by Thorsten Koch

Federal Minister of Health Jens Spahn (CDU) wants to promote more corona tests and is advocating a legal basis for his plans. Series of tests should be conducted preventively in hospitals and nursing homes. “When patients and residents are admitted or transferred, Sars CoV-19 tests should be the norm,” said Spahn. In the event of infections, the staff as a whole, all residents and patients should be tested preventively. Meanwhile, doctors and health insurance companies are in oppisition of Spahn’s plans.

Even symptom-free contact persons of infected people should have a legal claim to testing, according to Spahn. The statutory health insurance companies should cover the costs. “425,000 tests were carried out across Germany last week. However, the test capacity is more than twice as large,” said Spahn.