By Birgit Walter-Frank
In the last few weeks, we were able to take a deep breath in the health department of the Tübingen administrative district office. However, the number of infections is increasing again. Travelers in particular can bring the virus back with them. It is and will remain important that we all adhere to distance and hygiene rules. Regardless of whether one wants to speak of a beginning “second wave” or not: the virus is here.
In the health department, the focus of our work is “contact person management”, which means that we determine the contacts of people who have tested positive and familiarize them with the rules. This also applies especially to those returning from their travels, who are contacted by us if they have tested positive and live in the Tübingen district. We need to identify and trace sources of infection to contain further spread. According to information from the administrative district office, the majority of the newly infected in the Tübingen district are returning travelers.
We often get the question of where to take a test, as it is mandatory for everyone who comes back from “risk areas”. The testing centers at airports, highways and train stations are primarily responsible for this, and only then are the doctors in private practices responsible. Due to the high demand for tests, the test site has also been reopened on the fairground of Tübingen (Tübinger Festplatz). Returning travelers from places that are not a risk area can voluntarily have themselves tested for the coronavirus free of charge within 72 hours of arrival in Germany. See also “Covid-19 test station reopened”.
Further information for travelers from abroad: https://www.kreis-tuebingen.de/site/LRA-Tuebingen-Internet-Root/get/documents_E1293675606/lra_tuebingen/Objekte_Internet/Coronaseite/Merkblatt_Einreise%20Covid-19.pdf
Current list of risk areas: https://www.rki.de/DE/Content/InfAZ/N/Neuartiges_Coronavirus/Risikogebiete_neu.html
Dr. Birgit Walter-Frank is the head of the health department in the Tübingen administrative district office.
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Impressionen zum Leben in Zeiten der Corona-Pandemie: Foto: tünews INTERNATIONAL; Mostafa Elyasian, 01.09.2020
