In view of the sharp rise in the number of corona infections, the debate about this year’s Christmas markets is gaining momentum. The Saxon Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer calls for them to be canceled. The CDU politician is quoted by the broadcasters RTL and ntv as quoted by the CDU politician. “You can’t imagine standing at the Christmas market, drinking mulled wine, and everything in the hospitals is at an end and you’re fighting for the last few resources.”
The federal states and municipalities are still handling this question inconsistently. In Bavaria, for example, the city of Rosenheim does without the Christmas market, on the recommendation of the local health department. All markets were also canceled in the districts of Fürth and Miesbach; the district of Miesbach is one of the districts with the highest incidence rates in Germany. In Thuringia, the historic Christmas market on the Wartburg is canceled. The Wartburg Foundation in Eisenach said that one does not want to fuel the current situation around Covid-19 with large gatherings of people.
In Duisburg, on the other hand, it should take place, but a 2-G rule will apply there: Only people who have been completely vaccinated against the coronavirus or who have recovered may visit the Christmas market; Exceptions are children under 13 years of age, pregnant women and people for whom a vaccination is not recommended for medical reasons.
The German Schaustellerbund rejects a mask requirement. “There is no obligation to wear a mask in pedestrian zones in Germany, so that shouldn’t apply to a Christmas market either,” said association president Albert Ritter of the Funke media group. If there is any doubt as to whether distance rules should be adhered to by consuming mulled wine in the markets, for example, he says: “Christmas markets are not the most popular in Mallorca.” One could also consider excluding unvaccinated people from the markets. If, because of the increasing incidences, there are cancellations, the bridging allowances would have to be extended beyond the end of December. (11/11/2021)
More than 50,000 new infections reported
The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) reports 50,196 positive tests within 24 hours, a new high since the pandemic began. That is about 16,000 more than on Thursday a week ago, when 33,949 new infections were reported. The seven-day incidence rises to 249.1 from 232.1 the previous day. The value indicates how many people per 100,000 population have contracted the coronavirus in the past seven days. 235 other people died related to the virus. This increases the number of reported deaths within 24 hours to 97,198. In total, more than 4.89 million corona tests have so far been positive in Germany. (11/11/2021)
Head of the World Medical Association sharply criticizes the FDP
The chairman of the World Medical Association, Frank Ulrich Montgomery, criticized the FDP sharply, according to RTL / ntv: The traffic light coalitionists sold it as freedom to give people as many opportunities as possible to get infected, he said, according to the broadcaster. “For me this is a completely wrong concept of freedom. It is the freedom to get sick and die and not the freedom to live that we actually need and want.”
He adds that there is a moral obligation to vaccinate in some professions: “Nurses, doctors, geriatric nurses, but also cooks in nursing homes should, in my opinion, be vaccinated because they can really be life-threatening infection bombs for the elderly.” However, he could not imagine a legal vaccination requirement or a new lockdown. (11/11/2021)
Ethics Council wants vaccination for certain professional groups
The German Ethics Council advocates the rapid examination of a job-related vaccination requirement in areas in which particularly vulnerable people are cared for. That was what the committee said on Thursday in Berlin. Given the current pandemic situation, the members decided by a large majority to make a corresponding recommendation to the federal government.
“Employees who professionally care for seriously or chronically ill and very old people, such as medical and nursing staff, but also employees of social services, everyday support or housekeeping, have a special responsibility not to harm those entrusted to them,” it said. The same applies to institutions and facilities that are responsible for not exposing the people cared for there to avoidable health risks.
The German Ethics Council recommends that the Federal Government immediately examine a “differentiated legal regulation for a job-related vaccination obligation” and, if necessary, implement it. Frequently discussed concerns about the negative consequences of such a measure, such as career exits in the occupational groups concerned, should be taken into account, but should be assessed in the context of the protection obligations towards people from high-risk groups.
“It is to be hoped that the discussion about the introduction of a statutory vaccination requirement will be perceived as a signal in the institutions to organize effective, outreach vaccination campaigns with target group-specific information and education for the various professional groups,” said the Ethics Council.
He further emphasizes that the vaccination strategy based on voluntary, information and persuasion remains important. Efforts to convince as many people as possible of the need for vaccination should be stepped up. In addition, a further developed test strategy must complement the vaccination strategy. (11/11/2021)
Survey: two-thirds majority of Germans for general vaccination
A large majority of Germans are in favor of compulsory corona vaccination, at least for certain professional groups. In a survey by the Yougov opinion research institute on behalf of the German Press Agency, 44 percent even spoke out in favor of obliging all people in Germany to immunize against the dangerous virus. Another 24 percent want to limit the obligation to individual professional groups such as nursing staff or hospital staff. Only 27 percent are generally against compulsory vaccination.
The mood has changed since the start of the corona vaccinations in Germany almost a year ago. A few days after the first vaccination on December 26th last year, 56 percent of the people in a Yougov poll were against compulsory vaccination and 33 percent were in favor. The attitude towards vaccinations for certain groups of people was not asked at the time.
Prince has Corona – Cologne triumvirate is missing at the start of the carnival
Despite the sharp rise in corona incidences, the new carnival session with thousands of celebrants is due to open on Thursday at 11.11 a.m. The Cologne triumvirate will be missing: The designated Carnival Prince has tested positive for Corona – despite double vaccinations.
In the strongholds of Cologne and Düsseldorf, the 2-G rule applies on Thursday: Only those who have been vaccinated and those who have recovered have access to the closed party areas outside. A negative corona test is not enough. To be on the safe side, the entire Cologne triumvirate canceled all public appearances at the start of the session this Thursday.
The Cologne police want to show presence and will be on duty with around 1000 officers. 11.11. is traditionally celebrated big, especially in Cologne. Before Corona, several hundred thousand guests came to the city. (11/11/2021)
At 15.4 million euros, the digital vaccination certificate is significantly more expensive than planned
According to a media report, Health Minister Jens Spahn has to pay almost 15.4 million euros for the CovPass digital vaccination certificate and the associated cloud services. That is more than five times as much as announced when the order was placed with the companies IBM, Bechtle, Ubirch and GovDigital last March, reports the newspaper Wirtschaftswoche with reference to documents from the European tendering platform TED. The originally planned investment volume was around 2.7 million euros. According to the report, higher development costs, a delay in European requirements, the linking of the app with programs from medical practices, the integration of a recovered certificate and the operation of a call center for citizen inquiries are driving up costs. (11/11/2021)
Medical Association wants compulsory testing for vaccinated and convalescents if necessary
The Marburger Bund Doctors’ Association believes that testing is also necessary for those who have been vaccinated and recovered if the corona situation does not improve due to the current 2-G rules for vaccinated and recovered people. “2 G must now become standard. If this does not slow down the infection process and the vaccination rate does not increase, 2 G plus is the next logical step,” said the chairwoman of the association, Susanne Johna, of the editorial network in Germany. “2 G plus undoubtedly offers even greater security,” said Johna.
With a view to the increasingly tense situation in intensive care units caused by corona patients, the head of the association warned: “The only thing that can be done now is to prevent further overload scenarios.” The German Hospital Association also warned of an overload in the intensive care units. “We are in a very critical phase of the pandemic,” said CEO Gerald Gass of the RND. The value of 4,000 intensive care beds occupied with Covid-19 patients can practically no longer be avoided. “The result is that clinics now have to postpone the predictable operations immediately.” The intensive care units in more and more federal states were reaching their limits. (11/11/2021)
County council calls for stricter controls on restaurateurs and organizers
In view of the increasing number of infections, the President of the German District Association (DLT), Reinhard Sager, appeals to the catering and event industry to control the applicable rules more strictly. “The fear of losing potential customers should be significantly less than the concern of the consequences that threaten if only a small part of these control obligations are still fully met. Because then there is a risk of further restrictions, including fines and, in the end, a partial lockdown “Sager says the Rheinische Post. The state cannot guarantee comprehensive control of all corona rules in the various private areas. (11/11/2021)
The open questions of the corona policy – an overview
Retail has reduced opening times by a good hour
Many retail stores currently open much shorter than in the time before the pandemic. Of the image said the managing director of the Berlin-Brandenburg trade association, Nils Busch-Petersen, that the daily opening times have shrunk by an average of ten percent nationwide. That corresponds to around an hour. Busch-Petersen cited the staff shortage in the corona pandemic as the reason: “Many retail employees looked for other jobs during the lockdown and never returned.” Other industries seemed safer to them. Busch-Petersen does not expect the return to opening times before the pandemic and enough staff until the end of 2022.11/11/2021)
Berlin introduces extensive 2-G rule
The Berlin Senate has decided on further restrictions for people without corona vaccination protection. The so-called 2-G rule is to be expanded significantly after a decision on Wednesday. In view of the significantly increased number of infections, from Monday only those who have been vaccinated and recovered should have access to restaurants, cinemas, museums, thermal baths or amusement arcades, not even those who have been tested. This also applies to closed spaces in amusement parks or in the Berlin zoo, as well as in the zoo. The new regulation does not apply to people who have not yet reached the age of 18. A proven negative corona test is still sufficient for them. The current rule in Berlin is that, for example, restaurant operators or event organizers can decide for themselves whether they allow access to their interiors for vaccinated, convalescent and tested people (3 G) or only vaccinated and convalescent people (2 G). With 2 G there is no mask requirement. In contrast, 2 G has already been prescribed for clubs and other providers of dance events. (11/10/2021)