Dispute over holidaymakers: "A test upon entry is actually nonsense"

Icon: enlarge

Corona test at Hamburg Airport

A man in a white full-body protective suit is standing in front of the car window. His face is hidden behind a plastic visor, he is also wearing a mouth and nose mask and disposable gloves, and he is holding a small plastic tube with a swab in his hand.

The Neuenburg rest area on the A5 in Baden-Württemberg has been converted into a Corona test center. Long lines of cars form in front of it. Start the engine every few minutes, roll a few meters forward, and turn the engine off again. Nobody is allowed to leave their vehicle, not even go to the toilet, a policeman who monitors everything takes care of that.

Icon: enlarge

Testing instead of resting: Red Cross employees on the Neuenburg-Ost motorway car park in Baden-Württemberg

Those who have arrived at the front have to give their name and the destination country from which they come. Then the man in the full-body suit asks to tilt his head forward and stick out his tongue. It could currently take up to four days for the test result to be available on the Internet, says the employee of the German Red Cross after pulling the swab out again. If the result is positive, the health department will contact you anyway. Thanks, safe journey, next car.

Read more with Spiegel Plus

More perspectives, more understanding.

Your advantages with SPIEGEL +

• Icon: Check

  DER SPIEGEL as a magazine

  as an app, e-paper and on the e-reader

• Icon: Check

  All articles on SPIEGEL.de

  Exclusive texts for SPIEGEL + readers

• Icon: Check

  Try one month for free

  Cancel anytime online

  A price

  only € 19.99 per month

One month for € 0.00

Try now for 0.00 € Buy nowArrow to the right

Already have a digital subscription? Register here

Restore iTunes subscription

SPIEGEL + is processed via your iTunes account and paid for with a purchase confirmation. 24 hours before it expires, the subscription is automatically renewed by one month at the current price of 19.99 € You can cancel the subscription at any time in the settings of your iTunes account. In order to use SPIEGEL + outside of this app, you have to link the subscription to a SPIEGEL ID account immediately after purchase. With the purchase you accept our general terms and conditions and privacy policy.