Test stations before an uncertain future - operator angry: "We are waiting for Lauterbach"

Created: 06/23/2022, 05:55

By: Stefanie Zipfer

The willingness to test goes back.

And not all infected people have a PCR test done.

In addition, the test site operators lack perspective.

© Sina Schuldt/DPA

The federal government is financing the free corona citizen tests until June 30th.

It is unclear what will happen afterwards.

Local authorities, doctors and pharmacists are angry.

Dachau – In April 2021, in the week before Easter, the Indersdorf test center experienced its peak: the employees carried out 604 corona tests there in one day.

Now, a good 14 months later, despite the continued high incidence of corona, there is no longer any sign of this onslaught.

On the contrary: “Around 20 tests” are currently still being carried out in Indersdorf every day, according to district medical officer Christian Günzel.

Corona: Fewer and fewer people are getting tested

According to Günzel, the reasons for the test lull, which affects not only Indersdorf but also most other test sites in the district, are obvious.

The corona regulations have been largely relaxed, 3G or even 2G rules are almost non-existent.

In addition, as of June 1st, the legislature ended the possibility of getting sick leave over the phone.

This means that anyone who feels sick must now go back to the doctor in person, be tested there and, if necessary, get sick leave.

A simple self-test at home or a quick test at a test station is no longer enough.

Günzel: "The symptomatic ones go back to the doctor." And are therefore not potential customers for the test sites.

Corona: Fewer and fewer test sites in the Dachau district

Maximilian Lernbecher, spokesman for pharmacists in the district and himself (still) a quick test provider, confirms: "There is very little going on at the moment." At best, those who are going on a vacation trip - such as a cruise - or visiting a nursing home or hospital would come to the test would have to submit negative evidence.

According to Sina Török, spokeswoman for the district office, there were still 26 test sites registered at the district office as of Wednesday – and fewer and fewer every day.

Our motto right now is: Waiting for Lauterbach.

Maximilian Lernbecher, spokesman for pharmacists in the district of Dachau

Because not only the low demand is causing problems for the providers.

The long-term perspective of how the federal government wants to set up its test strategy in the coming months is also missing.

One thing is certain: the federal test regulation expires on June 30;

Nobody knows who will then be tested or who will pay for these tests.

Lernbecher puts it this way: "Our motto right now is: Waiting for Lauterbach."

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The Free State has now decided that the PCR line in Indersdorf will continue to be operated until the end of October.

The federal regulation in Bavaria, which expires on June 30th, is also to be extended by one week until July 2nd.

Corona: test site operators lack perspective

For the private test center operators - such as learning cups and Co. - the question of the future remains open even after this extension week.

"We don't have anything that we can calculate with," says the pharmacist.

The problem is that a container or wooden stand as a test site is quickly dismantled and rebuilt in the fall, but "once the staff is gone, then it's gone".

In addition, the federal government no longer wants to spend so much money on testing.

Should citizens now pay more, should certain groups of the population be exempted from this payment obligation - such as visitors to old people's homes and hospitals - and how much can the test stations still charge?

"No one tells us that," says Lernbecher.

Basically, he and many of his colleagues are interested in "getting involved in the quieter summer phase.

We see the responsibility."

However, according to the businessman, “we just have to bear it.

Otherwise we'll unfortunately have to say: 'Do it your own nonsense!'"

The district administrator can understand the displeasure of the test site operators

At the district office you can understand the displeasure of the private test operators.

District administrator Stefan Löwl finds it “incomprehensible why we have to wait so long for the federal requirements and regulations again”.

In his opinion, the fact that the implementation of measures – especially when it comes to personnel and people’s further life planning – requires both a lead time and a certain degree of reliability “does not seem to be at all in the awareness of the Berlin actors”.

Interested parties can find an overview of the current corona test offers on the website of the district office.

The list no longer claims to be complete, according to spokeswoman Török.

Many stations are currently closing without notifying the district office.

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