Corona current: Lauterbach: omicron maximum in February – politics

Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach expects the omicron wave to peak in a few weeks. He told the RTL television station: “I think we will reach the peak of the wave in mid-February, and then the number of cases could go down again, but we haven’t reached the peak yet.” The SPD politician assumes that “the current number of unreported cases should be around a factor of 2”. This would put the incidence significantly higher than the 553.2 reported on Tuesday. “We don’t know exactly whether there are 1,000, but we will get even higher numbers of cases.”

At the same time, he thinks it is important that a general obligation to vaccinate against Corona comes into force quickly after a corresponding decision by the Bundestag. “If we want to make an application that still works, then that is an application that puts vaccinations into effect – I don’t know – in April or around April, maybe in May.” Lauterbach justified this as follows: Unvaccinated people would then have to “go through three vaccination cycles (…) and by then it’s already in September or October”https://www.sueddeutsche.de/politik/.”Because that has to happen quickly, so that I can stop the wave – and that is the reason for the obligation to vaccinate – so that I can still avert the wave in autumn.” (01/18/2022)

Scotland is letting almost all corona measures expire

In Scotland, almost all corona measures should expire at the beginning of next week. The number of new infections has dropped significantly in the past two weeks, said Scottish Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon as a reason. Nevertheless, it is important to remain cautious.

In the British part of the country, only members of a maximum of three households are allowed to meet indoors, discos must remain closed. That should change on Monday. For the time being, however, the recommendation to work from home and to wear a mask on public transport and in publicly accessible indoor areas should remain.

In England, too, it is expected that the corona measures will not be extended in the coming week. However, there are very few requirements there anyway, such as the obligation to wear a mask on public transport, shops and the recommendation to work from home. Prime Minister Boris Johnson pushed through the so-called Plan B in early December as a reaction to the spread of the omicron variant against fierce opposition from his own party. As planned, it is valid until January 26th.

The UK seems to be past the worst in the omicron wave. The number of infections has fallen significantly since the turn of the year. There is also a downward trend in the number of hospital admissions. Nevertheless, they are still at a comparatively high level. Around 94,400 new infections were reported in the country of around 67 million people on Tuesday. (01/18/2022)

At Johnson & Johnson, a second vaccination is necessary

By the beginning of February, the digital vaccination certificates in Germany are to be adapted to the latest EU requirements and to findings on the effectiveness of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The aim is to implement the European Union’s requirement that vaccination certificates in the EU will only be valid for nine months after the basic immunization against the corona virus, as a spokesman for the Federal Ministry of Health said. In the course of this, changed requirements for vaccination with the vaccine from Johnson & Johnson are also to be implemented in Germany.

In the future, one will only be considered vaccinated with complete basic protection in Germany if the Johnson & Johnson initial vaccination is followed by a second vaccination, according to the spokesman. If possible, this should be done with an mRNA vaccine like that of Biontech/Pfizer or Moderna, as he confirmed. Full protection is necessary, for example, to comply with 2G access rules. A corresponding requirement has been in effect since the weekend and should now be technically implemented, said the spokesman.

With this step one wants to follow a recommendation of the Standing Vaccination Commission. She advises all people aged 18 and over who have received a first dose of Johnson & Johnson to optimize their immunization with a second dose of an mRNA vaccine. This is recommended regardless of the time of the first vaccination – but with a minimum interval of four weeks. According to the EU-wide approval for Johnson & Johnson, on the other hand, only one dose is required for the basic immunization – the rules in Germany will therefore deviate from this in the future.

A third vaccination also makes sense after a Johnson & Johnson initial vaccination and a second vaccination, ideally with an mRNA vaccine, said the ministry spokesman. Today, in some federal states, people who have been vaccinated for the first time by Johnson & Johnson count as “boostered” after just one more vaccination when it comes to 2-G-plus rules and only vaccinated and recovered people who are also tested or have a booster vaccination are allowed to enter have received. (01/18/2022)

Sweden relaxes the obligation to test upon entry

Vaccinated and recovered EU citizens will no longer have to show a corona test on their way to Sweden. The Swedish government announced that the requirement for a negative test no more than 48 hours old for people entering the country, which has been in force since December 28, will no longer apply. Travelers would no longer be considered a particular risk in the spread of the omicron variant in the Scandinavian country. It is now sufficient if you have a valid Corona passport with you and can show vaccination, recovery or a test that is no more than 72 hours old. This applies to foreign adults, there are exceptions.

Sweden, which had chosen a much-noticed special path with relatively mild restrictions in the Corona crisis, had recorded comparatively low corona numbers for a long time in the second half of 2021. Since the turn of the year, however, the number of new infections has skyrocketed. (01/18/2022)

Seven-day incidence continues to rise sharply

The health authorities in Germany reported 74,405 new corona infections to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) within 24 hours. On Tuesday morning, the RKI reported a seven-day incidence that had increased from 528.2 to 553.2. This is again a high. In total, at least eight million people in Germany have already been infected. The actual total number is likely to be significantly higher, as many infections go undetected. Another 193 people died in connection with the virus. The death toll rose to 115,842. (01/18/2022)

Telephone sick leave should be extended

The health ministers of the federal states have promised the resident doctors support with a view to the rapid spread of the corona variant Omikron. In a video link, the department heads asked the Federal Ministry of Health to extend the regulations on telephone sick leave for respiratory diseases. The doctors need this support “so that they are not overrun by patients,” said Saxony-Anhalt’s Health Minister Petra Grimm-Benne after the consultation. The SPD politician is chairwoman of the Health Ministers’ Conference.

In addition, it should continue to be possible for medical and psychotherapeutic consultations to take place digitally. There should also be a rescue package for practices if they have a high staff shortage or if non-acute treatments have to be postponed. The Federal Ministry of Health should also clarify the assumption of costs when foreign patients are admitted to Germany.

The shortening of the corona recovery status from six to three months was also an issue in the switch. The state department heads asked the Federal Ministry of Health to develop transitional regulations for those affected. These are particularly necessary for booked trips and for access to events, said Grimm-Benne. “That has been recognized as a problem.”

According to Grimm-Benne, Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) announced in the switchboard that further model calculations would be carried out to determine how quickly omicron would spread in Germany. Grimm-Benne said the number is currently doubling every six and a half days. The results are to be discussed at another conference of health ministers at the weekend.

Changes could soon also be made to the test strategy in order to counteract overloading of laboratory capacities. A free test from quarantine or isolation should always be carried out with a rapid test instead of a PCR test. A PCR test should only be carried out in these cases for employees in critical infrastructure such as in nursing homes and hospitals. However, those who have to be in quarantine are still entitled to a PCR test, said Grimm-Benne. (01/18/2022)

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