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Corona in Germany: Laboratories are reaching their capacity limits for PCR tests

2022-01-13T09:53:25.726Z


With the omicron wave, laboratories in Germany have seen a drastic increase in the number of PCR tests - and soon they will no longer be able to evaluate all of them. The problem is likely to worsen with the new quarantine rules.


Enlarge image

PCR test at Berlin-Brandenburg Airport: Prioritization of tests planned

Photo: Maja Hitij / Getty Images

The PCR test is considered the gold standard for detecting corona infection - and therefore an important weapon in the fight against the containment of the pandemic.

However, according to an industry association, medical laboratories in Germany are increasingly approaching the limits of their capacity utilization during the crisis.

“The high numbers of infections go hand in hand with a lot of tests.

Because there is currently hardly any priority in PCR tests, laboratories in Germany are increasingly reaching their capacity limits, ”said the chairman of the Association of Accredited Laboratories in Medicine, Michael Müller, of the“ Rheinische Post ”.

That is critical for sick people and hospitals.

Unprepared for the onslaught

"It is therefore imperative that medical practices and test centers in particular are encouraged to align themselves with the national test strategy," demanded Müller.

If capacities are tight, PCR tests would have to be carried out in accordance with the recommendations there.

"The fact that you can soon be freed from quarantine will inevitably lead to additional work for the laboratories."

In addition to the laboratories, Germany's largest medical association, the Marburger Bund, has already warned of bottlenecks in PCR tests.

Chairwoman Susanne Johna therefore called for a Plan B to shorten quarantine and isolation rules.

She suggested to the newspapers of the editorial network in Germany: "Two antigen tests in a row would be possible, with which one can test oneself free."

According to Müller from the Laborverband, there were no prognoses from the federal government or the federal states about "how many more tests we have to be prepared for".

"The laboratories will now have to face the onslaught largely unprepared."

On Tuesday, the association put the test capacity at 64 percent.

When discussing capacity bottlenecks, Müller said in a press release: "The workload in the laboratories is considerable, but I see no reason for too much concern." Rather, with increasing testing and limited testing capacities, it is more important to actually implement the test strategy.

Corona-General wants to give preference to employees in the critical infrastructure

The head of the German government's Corona crisis team, Major General Carsten Breuer, told the Süddeutsche Zeitung: “As with all scarce resources, we will certainly have to bundle capacities where necessary.

This also applies to tests. "

As soon as it gets tight somewhere, priority must be given. "Employees in the critical infrastructure have priority," he said. The goal, however, is to maintain the previous test regime for as long as possible. "We need the most accurate data possible to see how the wave affects us," said Breuer.

The health policy spokesman for the Greens, Janosch Dahmen, also called for the PCR tests to be prioritized. "We see very clearly that the weekly capacity of 2.4 million PCR tests, which we have roughly in Germany, is now needed everywhere under full load," said Dahmen to the broadcaster RBB. You have to make sure that you use the capacities according to importance. They would have to be kept ready on the one hand for important medical diagnostics of the seriously ill and on the other hand for the staff of the critical infrastructure.

“That can mean that in individual cases, for example when testing free, there may be delays.

This not only means long queues in front of the test centers, but also that it takes time for the test result to be available, ”said Dahmen.

As a result, this can mean that the quarantine takes longer again.

apr / dpa

Source: spiegel

All business articles on 2022-01-13

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