The federal government is apparently planning an end to the free corona tests.
"Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn said weeks ago that he thought it would be conceivable not to offer the tests free of charge to unvaccinated people at a later date.
The exact time has yet to be determined, ”said the Federal Ministry of Health on Saturday upon request.
As the news agency DPA reports, citing government circles, there is still no agreement.
The "Bild" newspaper, on the other hand, reports that the federal government has basically agreed that the tests will be charged as soon as all Germans have been vaccinated twice - that is, at the end of September or beginning of October.
Federal Finance Minister Olaf Scholz (SPD) told the newspapers of the Funke media group: "Corona tests should be chargeable if everyone could have been vaccinated - in a few weeks." Of course, exceptions would have to apply to those who could not be vaccinated for health reasons as well as for children and adolescents.
Schleswig-Holstein's Prime Minister Daniel Günther also called on the federal government to charge for corona tests as soon as possible. "The federal government should set a specific date in the coming week for the changeover to the cost of the corona tests," said the CDU politician of the "world". That date could be September 20th. "Until then, everyone who has not yet been vaccinated would still have the chance to be fully vaccinated."
A possible end to the free tests provokes mixed feelings among experts. On the one hand, there is increasing pressure on unvaccinated people to get vaccinated. On the other hand, however, it is to be feared that significantly fewer people will visit a test station if they are supposed to pay for it. The infection of a person who is infected with corona, but only reconsiders going to the test center because of only mild symptoms and for cost reasons, remains longer or even completely undetected. This increases the likelihood that they will spread the virus.