Dusseldorf (dpa / lnw) - From next Wednesday, corona infected people in North Rhine-Westphalia will no longer need to test themselves after five days in isolation - it will end automatically. “Even after the five days have expired, you should test yourself and voluntarily avoid contact until the test result is negative, or wear a mask if contact is unavoidable,” recommended Health Minister Karl-Josef Laumann (CDU) on Wednesday in Düsseldorf. However, the previous obligation to take a free test will no longer apply from November 30th. For employees in medical facilities, however, there is a ban on working until a negative test result is available.
The state government is adapting the test and quarantine regulation. If the self-test is positive, you are therefore obliged to have a rapid test or PCR test carried out immediately at an official test center or by a doctor. It costs nothing.
"If the result of the control test is negative, there is no obligation to isolate," the ministry said. If the result is positive, on the other hand, you have to go directly to a five-day isolation. The first full day after the test is taken counts as the first day of confinement. The day on which the test was taken is therefore not counted.
Laumann still believes it is necessary to isolate infected people. "The winter season is just around the corner with cold temperatures. The flu epidemic is just beginning. Insulation can help prevent infection and reduce the burden on our healthcare system," he explained. "Anyone who feels ill should contact their doctor and get sick leave - this is still possible by telephone."
