With coronavirus infection numbers rising, and the looming colder weather threatening to intensify this trend, Germany is preparing for winter - with centralised fever clinics, special measures for risk groups, antigen tests and new quarantine rules.

Fever clinics, antigen tests and new quarantine rules on the way

With a variety of new measures, Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn wants to arm Germany against an increase in the number of coronavirus infections as winter approaches. Speaking to the Rheinische Post, the CDU politician laid out his coronavirus strategy for the winter season.

For patients presenting with classic respiratory symptoms that could either indicate coronavirus or a flu infection, there will be central, specialised “fever clinics”, said Spahn. These Fieberambulanzen already exist, but Spahn is working together with statutory health insurance companies to expand the offer, to make it “as comprehensive as possible”. 

Spahn also wants to introduce special measures to minimise dangers for risk groups: “It is important that we continue to protect particularly affected risk groups and sharpen the concepts for this in everyday life,” he said. These special measures will include systematic, preventative tests in highly vulnerable spaces such as nursing homes. 

The Minister of Health also announced that by mid-October, he would like to have further developed Germany’s testing strategy, in coordination with the federal states. As well as more coronavirus tests, Germany is also planning on rolling out antigen rapid tests and new quarantine requirements for travellers returning from designated risk areas. 

Germany rapidly increases coronavirus testing capacity

Over the past four weeks, coronavirus testing capacity in Germany has increased enormously. According to Spahn, around a third of all tests conducted since the beginning of the pandemic were done in the last month - 1,12 million per week, according to the Ministry of Health. 

At the weekend, the number of newly infected people rose to approximately 2.300 cases per day. The Minister of Health commented upon the trend with concern, but at the same time assured the public that the German healthcare system was well-equipped to cope with the current situation.