and in retail, "for everyone, including those who have been vaccinated and those who have recovered".

With a view to protective measures, the ministry explains that vaccination and testing have a high probability of preventing people with a high and thus infectious viral load from entering a room.

"Therefore, regardless of the incidence, from the beginning / mid-September 2021 participation in certain events throughout Germany should generally only be possible if the 3G rule (3G: vaccinated, recovered or tested) is observed." , Sports and indoor events as well as large indoor and outdoor events.

"To force people to vaccinate"

Kubicki said: “The announcement that it intends to exclude unvaccinated people from visiting restaurants in the future is the most brazen and devastating breach of word by this federal government, which has repeatedly sworn stone and leg that there will be no compulsory vaccination in Germany. This breach of the word outweighs the disproportionate nature of this threatened vaccination requirement. ”The FDP politician also raised the question of why the federal government's plan applies to restaurants,“ but not also to talk shows, CDU party congresses or company meetings ”.

The Federal Ministry of Health also proposed an end to the free corona rapid tests for all citizens in mid-October. Since everybody can now be offered a direct vaccination offer, permanent assumption of costs by the taxpayer is not indicated, according to a ministry report. It is therefore proposed that the federal government end the offer of free citizen tests for everyone in mid-October - around October 11th or 18th. Only for people who cannot be vaccinated or for whom there is no general vaccination recommendation, such as pregnant women or children and adolescents, should there continue to be free rapid tests.

The FDP also defends itself against this advance.

Party Vice Kubicki called this in the Passauer Neue Presse newspaper “a means of pressure to force people to vaccinate” and “extremely anti-social”.

As a justification, he said: "We have to take note that there is no vaccination offer for twelve million people in Germany".

"What should a family with two children do?"

According to Kubicki, this includes children under the age of twelve, but also many pregnant women, people with allergies and other risk groups. "They would be largely excluded from social life if they were no longer offered free tests and those who were tested were excluded from certain options, such as denying them access to restaurants and hotels," emphasized the FDP politician. “What should a family with two children do when they want to go to a restaurant? Should she first put 48 euros on the table for tests? ”. Instead, Kubicki called for more low-threshold vaccination offers in places where many people come together.

In the debate about vaccination incentives, Medical President Klaus Reinhardt had previously spoken out in favor of no longer offering free corona tests to unvaccinated people from autumn. "If everyone has a chance to get a full vaccination by the end of summer, it is fair that unvaccinated rapid tests or PCR tests should have to pay for themselves when going on vacation, going to restaurants or going to the movies," said he the editorial network Germany.

The chairman of the conference of health ministers, Bavaria's head of department Klaus Holetschek (CSU), is in favor of an end to the free corona rapid tests, but does not want to give a specific point in time. "I support the proposal of the Federal Ministry of Health to make corona rapid tests chargeable for a certain target group at the given time," said Holetschek of the German Press Agency in Munich. However, he emphasized: "The exact point in time will still have to be discussed at the federal-state level in the conference of health ministers."

The CSU politician said that no one should still have to pay for a test that could not be vaccinated for medical reasons or that was suspected of being corona. "Free tests for those who refuse to vaccinate or those who are not vaccinated should not be permanent," he argued. "It cannot and must not be that the freedom of the individual not to be vaccinated is financed by all members of the community of solidarity."