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Despite the vaccination campaign, the federal government is not ruling out another shutdown in autumn and winter.
Although the goal is to prevent this, said spokeswoman Ulrike Demmer.
But: "We cannot influence the course of the pandemic." In view of the recent increase in the number of infections, it is therefore still necessary to wear masks in certain situations and to keep your distance from other people.
In Germany, 53 percent of the population currently have full vaccination protection, 62 percent have been vaccinated at least once. The vaccination rate has recently slowed down significantly. Demmer affirmed that vaccination is important and can save lives, but that there will be no obligation to do so. "We don't want any compulsory vaccinations, not even through the back door."
However, unvaccinated people are likely to have disadvantages compared to vaccinated people in the next few months. A spokeswoman for the Ministry of Health said that in the long run the corona tests, which have so far been free of charge, which are a prerequisite for unvaccinated people, for example, for visits to restaurants or hairdressers, could not be financed by the general public (read more about the plans here). Mid-October is a good time, by then there will be a vaccination offer for everyone. The federal and state governments want to discuss the topic in detail on Tuesday. "The talks are currently ongoing," said the spokeswoman for the Ministry of Health.
On Wednesday, the chairman of the conference of health ministers, Bavaria's head of department Klaus Holetschek (CSU), also called for an end to the free corona rapid tests, but did not give a specific time for it.
"I support the proposal of the Federal Ministry of Health to make corona rapid tests chargeable for a certain target group at the given time," said Holetschek of the German Press Agency in Munich.
But he emphasized: "The exact point in time will still have to be discussed at the federal-state level in the conference of health ministers."
as / Reuters / dpa
