Germany may not pay for novel coronavirus tests of unvaccinated citizens

Germany's government plans to stop covering the cost of rapid coronavirus virus tests, according to the nation's health ministry.

"Health Minister Jens Spahn already said weeks ago that he thinks it's conceivable for the government to stop offering free tests to unvaccinated people at a later date," the ministry told the German news agency dpa. No exact date has been set.

The confirmation comes after a report in the Bild newspaper, which said the government would stop paying for tests as soon as everyone has had the opportunity to receive two doses of vaccine, meaning late September or early October.

Since March, German citizens and residents have been eligible to receive free rapid coronavirus tests in pharmacies and designated testing centers across the country. The tests have been a crucial part of Germany's reopening strategy: Those who cannot show proof that they are fully vaccinated or have recovered from the virus must present a negative test result for certain activities, including dining indoors at restaurants or staying in a hotel.

Some government officials have recently begun advocating for this shift to incentivize vaccination, saying unvaccinated individuals should bear the costs once everyone has had an opportunity to get the vaccine.