The proposals by Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn (CDU) to ward off a fourth corona wave met with a mixed response on Wednesday.

"I support the proposal to make corona rapid tests for a certain target group chargeable at the given time," said the Bavarian head of department and chairman of the conference of health ministers, Klaus Holetschek (CSU), of the FAZ

Christian Geinitz

Business correspondent in Berlin

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“Free tests for those who refuse to vaccinate or those who are not vaccinated should not be permanent.” If citizens had the chance “to get a vaccination offer, or even turned down an offer themselves, they should not be able to test themselves further at the expense of the solidarity community”.

The health ministerial conference will discuss the end of the free tests.

Spahn had proposed October 11 or 18 as the end date in a paper that became known on Tuesday.

Holetschek said: "A corona vaccination brings back freedoms for the individual and is a service to the community." Many people are not fundamentally negative about it, but have seen no reason to do so in view of the free tests.

That could change now.

However, it should still be free of charge for people who could not be vaccinated.

Skepticism about admission requirements

The National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KBV) believes that corona tests will be chargeable in the future.

“Every adult in Germany can now be vaccinated free of charge.

If you don't want that, you should pay for the tests yourself, ”said KBV chairman Andreas Gassen of the FAZ

However, it is problematic to make admission requirements on the part of the state.

The operators and innkeepers would have appropriate house rules anyway.

“I have doubts whether the state should stipulate that, especially since the control is practically impossible.

The health authorities are already completely overwhelmed. "

According to the plans of the Ministry of Health, in addition to “3-G”, there will also be a more stringent “2-G rule” in future: In certain sensitive infection situations, depending on the vaccination rate, incidence and hospitalization rate, only those who have been vaccinated and those who have recovered should be exempted from the requirements.

For those who have not been vaccinated, however, there could again be contact restrictions and complete access bans to restaurants or events - even with a negative test.

In addition, masks are to be worn in long-distance and local transport as well as when shopping in the coming year.

Since vaccinated people are immunized and are no longer contagious, non-vaccinated people only endanger each other in such situations, said KBV chairman Gassen.

"Those who refuse to vaccinate themselves choose this risk; everyone else's freedom cannot suffer from this permanently."

That is why he is also critical of the continuation of the general mask requirement.

"Those who are vaccinated are not at risk, nor are they a danger to others, why should everyone wear a mask?" Ultimately, however, that must be individual protection.

There is a lack of political courage in Berlin and in the federal states to "gradually implement a general opening", given a sufficient vaccination quota and an existing vaccination offer for all who are willing and able to vaccinate, according to Gassen.

Then non-vaccinated people would have to voluntarily protect themselves instead of forcing everyone else to restrict themselves.

Gassen rejected the idea of ​​including non-vaccinated people in the costs of a possible Covid 19 disease or of lowering the health insurance contributions for vaccinated people.

The latter - a "vaccination solos" of 0.1 to 0.3 contribution points - had called for Thuringia's CDU parliamentary group leader Mario Voigt.

Dahmen supports Spahn's "3-G rule"

The emergency physician and Green politician Janosch Dahmen, who is also a member of the Bundestag's health committee, continues to consider wearing masks in public transport and in retail to be correct and reasonable. Countries like the USA showed "that despite progress in vaccination certain protective measures and hygiene concepts still have to take effect," he told the FAZ. He also supports Spahn's "3-G rule". Such a “green passport” already exists in countries like Italy. There is also nothing to be said against “2-G”, which arises “from the high personal risk of infection” of the unvaccinated.

Dahmen is more skeptical of Spahn's other plans: "I think it is premature to set a date for the end of free tests." After all, it is not yet clear how the stalled vaccination campaign will get going again.

Spahn's ideas to better protect schoolchildren and to test them more in travel traffic, take the autumn “into view much too late”.

Criticism also came from the FDP.

Bundestag Vice President Wolfgang Kubicki accused the federal government of Wortbruch in the Bild newspaper.

It is tantamount to a direct compulsory vaccination if it excludes unvaccinated people from social life.

He referred to the proposal to impose contact restrictions on non-vaccinated people despite negative tests and to deny them access to the catering trade in certain infection situations.