Corona rapid tests should show the way to more freedom with immediate effect, negative results even serve as admission tickets in restaurants or theaters.
Only: In the district there are currently neither free professional tests nor commercially available non-professional tests.
Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen
- The Tölz District Office was prompted to issue an "urgent notice" on Monday.
"No rapid tests can be carried out at the test center on the Tölzer Flinthöhe," said Marlis Peischer, spokeswoman for the authorities.
"As before, the offer at the test center only applies to PCR tests by appointment."
Background: The federal government had announced that from March 8, every German citizen will be entitled to a free corona rapid test once a week, carried out by trained staff.
In the district, however, this is so far gray theory.
The following also applies in some pharmacies that are randomly requested: rapid tests are not yet carried out.
It is not possible to make a "reliable statement" as to when rapid tests are available in pharmacies
"We want to help and are so confident to say that we can handle it," says Christopher Hummel, spokesman for the pharmacists in the district.
However, he cannot currently make a “serious statement” as to when he will actually test customers of his pharmacies in Gaißach and Bad Heilbrunn.
“Because politicians have in no way clarified how it should work.” Does a pharmacist, for example, have to purchase expensive software first so that he can issue the customer with a certificate of the test result and report positive results to the health department?
In addition, a pharmacist needs his own room for testing.
"I would put up a tent in front of the pharmacy," says Hummel.
He also thinks putting up a construction trailer is a “great idea”, but asks himself: “Can I actually do that?” Because there is great public pressure, Hummel reckons that rapid tests may be possible in pharmacies as early as next week.
Customers only occasionally ask for quick tests
The Geretsried pharmacist Dr.
Turhan Bastug make a contribution.
He could imagine building a tent with a table and chair in front of his “Arkaden Apotheke” on Sudetenstrasse and in front of the “Alpen Apotheke” in Stein, “probably in the next ten days”, he estimates.
However, Bastug also admits: "The process is not yet very clear." In addition, the necessary quick tests are currently not available.
So far, however, only a few customers have asked him about rapid tests.
Pharmacist Monika Häfner-Schermann, on the other hand, has already dismissed it.
"In 90 percent of pharmacies it will fail because they neither have the space, the necessary staff, nor the time for it," says the owner of the Sonnen pharmacy in Waldram.
The cost of protective equipment and software is also high.
She has already heard from colleagues from other parts of Germany: "It's only worth it if you test 100 people a day."
Test concept is "not fully fermented"
Hermann Wittmer, owner of the Tölzer Bahnhof-Apotheke, replied to the question of whether he was going to carry out rapid tests soon: “Probably no.” Although he still wanted to “wait and see what the association recommends”, the test concept was “not fully fermented” and was coming More likely to be considered for larger pharmacies, according to Wittmer.
Can customers switch to self-tests that were the first to be purchased from Aldi on Saturday?
The pharmacists surveyed declare in unison that they expect the first deliveries at the end of this week or the beginning of next week - and that they will certainly not be able to compete with discounters in terms of price.
There five pieces cost 24.99 euros.
"But for us the wholesale price is already 5.50 euros per test," says Dr.
Bastug to consider.
Monika Häfner-Schermann only wants to pass on tests from the manufacturer Roche to her customers because she has convinced herself of the good quality.
The selling price will probably be between 8.50 and 10 euros.
In any case, the demand is “massive”, according to the Waldram pharmacist.
"A lot of frustrated customers came to me on Saturday after the tests at Aldi were sold out."
You can find an overview of the current corona developments in the district here.