Appeal from the Federal President: Steinmeier calls for contact restrictions

In view of the corona situation, Federal President Steinmeier has called for voluntary reductions in contacts in order to prevent a lockdown. Previously, Leopoldina scientists had demanded immediate contact restrictions.

Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has urged citizens to prevent a lockdown through voluntary contact restrictions. “It is important that we all act together now,” wrote Steinmeier in a guest post for “Bild am Sonntag”. “If we stick to the rules, let’s reduce our contacts again. Let’s do it so that schools and daycare centers don’t close again, so that we don’t have to shut down public life completely.”

Steinmeier also appealed again to people to get vaccinated: “We could be so much further! This is a bitter but necessary realization. We have the means to protect ourselves from a serious, even fatal course of the disease in But still too few have made use of it. That is why I ask you again today: Get vaccinated and renew your vaccination protection in good time! “

Leopoldina for compulsory vaccination and contact restrictions

The National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina had previously called for mandatory vaccinations and contact restrictions in view of the drastic increase in corona infections. Unvaccinated people must be motivated or made responsible, according to a published appeal by scientists: “This is the only way to save the citizens of our society from further disastrous consequences.”

The signatories advocated freedom restrictions such as phased vaccination and more drastic contact restrictions, as these are apparently in line with basic values ​​that are shared by the majority of the population for good reasons, it said.

“From a medical and epidemiological point of view, it is immediately effective to significantly reduce the number of contacts for a few weeks from the beginning of the coming week,” the authors say. Due to the decreasing immunity, these measures would have to apply temporarily to vaccinated and convalescent people who would have to receive a booster vaccination during this time.

Include other professional groups in vaccinations

The signatories, including the head of virology at Charité Berlin, Christian Drosten, called for around 30 million third vaccinations to be made possible by Christmas in addition to first and second immunizations.

In order to be able to administer the necessary doses to more people, other medical professional groups such as pharmacists, medical officers, dentists, nurses and midwives would have to be included. This may require technical and logistical support from the Bundeswehr, the technical relief organization and other recognized private aid organizations in disaster risk management.

Schools and daycare centers should remain open

With a view to children and young people, the Leopoldina recommends early Christmas holidays and regular corona tests at least three times a week. Teachers and students of all grades should wear masks throughout their entire stay in schools. The Leopoldina further stated:

A suspension of compulsory attendance and alternating classes in schools as well as the closing of daycare centers should be avoided as far as possible.

Scholz: “Again new dramatic challenges”

SPD chancellor candidate Olaf Scholz also spoke out in favor of consistent action in view of the dramatically worsening corona pandemic. Everything will be done that has to be done, he said in Frankfurt at the Federal Jusos Congress and spoke of “new dramatic challenges”. There is nothing that is not taken into account.

The ambitious goal is that now all those concerned get a booster vaccination for a booster. He has already announced that a crisis team will be set up. There is currently close cooperation between the future and the current government, said Scholz.