The students should be pleased: From now on they are entitled to two free corona tests per week at the university.
However, the certificates are not valid everywhere.
And it could take some time until all universities are ready.
Jena - Universities in Thuringia were surprised that they now have to provide two free corona rapid tests per week for their students. A spokeswoman for the Friedrich Schiller University in Jena said that it would take two weeks to obtain enough tests and set up an appropriate infrastructure. The free tests make things easier for students - but only in higher education. Criticism came from the opposition.
The Ministry of Science announced on Wednesday that universities must now provide two free tests per week for their students. The university management was also only informed about this on Wednesday. According to the Minister of Science Wolfgang Tiefensee (SPD), the ministry was also surprised by the changed legal situation. The Federal Ministry of Labor has now confirmed that state occupational health and safety regulations such as the Federal Corona Health and Safety Ordinance also apply to insured persons if they are not employees. This also applies to students.
It was considered necessary to inform the universities quickly.
That this led to irritation here and there was regrettable, but unavoidable.
"Of course it is clear that it takes some preparation time to take the appropriate precautions."
The ministry also wants to prevent students from taking the test at the university for free and then going to the pub in the evening with the certificate.
The certificates from the universities could not be used by unvaccinated persons as test evidence, for example to get into cafes that allow visitors to enter according to the 3G rule, a spokesman made clear.
They are only there to get access to lectures, exams and similar events.
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"With what reason does a test protect 500 students in a lecture hall, but not ten young people in a pub?" Criticized the CDU parliamentary group leader in the state parliament, Mario Voigt.
Of course, the tests would also have to be valid outside of the university if they were not older than 24 hours, he demanded.
The parliamentary managing director of the CDU state parliamentary group, Andreas Bühl, also criticized the short-term nature of the test offer obligation.
For months it has been clear when the semester begins and that it will be a start under pandemic conditions, he said.
"Nevertheless, the state government has not succeeded in ensuring planning security in good time here either."
At the University of Jena, the new regulation now means additional work.
So far, they have had a different legal opinion and it was assumed that only employees of the university receive free tests from their employer twice a week, it said.
According to the original plans, students should have been tested at test centers in the city.
Now staff have to be recruited and rooms have to be found.
A spokeswoman for the University of Erfurt also said: “A little more lead time would have made things easier for us.” The university has already established a test center in which students can do self-tests under supervision for one euro. But since you don't know how many students are taking advantage of the free offer, you have to quickly scrape together large amounts of tests. The reorders took a few days.
The higher education policy spokesman for the left parliamentary group in the state parliament, Christian Schaft, welcomed the decision of the ministry.
"I don't see any weakening of the incentive to vaccinate", he told the dpa.
The student representatives have repeatedly signaled that more presence in connection with infection control measures such as test offers is desired.
Especially for students who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons, this is a simplification in everyday university life.
The spokeswoman for the Thuringian student body conference, Hannah Schneider, said: "This is of course a gain in security." This could close gaps in the 3G random checks.
It is important, however, that the additional financial outlay for the universities does not result in any other funding gaps.
The lecture period will begin these days at the Thuringian universities.
The winter semester is to take place in attendance again for the first time since the outbreak of the corona pandemic.
The 3G rules apply to access to courses - anyone who has been vaccinated, recovered or tested and has the relevant evidence with them is allowed to enter.
dpa
