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Central fever clinics, special measures for the risk group, rapid antigen tests and new quarantine rules – Health Minister Spahn is preparing for the crown rise. The highest level of vigilance still applies.
In view of the growing number of corona in Germany, Federal Minister of Health Jens Spahn relies on fever clinics for patients with respiratory infections. “It’s about having an infrastructure that ensures that people don’t infect each other in the waiting room. That makes sense for Corona and also with the flu and a possible flu wave,” Spahn said in Berlin.
The CDU politician spoke of the consultation hours of specialists, specialized practices and regional fever clinics to which patients with symptoms should be able to go. The offer must be developed by the mandatory medical insurance physician associations. Spahn said the concepts for this were already in place.
Points of contact outside of practices
These are contact points outside of normal practices or in the form of specialized practices, Spahn explained in Deutschlandfunk. There were similar points of contact in the spring when crown numbers in Germany peaked. For example, an unused showroom in Freiburg or a center in Greifswald. With precise time windows for patients and protective clothing, the goal was to prevent the healthcare system itself from becoming a source of infection, for example through infections in the waiting room.
The Health Minister has now said that he might as well imagine that beyond the time of the Crown, but it is particularly important this fall-winter season.
“The highest level of vigilance still applies”
According to Spahn, there should be special measures to minimize the dangers for risk groups. “It is important that we continue to protect particularly affected risk groups and refine the concepts for this in everyday life,” said the CDU politician.
For example, preventive serial testing in sensitive areas such as nursing homes should become an integral part of the fall and winter testing strategy. “We have to prevent the virus from getting in there. The highest level of surveillance still applies.”
The Health Minister also announced that he would like to have further developed the strategy for corona tests in coordination with the federal states in mid-October. The realignment of the test strategy is already underway. Rapid antigen testing is planned, as well as new quarantine time requirements for returnees from risk areas.
One third of all tests in the last four weeks
In the last four weeks, testing capacity in Germany has increased enormously. According to Spahn, about a third of all tests since the beginning of the pandemic were conducted during this period. According to the Ministry of Health, 1.12 million tests were performed in one week.
Over the weekend, the number of newly infected people rose to 2,300 cases in one day. The Health Minister commented on this with concern at the dynamism in Europe, but at the same time noted that the health system could cope well with the current situation.
Some cities and districts had recently exceeded the critical limit for new infections of more than 50 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in seven days. Munich, Würzburg and the Cloppenburg district were affected.
With information from Kai Clement, ARD Capital Studio Berlin
