In addition to proof of vaccination or a certificate of convalescence, hamburgers will soon need a daily corona test in many areas. That could pose problems for test centers.
In Hamburg, the 2G-plus regulation is to be expanded from Monday. In many areas that were previously accessible to those who have been tested and those who have recovered, a negative corona test result is now also required. There is criticism of this measure.
The left-wing faction in the Hanseatic city denounces that the test capacities are insufficient. “We urgently need comprehensive test options and more speed when boosting!”, Says the news service Twitter.
Even before Christmas, this had become a problem, according to “Mopo”. According to research by the newspaper, there are currently only 113 test stations in the city. Before that it was around 400.
City of Hamburg and operators of test centers are calm
The city does not see this as a problem at first. According to the federal ordinance, rapid antigen tests that citizens have carried out in test centers are billable.
Medical providers (e.g. laboratories) would not have to submit an application for operation. The city is therefore assuming that the supply will adapt to the possibly growing demand, according to a response to a request from t-online.
Even the managing director of the laboratory company Medilys, Patrick Hauser, does not expect any bottlenecks. “We expect a significantly higher demand,” said the company. Measures have already been taken to meet increased demand. “We do not expect any bottlenecks in the availability of the tests,” continues Hauser. Limiting factors are rather spatial capacities and the specialist staff.
Booster capacities increased
Since boosted patients are accepted as mandatory tests, the measure could also increase the already high demand for a third corona vaccination. In the last few weeks there had been an increasing number of reports of long queues in front of the vaccination centers and during vaccination campaigns. “An increased demand for booster vaccinations is good news,” said Martin Helfrich, press spokesman for the social welfare authority in Hamburg.
In January the city expanded the existing vaccination offers again compared to the previous month. The offers that are listed on the city’s website guarantee good availability and manageable waiting times, they say. In addition, short-term appointments are always possible for offers with prior appointments.
The available vaccination appointments and also test options are on the Side of town visible.
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