The companies in the district will probably be able to implement the corona test.
The example of Ratschiller shows that it actually helps.
Even so, the expense is preparing to worry.
District - The test obligation for companies, which will apply from the middle of next week, can hardly shock Stefan Bauer.
The man, whom many at the Holzkirchen bakery Ratschiller call "the doctor", has been regularly testing all of the company's employees for Corona for two months.
He single-handedly fulfills the requirements of the federal government.
Bauer actually heads quality assurance at Ratschiller.
After more than 20 employees in the company's production fell ill with Corona at the end of February (we reported), this implemented a strict test concept.
In this way, Bauer became the master of compromises.
His experiences reveal a lot about what will soon be in store for companies in the district.
The effort
The first lesson from Bauer's commitment: rapid tests are feasible and help.
During and after the Corona outbreak, the company tested its employees daily.
That means seven days a week - the company also bakes and sells on weekends.
Three weeks after the last positive smear, managing director Bernhard Auracher reduced the program to two tests per week: Since then, Bauer has been looking for infections every Monday and Thursday.
If you are not there on these days, your turn will be Tuesday and Friday.
The Ratschiller concept even exceeds the requirements of the federal government: This only requires two weekly tests for employees with frequent customer contact.
For everyone else, one is enough.
Nevertheless, the effort was manageable, says Auracher.
The concept was also successful.
Individual employees would have been infected in their private lives.
Thanks to tests, they would not have carried the virus into the company.
The question of costs
The second lesson of the Ratschiller example: the tests are not cheap.
Auracher bought 1,500 rapid tests and paid over 10,000 euros for them.
In addition: Bauer cuts up to 80 employees per day.
That costs working time and delays processes.
That also goes into the money.
Martin Weingärtner, managing director of the Weingärtner car dealership in Waakirchen, is also responsible for the costs.
He has ordered 650 tests and would like to scrap all employees twice a week.
That would cost 4,000 euros a month.
If Corona remains for another year, it would add up to almost 50,000 euros.
"Financial support would be desirable," says Weingärtner to the federal government.
His dealership is not covered by a rescue package.
However, testing less is hardly an option: "I do not consider occasional voluntary tests to be effective."
The home office
A third lesson from our demand in the district: The home office can reduce the burden on companies.
The bakery chain and Weingärtner's dealership have to order almost all of their employees to work, which makes the tests so expensive;
at Hexal in Holzkirchen the situation is a little more relaxed.
According to a spokesman, as many employees as possible work in the home office.
Hexal has been offering self-tests for the others - the company mainly employs laboratory and production staff - for a week.
The company sent the quick tests to field staff.
Both groups have been trained in their use, says the spokesman.
This also corresponds to the planned requirements for companies from next week.
Auracher has good news for all entrepreneurs who still have to set up a test system: they never had problems with rapid tests that incorrectly gave a positive result even though the employee was negative.
But Auracher bought the more expensive tests for this.
"The exact result is worth it."
