The Vienna City Councilor for Health Peter Hacker (SPÖ) is not happy about the debate that has started about the abolition of free corona tests. In the midst of the pandemic, these had to be “achievable, affordable and affordable,” he emphasized their value in containing the corona crisis. Hacker was optimistic about vaccination progress.
Medical Association and ÖVP-led federal states recently put an end to free corona tests in the room in order to get more people to vaccinate. Critics fear a kind of compulsory vaccination through the back door.
PCR tests should remain free
One could discuss the rapid antigen tests that are currently being given out in pharmacies for self-tests, said Hacker in the ORF “ZiB-2” on Thursday. However, he has significantly less understanding for making PCR tests chargeable. This is currently being set up in the first place by many federal states: “The fact that a debate about this is being launched is currently our smallest problem,” says Hacker.
Testing a “central maneuver”
In any case, the tests are “one of two central maneuvers to combat the pandemic” – in addition to vaccination, they are also required for contact tracing, for example. He also does not want to accept the question of costs, since a lockdown, for example, would cost a multiple of the regular tests. It is more a question of organization and not of financial expense.
The tests should therefore be possible free of charge “until the pandemic is over,” says Hacker. It is essential that they are “achievable, affordable, affordable”. In the crisis there is no need for additional hurdles for the population – “there is nothing to discuss about that”.
Suggestion: entry only with vaccination
According to Hacker, advantages for vaccinated people are in any case much better suited to induce people to vaccinate instead of excluding them from life. This could include access to events such as clubs, fitness centers, theaters and concerts, according to the city council.
Hacker was ready to discuss the compulsory vaccination for all employees in the city, not just for those in the hospitals.
More vaccinations again after a change of holidaymaker?
In terms of vaccination, Hacker saw Vienna on the right path: 58 percent of the population had already received the first sting, and 70,000 more people were added every week. Especially the special vaccination campaigns – for example with the vaccination boat or at events – would encourage many people to vaccinate.
According to him, the resident doctors should not be involved in the city’s vaccination campaign on a large scale for the time being – there are too few resources here to do that, according to Hacker. In mid-August, according to Hacker, the numbers would go up again after the current decline – because the vacationer change is pending.