Enlarge image
Corona tests are still free in Germany (symbol picture)
Photo:
Matthias Balk / dpa
This article is continuously updated.
Don't miss a thing: subscribe to our coronavirus newsletter for the latest developments and the most important background information.
Organizers report 31 new
corona
cases in the Olympic environment
04.49 a.m.:
The number of corona infections around the Olympic Games has risen again.
Organizers reported 31 new cases on Thursday.
This is a daily high since data was recorded on July 1st.
An athlete is also affected.
Names are not mentioned in the daily communications.
The number of positive tests related to the games rose to 358. The maximum was reached on Wednesday with 29 infections.
According to spokesman Masa Takaya, another member of the Greek synchronized swimming team tested positive.
This affects six team members, five swimmers and one supervisor.
They were taken to a quarantine hotel.
The federal government will spend more than three billion euros on tests in 2021
02:58 a.m.
: According to a newspaper report at the federal government, the corona rapid tests, which have so far been free in Germany, will already cost more than three billion euros in 2021 alone. The Federal Ministry of Health announced this to the "Rheinische Post" upon request. The ministry refers to information from the Federal Social Security Office (BAS). Accordingly, this year the federal government has paid around 782 million euros for laboratory diagnostics, 1.084 billion euros for material costs for the antigen rapid tests (PoC procedure) and other services in accordance with the current test regulation amounting to just under 1.75 billion euros, including in particular the Smear taking falls. Around 74 million euros are spent on tests in rehabilitation facilities and shelters for the homeless. In total, the previous costs in 2021 will therefore amount to just under 3,7 billion euros.
Welfare association and the left criticize paid tests
02:16 a.m.:
The managing director of the Paritätischer Wohlfahrtsverband, Ulrich Schneider, warns of the social consequences if the free corona rapid tests for all citizens should be abolished from mid-October.
"For us as a welfare association, it is important that all those who cannot be tested and for whom there is no vaccination recommendation from the Stiko must continue to receive free corona tests," Schneider told the newspaper "Rheinische Post".
The parliamentary manager of the Left, Jan Korte, also criticizes the federal government's plans, according to the newspaper report.
People who could not be vaccinated depend on infections being detected quickly.
"It would therefore be fatal if the federal government now steals from its responsibility and withdraws test offers."
Pharmacists expect an increasing willingness to vaccinate at the end of the free tests
02:04 a.m.:
The Federal Chamber of Pharmacists (BAK) expects an increasing willingness to vaccinate due to the discussed end of the free corona rapid tests.
"The announcement that the rapid tests will be chargeable to vaccinators and refusals from a certain point in time could actually increase the willingness to vaccinate those who are undecided - and that is a good thing," says BAK President Thomas Benkert of the newspaper "Rheinische Post".
At the same time, he calls for the free test to be retained for those people who cannot be vaccinated.
Discussion about the end of the pandemic emergency
12:27 a.m.:
SPD Chancellor candidate Olaf Scholz has spoken out in favor of extending the status of a pandemic emergency, which
expires at
the end of September. "That will have to be, if you ask me," said Scholz on Wednesday evening in the event series "RND on site" of the editorial network Germany (RND) in Kiel. Certain rules are still necessary to protect against corona. "And for that we need a legal framework," he emphasized. One must "keep a few precautionary rules for a long time". This includes, for example, wearing masks in public transport.
The chairman of the health committee in the Bundestag, Erwin Rüddel (CDU), sees it differently.
"We need more courage to return to normal," he told the RND.
"Since the basis - that is, the threat of overloading our health system - is not in place now and will probably not be in the future, I can very well imagine letting the pandemic situation come to an end in September."
The decision of the Bundestag, according to which there is an "epidemic situation of national scope", expires at the end of September.
A number of anti-corona measures are linked to the determination.
Several SPD heads of government against tightening for unvaccinated people
00.15 a.m.:
Several SPD state
heads of
government have rejected the Federal Ministry of Health's proposals to tighten the
rules
for unvaccinated people.
"I consider it wrong and legally inadmissible to exclude unvaccinated people from public life," criticized Bremen's mayor Andreas Bovenschulte in the "Bild" newspaper.
Brandenburg's Prime Minister Dietmar Woidke said: "Nobody should be excluded from public life." With a negative test, unvaccinated people should be allowed to continue to participate in events, for example.
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania's Prime Minister Manuela Schwesig told the newspaper that it was important that more people were vaccinated.
“Threats don't get us anywhere.
We have to convince. "
Jens Spahn's (CDU) ministry had listed proposals in a report that went to the Bundestag and the states to keep the fourth wave flat.
Particularly for unvaccinated people, depending on the vaccination quota, the incidence and the rate of severe clinical cases above certain limit values, further restrictions could be necessary again, it said, among other things.
This included contact restrictions and the limitation of participation or an exclusion from participation for events and the catering trade - even with a negative test.
jok / AFP / Reuters / dpa
