Germany to stop offering free COVID-19 tests to those who are not vaccinated

Germany will stop offering free rapid tests to detect the coronavirus to unvaccinated people, although the precise date of entry into force of the measure has not yet been decided, the Ministry of Health warned on Saturday.

“Health Minister Jens Spahn said weeks ago that he considered it conceivable that testing (at some point) would stop being offered free to the unvaccinated. The exact date remains to be determined ”, the ministry noted.

For his part, Economy Minister Olaf Scholz told newspapers of the Funke media group that the tests will not be paid for until everyone has had the opportunity to be vaccinated “that is to say in a few weeks”.

It would be necessary to apply exceptions to those which cannot be vaccinated for health reasons, as well as children and adolescents.

On another note, Scholz has also spoken out in favor of an extension of economic aid due to the pandemic at least until the end of the year. “No one should stumble shortly before being rescued,” said the current Social Democratic candidate for Chancellery in the elections on September 26th.

Regarding vaccination, just over half of German small and medium-sized businesses are in favor of compulsory vaccination, if it can be done. avoid another shutdown of the economy, according to a survey known this Saturday.

The survey carried out by the association of small and medium-sized enterprises BVMW showed that nearly 54% of companies would agree to generalized vaccination if it avoided the confinement and closure of schools. 45% of some 2,950 companies questioned voted against.

BVMW CEO Markus Jerger understands that “the result reflects powerlessness and lack of planning of federal government policy regarding the coronavirus ”. Businesses are very concerned about the threat of another shutdown, he added, “which would have dramatic consequences for our economy and mean definitive economic end for many small and medium-sized businesses.”

With information from EuropaPress

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