Magdeburg (dpa / sa) – The Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg (OVGU) wants to set up a corona rapid test center for its staff and for students. The tests should be voluntary and provided by the Ministry of Social Affairs, said University Rector Jens Strackeljan of the German Press Agency in Magdeburg. “We here at OVGU and the Martin Luther University Halle can do this professionally with the support of the respective university clinic.” His university could build up the test capacities within two weeks. “There is a hygiene concept, there is a cost estimate. It would be around 150 to 200 tests per day. That is roughly the number of tests that can be carried out logistically on campus.”
Strackeljan, who is also president of the state rectors’ conference in Saxony-Anhalt, said there should be very few events that are linked to academic operations and that require a quick test. He cited practical sports exercises, work in smaller laboratories or teamwork as examples. Not all students and employees can be tested daily with the capacities. “But we are also in the hybrid semester, some of the students are not even there.” The effects are: “There is freedom for the 30 who want to learn together, for those studying sports and for those who want to go to the beer garden in the evening.”
“From the employer’s perspective, I believe that our employees will enjoy their work more when they can go to the cinema and experience culture again. We can simply do things that are not overregulated within the framework of our autonomy,” said Strackeljan.
The prerequisite, however, is that the test center, with the approval of the authorities, should be able to issue “official” certificates, which then also allow a visit to the theater or a visit to the beer garden. “If we are given the opportunity to issue this official certificate, then we will start the project. We are by no means worse than the pharmacies,” said Strackeljan. If the rapid test is positive, a PCR test can be carried out immediately and the result can be forwarded to the responsible health authority within a short period of time. Strackeljan said that this should not be possible for some universities such as Harz or Merseburg.
In Saxony-Anhalt, the network is to be expanded with contact points for corona rapid tests. The aim of the state government is to build the network so stable by March 22nd that everyone knows where to turn for a quick test. From then on, the country plans to further relax offers for which a daily corona rapid test must be available. In addition to vaccination, the intensive use of rapid tests is an important strategy to control and contain the pandemic and still get public life back on track.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210311-99-773300 / 2
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