Corona tests have not been free for citizens for a little more than two weeks.
Has this decreased the demand at the test stations?
The Tölzer Kurier asked.
Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen -
The demand for corona tests in pharmacies is almost unbroken in some places: Pharmacist Eva Löhle from the Alte Apotheke in Lenggries offers quick tests in the reading room of the Tourist Info.
Even if these are now chargeable, “significantly more” people come for testing than Löhle expected.
It is only about a third less than at free times.
For about a week and a half, Löhle has been recording more positive results: If there were previously two or three per week, there is now at least one positive test per day, she explains.
In view of the current high incidence in the district, the pharmacist advocates that people who have been vaccinated should still be able to be tested free of charge, for safety reasons.
So far, PCR test has only been possible in pharmacies
In the two farm pharmacies in Bad Tölz, the rapid tests are also “still in great demand”, which is why pharmacist Josef Blickenberger is considering offering additional PCR tests in the future. The pharmacist Andreas Heinrich from the Tölzer Kur-Apotheke has already decided to do this. Since Monday you can do a PCR test on weekdays and without registration from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. for just under 90 euros. There are already “first inquiries”, says Heinrich. The tests are brought to a laboratory in the north of Munich at noon so that the result is available the next day. Testing using PCR is hardly financially worthwhile. For Heinrich it was "important to be able to offer this", since otherwise there would be no PCR offer for self-payers in the district. The demand for rapid tests that Heinrich offers in the Vital Center,had decreased by about half, but it was the "right decision not to withdraw" for him when the tests became chargeable.
"It's going to pick up again before the holidays"
Because of the closure of the BRK test center in Geretsried, she has to "absorb a lot", says Miriam Altinisik, who runs the Jungbrunnen test station in Wolfratshausen.
The coming week will move about 100 meters further into a wooden hut with a pavilion at the town hall.
At Altinisik, around 600 people were tested per week before the switch to paid tests, which is now 650, which is why they have extended their test times to Sunday and Wednesday afternoons.
Around half of the customers are self-paying.
On some days Altinisik pulls out five to seven positive corona cases.
The test dates at the Marien-Apotheke in Benediktbeuern are also well booked.
To date, around 800 people have had their tests there in October.
In September it was 1400, in the summer vacation month of August 2000. “Before the vacation, it will pick up again”, so the assessment of pharmacist Dr.
Maren Porzelt with a view of the autumn break next week.
Significant decline in demand so far only in Ellbach
While the test station in Egling, which went into operation just over a week ago, has no comparative values, the test station in the container on the Schützenwirt parking lot in Ellbach has "a clear decline". According to operator Tom Woisetschläger, the station recorded a drop of 50 to 70 percent among self-payers. Even at the test station in the “Gustavo Gusto” sales house in Geretsried, demand “did not stay at the same level” as during the citizen test times, says Alexandra Dieterich, managing director of the Wolfratshauser startup “excura UP”, which operates the station. About half as many tests as before October 11th would still be performed. "It was to be expected that the willingness to test would decline."
In addition, many people are unclear as to who can continue to be tested for free at a privately operated test station, says Dieterich.
These include pregnant women, minors or people who have to "free themselves" after an ordered quarantine.
The detailed list can be found at www.lra-toelz.de/coronatest-toelwor.
"More demand than I can afford"
Testing will continue with alternative practitioner Susanne Lauber in Wolfratshausen.
There is “more demand than I can afford,” says Lauber, who carries out around 50 tests per week.
According to her own statement, only a quarter of those she tested are self-payers, the rest are children, breastfeeding and pregnant women.
There are around 50 tests a week at Manuela Schalch in Bichl, who has been testing on Sundays since September.
In the absence of other offers, many called her on the weekend and asked about PCR tests, which she is not allowed to offer.
She sees the district office's duty to create an offer that, if the self-test is positive, is the point of contact at the weekend.
Overall, however, the people are “happy that there is something on site,” says Schalch, “there is already a need in Bichl”.
Little utilization at the health department's test station
Free PCR and rapid tests are available for authorized persons in the Corona test center of the health department on the Tölzer Flinthöhe.
Around a third of the tests are PCR tests.
However, the position is currently not particularly busy, according to the district office.
Last week, not 100 people were tested there.
For comparison: At the height of the pandemic, 650 people came in a week in March alone.