After the holiday: Corona-Test-cockpit for travellers returning from high-risk areas

Corona-Test instead of quarantine: Who is arriving from so-called high-risk areas abroad, should be in the future, immediately after the return to the Coronavirus test.

At German airports, the appropriate Authorities should be established, as a recommendation of the Minister of health of the Federation and the länder.

The Tests should be mandatory. This Friday re-discussions are planned to discuss further Details on the handling of trip returnees and to decide on the overall package.

Which countries are the risk areas?

The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) has a worldwide classified more than 100 countries as areas in which there is an increased risk for infection with the Coronavirus is. Currently, Egypt, Israel, Turkey, South Africa and the United States belong.

Previously, people who return from the countries, Germany first of all, 14 days in home quarantine if they cannot produce a negative Corona Test, which is not more than 48 hours old.

You also need to your health Department report. Whether the returnees, in fact, always in quarantine, however, is questionable. Therefore, the policy is to adjust here.

Who could perform the Tests at airports?

This is not fixed yet. The German airports Association emphasised the employees of the airports are not authorized to check passengers on their health status.

“In any case, the following applies: Should the health authorities − of any kind − quickly a test order, would have to be carried out by the authorities”. Who bears the cost for possible Tests, is currently still unclear.

What kind of test it is?

There is as yet no information. Common Tests on an acute Corona-infection, the so-called PCR testing. In helper to take usually with a swab swabs from nose or throat, which are then investigated on the genome of the pathogen, Sars-CoV-2.

These Tests provide only a snapshot. It may happen that the Virus in a recently Infected at the time of testing is still detectable.

In addition, a poor sampling can lead to a false-negative result. SPD-health expert Karl Lauterbach suggested recently, a few days later, house physicians, or health offices, perform another Test.

How can users understand, whether they come from a high-risk area?

The airlines have the data of the passengers who travel routes and next to whom she sat. In principle, would be to understand whether or not a passenger is, for example, from Rome, is there switched on the way back from a high-risk area.

What is a risk?

Also there is the risk of infection. So a family of four from Cottbus, for example, was tested recently after her return from Majorca-holiday positive to the Virus.

Health expert Lauterbach, had spoken out recently for free Corona-Tests in the case of holiday returnees. “Optimally, it would be to test everyone,” he said to the daily mirror, with views of travel returnees at airports.

It is not just passengers?

That seems to be not yet finally clarified. A big question is, how with car, train and ship passengers will be handled, said a spokesman for the Brandenburg Ministry of health. “In travel returnees from high-risk areas, it is not only the air traffic.”

Can travellers already in the airports voluntary test?

The way it is currently, for example, at the Airports of Frankfurt and Munich. For almost a month can have passengers in Frankfurt on the Coronavirus test.

Is operated the test center at Germany’s largest Airport by the biotechnology company Job. The current capacity is 1000 to 1500 Tests on the day. An extension is possible if a larger capacity would be needed.

Since the launch, approximately 30 000 people could check. The Test costs 59 Euro, and as a fast-track procedure for 139 Euro. At Munich airport since the end of June is also the opportunity for travelers to volunteer and paid test.

Currently, about 50 individuals per day the 190-million-Euro deal. The capacity of the test station, which operates a subsidiary of the airport, is irritating but for the most part.

At the Berlin airports is expected next week, the returnees will be tested for the Coronavirus, as the governing mayor, Michael Müller announced on Thursday.

What Airlines say on the subject?

You can see in Tests, a Chance to bring the of the Corona-crisis hard-hit air traffic moving again. This is especially true for the lucrative long-haul connections between the United States and Europe, which are restricted because of the entry restrictions in the pandemic is strong.

The CEOs of major airlines, including Lufthansa-Chef Carsten Spohr, suggested recently in an open letter to US Vice-President Mike Pence and EU Commissioner for Ylva Johansson a coordinated joint Corona-test program.

Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa)

*The contribution of “After the holiday: Corona-Test-cockpit for travellers returning from areas of risk” is published by FitForFun. Contact with the executives here.