To encourage COVID-19 vaccination, testing will no longer be free in Germany

The German Chancellor, Angela Merkel announced on Tuesday that the state would stop paying for coronavirus testing for unvaccinated people as of October 11.

The decision was adopted by consensus at the virtual meeting which Merkel celebrated with the heads of government of the 16 federal states, in which other measures were also adopted to control the development of the pandemic in Germany, where new cases rebound as the vaccination rate declines.

The findings document explains that By October 11, all Germans will have had the opportunity to get vaccinated given the current supply of doses in the country. The rule excludes those under 18 and people with medical contraindications.

At the meeting it was also agreed that Testing will be mandatory indoors and at large events based on a local cumulative incidence of 35 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in seven days. The cumulative national incidence stood at 23.5 on Tuesday.

At sporting events with more than 5,000 spectators will be allowed up to 50% of the maximum capacity, with a ceiling of 25,000 people.

Security measures, such as The use of masks in closed or crowded public spaces, as well as distancing, will remain in effect and will be reviewed every four weeks.

It is, said the Chancellor, “React with soft measures” to the evolution of the pandemic, to try “to avoid dramatic measures”. Authorities are now focusing on “slowing the progression” of the coronavirus and promoting vaccination. “

In reality, Merkel called the drop in vaccination rates in recent weeks “bad news”, something he attributed to the vacation period and expected demand to increase with the start of the school year.

Merkel stressed that health restrictions would not apply to fully immunized people (vaccinated and cured of the disease).

The Chancellor also explained that due to the effect of the vaccination campaign, they will start consider a greater number of variables in addition to the cumulative impact when adopting restrictions.

The burden on the health system is now less than before for the same cumulative incidence because there is a higher proportion of vaccinated, he said.

Merkel said 80% of people over 60 received the full immunization scheduleBut he estimated that the “ideal” would be for more than 90% of this age cohort to be vaccinated and for vaccination in the general population to exceed 75%.

“We need a clear increase. More protection is needed” of the vaccination quota, admitted the Chancellor.

The institute Robert Koch (RKI) of virology has reported 2,480 new cases in the past 24 hours, as well as 19 deaths with or from coronavirus. Germany has thus accumulated 3,794,429 positives and 91,803 deaths.

According to the Ministry of Health, until Monday 62.5% of the population (52 million people) had received at least one dose of the vaccine against covid and 55.1% (45.8 million) had already been administered the full directive.

(With information from EFE)

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