Germany will put an end to free Covid-19 screening tests in order to relaunch a vaccination campaign which is slipping, the government and the regions decided on Tuesday.
As Germany now has sufficient doses of vaccines for all citizens, "we will put an end to free tests from October 11," said Angela Merkel.
The Chancellor hopes that the measure will once again "significantly" increase vaccination rates.
Because after having vaccinated more than a million people per day at the height of the campaign, the rate of injections has drastically slowed down in the largest European economy during the summer holidays.
In Germany, around 52 million people received at least one dose in the country, or 62.5% of the population.
From October 11, people who do not want to be vaccinated will therefore have to pay for a test proving that they are negative for Covid-19 in order to be able to go to the cinema, to the restaurant or to the gym.
Proof of vaccination or a negative test will also be required as soon as the infection threshold reaches 35 cases per 100,000 inhabitants over seven days.
Exception for pregnant women
The free tests will however remain in force for people who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons, for pregnant women or children for whom there is not yet a suitable vaccine, according to the text adopted at the meeting between Angela Merkel and the sixteen heads of regional governments.
Germany is thus taking a path similar to that of several European countries, including France: in mid-July, the government announced that from October too, you would have to put your hand in your pocket to take a PCR test. .
A measure taken to encourage vaccination, but also a radical change in strategy when France was almost an exception in the world by fully covering their cost.
In France, the introduction of the health pass establishing whether its wearer is cured, vaccinated or has a recent negative test, provoked waves of protest in the street. Protests continued for the fourth consecutive weekend and nearly 237,000 people marched peacefully on Saturday, authorities said.
