GA: Q & A This is how corona tests work in Bonn city
Bonn · 5000 teachers, teaching assistants and kindergarten teachers can be tested regularly for the corona virus in the next few weeks. The General-Anzeiger answers the most important questions about the testing procedure in the city.
There are many questions about the corona tests: The General-Anzeiger has therefore contacted the city of Bonn, the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KNVO) and the University Hospital Bonn (UKB) and got these answers:
- Who needs to be tested?
Travel returnees from risk areas. You can find out which ones are at risk on the website of the Robert Koch Institute.
- Who can be tested voluntarily and free of charge?
Anyone who is sent by a doctor to a test centre.
- Teachers and educators should alternate between being tested on a weekly basis. How many people are affected?
In total, 900 to 1000 people would be eligible in municipal daycare centres. The number of teachers would be around 3600, plus additional staff working in schools of around 1000 to 1500 people. Both teachers and educators have to go to a registered medical practice or to the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians.
- Do teachers and educators have to advance the costs?
No. The costs are covered by the health insurance companies.
- Can pupils also have themselves tested voluntarily?
Only if a doctor arranges it.
- Who can have a smear taken at a municipal test centre?
Anyone who is sent there by a doctor in private practice or by the health department.
- What is the testing capacity in Bonn per day?
No information on this is available. This depends on the number of doctors in private practice in Bonn and whether tests are carried out in their practices. In addition, the testing capacity of the practices' contract laboratories will be decisive.
- Can I get tested at the weekend?
The Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians is currently working on a concept to guarantee testing for doctors who are willing or obliged to undergo testing. The city points out that the municipal test centre is also working at weekends. It is available primarily for testing symptomatic persons whom the public health department considers urgently need to be tested at the weekend.
- How many test capacities are available at the UKB for corona tests?
The test capacities can be expanded from the current 500 to 1500 tests daily.
- How many tests does the UKB process daily?
On average, the UKB processes up to 500 tests per day.
- How many beds are available for corona patients at the UKB and how busy is it?
There are various normal and intensive care units at the UKB that admit corona patients. Currently there are four patients on normal wards and three patients on intensive care units.
The UKB could be expanded from the 130 intensive care places to 200 if there is a greater demand.
- Does the Kassenärztliche Vereinigung in Bonn have its own centre for corona tests?
The KVNO is involved in the operation of the Bonn diagnostics centre. Among other things, the association organises the medical staff working there via the local district office.
Patients with symptoms that could indicate a possible Covid-19 infection can be referred there for a smear test by the treating family doctor or specialist.
- Which doctors are allowed to test patients for the corona virus? And what conditions must be fulfilled?
A swab test can usually be taken by general practitioners and specialists. The tests should be organised by the practice in such a way that it is possible to separate the swab patients from the rest of the patient population - for example by separate infection consultation hours in the morning or late afternoon. In addition, sufficient protective clothing should be available for the doctor and his team.
- What happens if the doctor I call refuses to test? Is he allowed to do so? And what can I do then?
If a doctor is unable to make any concessions for special reasons, especially those specific to the practice (for example, because the doctor himself belongs to a risk group), KNVO recommends contacting alternative general practitioners or specialists in the area.
An overview of all practices in the Rhineland that carry out corona tests is published on the special Internet site https://coronavirus.nrw/patienteninformationen/. This list is updated continuously and also contains all relevant information on Bonn practices.
Original text: Thomas Leurs
Translation: Mareike Graepel
