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Stuttgart (dpa / lsw) - From this week on, soldiers of the Bundeswehr will help with corona rapid tests in old people's and nursing homes in Baden-Württemberg.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Health announced on Monday in Stuttgart that the deployment of up to 900 emergency services was initially limited to three weeks.

After that, volunteers, who are to be recruited by the Federal Employment Agency, should take over.

"This staff should be available to the facilities until the situation has eased due to the vaccination campaign," said Minister Manne Lucha (Greens).

The tests are intended to protect old people's homes even better against the corona virus.

The test obligation applies to all caregivers, visitors, pastors, craftsmen and physiotherapists.

The green-black government has already agreed to the continued deployment of the Bundeswehr in the southwest, it said.

So far, around 885 soldiers are already employed in the country with administrative assistance in the fight against Corona.

The majority (675) help with contact tracking in 35 of the 38 health authorities, said a spokesman for the Bundeswehr in Baden-Württemberg.

In total, the Bundeswehr has promised to deploy up to 3,500 soldiers in the country.

Two units from Bavaria are also to be used in the corona tests.

Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) had offered the countries the help of the army.

Well over half of the 44 urban and rural districts in the southwest had submitted applications for administrative assistance in the acceptance of corona rapid tests in old people's homes, these were also approved, said the spokesman for the Bundeswehr.

However, there could still be applications.

The soldiers now have to be trained and are then partly ready for action at the end of the week.

In the corona tests, a stick is inserted deep into the nasopharynx.

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