SR.de: Cabinet expands testing obligation

Video [SR Fernsehen, (c) SR, 11.04.2021, Länge: 01:22 Min.]

Corona traffic light jumps to yellow
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Retail tests

However, the openings that have been in effect for almost a week will not be withdrawn – only the obligation to provide evidence of testing has been expanded. From Monday it will apply to all open areas. According to this, from Monday customers – for example in hardware stores or clothing stores – are only allowed to go shopping with a negative Corona test that is not older than 24 hours.

The same applies to all body-friendly services such as visits to the hairdresser or cosmetic studio. Health Minister Monika Bachmann (CDU) said: “At the beginning of the Saarland model, we repeatedly emphasized that if the number of infections rises, further testing obligations will be introduced and that we will analyze the causes of further infections in detail.” The more tests are carried out, the more Infections would be revealed. In combination with digital contact tracking, it would be possible to break infection chains quickly.

Basic requirement exempted from compulsory testing

Basic care is exempt from the mandatory test at level yellow, which affects grocery stores, banking services or medical treatments. According to the state’s plan, this level of the Saarland model will remain in place until there is a threat of overloading the health system. If that is the case, “we will switch to the red level without hesitation and pull the emergency brake,” said the Minister of Health. The government will continue to take no chances. If step three (red) comes into effect, this means a consequent lockdown and the withdrawal of all opening steps.

Criteria for further assessment required

According to information from the SR, the question of monitoring and precise criteria for assessing the pandemic situation was also intensively discussed in the Council of Ministers. Here the SPD is calling for the concrete basis for technical monitoring to be defined quickly. Also to determine when the red level should apply – that is, how exactly is defined when there is an “overload of the health system”.

The switching of the levels does not take place automatically, government spokesman Alexander Zeyer (CDU) pointed out again on Sunday. Therefore, the cabinet meeting had become necessary to resolve Stage 2.

The SR radio news reports on this topic on April 11, 2021.

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