For the first time, the number of Covid 19 patients treated in intensive care units nationwide rose again to over 1,000. In the Divi-Register daily report from Sunday, 1008 Covid-19 patients were reported in intensive care, 485 of whom have to be ventilated. Most recently, a value of over 1000 was recorded in the daily report from June 18 (1011).
On August 29th last year, the number was just 241 (134 ventilated); it was not until the end of October that it had risen to over 1000 in the course of the second wave. In contrast to the previous year, senior citizens are no longer primarily affected: Almost every tenth Covid 19 patient currently being treated in the intensive care unit is 30 to 39 years old, according to the data in the Divi Register, and almost one in five 40 to 49 years (status 26.08., Updated every Thursday). The 50 to 59 year olds make up a quarter of the patients, the 60 to 69 year olds a good fifth. Unvaccinated people are mostly affected by severe courses and deaths.
The proportion of Covid 19 patients in the total number of intensive care beds is currently particularly high in North Rhine-Westphalia (6.4 percent) and Saarland (5.3 percent). Even if the seven-day incidence of new infections did not increase or even decrease in the coming days, the number of Covid 19 patients treated in intensive care units would initially continue to increase. The incidence of infection is always reflected with a delay in hospital occupancy, because usually around 10 days pass between infection and admission.
The Divi-Register is managed by the German Interdisciplinary Association for Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine together with the Robert Koch Institute (RKI). The maximum value for the number of Covid-19 patients recorded in the intensive care unit was a good 5700 at the beginning of January in the course of the second corona wave in Germany. According to the German Hospital Association (DKG), around 5,000 cases nationwide are considered the load limit for the clinics, whereby operations that can already be planned would then be postponed. However, there are currently very large differences in the infection rate in the individual federal states and regions. A regional view of the characteristic values of the infection rate and the clinic occupancy will therefore be decisive for corona measures. (29/08/21)
Majority of Germans for 3G rule on trains
A majority of Germans are in favor of only those who have been vaccinated, tested or recovered from being allowed to use trains to protect against the corona virus, at least that was the result of a survey by the opinion research institute Civey for the Handelsblatt. For the application of the so-called 3-G rule in trains are therefore 64 percent, compared to 31 percent. Five percent are undecided. The federal government is currently examining compulsory testing in long-distance trains. Green chancellor candidate Annalena Baerbock also wants to increase the pressure on unvaccinated people. If someone is not in solidarity with his or her fellow human beings, “then he or she cannot expect everyone else to forego their freedom,” she told the Funke media group. “That is why I think it is right to give those who have been vaccinated and recovered more freedom, as Hamburg is doing now.” (29/08/21)
RKI: Seven-day incidence increases to 74.1
The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) reports 8416 new positive tests. That is 1366 more than on Sunday a week ago, when 7050 new infections were reported. The seven-day incidence rises to 74.1 from 72.1 the previous day. The value indicates how many people per 100,000 inhabitants have been infected with the corona virus in the past seven days. Twelve other people died related to the virus. In total, more than 3.9 million corona tests have so far been positive in Germany. (29/08/21)
General practitioners’ association complains of waning interest in vaccination
According to data from the General Practitioners Association, the demand for corona vaccinations is significantly lower than in the first half of the year. “The boost in vaccination that we experienced in the spring and up to July has definitely subsided,” said Armin Beck, member of the federal board of the German Association of General Practitioners and Chairman of the Association of General Practitioners in Hesse, the editorial network of Germany.
While individual colleagues previously reported 300 or even 500 vaccination requests per week, many now only received 30 or fewer, said Beck. In addition, counseling has become much more time-consuming for many patients, as the proportion of clear supporters of vaccination among the unvaccinated has decreased sharply as the vaccination campaign progressed. “A lot of persuasion has to be done here,” said the doctor. (08/28/2021)
From Sunday onwards, all of Spain will no longer be a high-risk area
Due to the falling number of corona infections, the federal government is removing all of Spain and thus also the popular holiday island of Mallorca from the list of high-risk areas on Sunday. This was announced by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI). This means that all quarantine regulations for holidaymakers returning from Spain are no longer applicable. The greater Lisbon area will also no longer be a high-risk area from Sunday. The Algarve is the only region in Portugal that remains on the list.
Spain is considered the most popular holiday destination for Germans abroad. On July 11, it was classified as a risk area due to the sharp increase in the number of infections in the middle of the holiday season, and at the end of July as a high-risk area. Since then, returnees who have not been fully vaccinated or have recovered have been placed in quarantine for ten days, from which they can only be released after five days with a negative test. This particularly affected the tourism industry on Mallorca.
Last Sunday, the Canary Islands and Catalonia with the tourist metropolis of Barcelona and the beaches of the Costa Brava were removed from the list of high-risk areas. Now the whole country is disappearing from the RKI list.
From Sunday on, Chile will no longer be a high-risk area either. Three Caribbean countries are new to the list: Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, and St. Lucia. After the changes on Sunday, there will still be around 70 countries that are fully or partially classified as high-risk areas.
Countries and regions with a particularly high risk of infection are classified as high-risk areas. Unlike in the past, it is not just the infection numbers that are decisive. Other criteria are the speed at which the virus is spreading, the burden on the health system or a lack of data on the corona situation.
Government is considering 3G rules for trains and domestic flights
To contain the corona pandemic, the federal government is examining whether in future only those who have been vaccinated, tested and recovered will be allowed to use long-distance trains and domestic flights. “We have a very strong increase in the number of cases and that is why it is right to examine what can help to dampen this increase in the number of cases and, if possible, to stop it,” said government spokesman Steffen Seibert in Berlin. Previously had image reported on plans by the federal government to grant access to long-distance trains and domestic flights only to vaccinated, convalescent or tested people. The railway did not want to comment on the plans.
Seibert referred to the sharp increase in the number of corona cases, especially in the young age group who cannot yet be vaccinated. “That means all those who can be vaccinated have a responsibility to those who cannot be vaccinated,” said Seibert. Close testing brings additional protection, which is why the federal government is now also examining the introduction of the so-called 3-G rule – access only for vaccinated, convalescent and tested people.
According to the information, the Federal Ministry of Transport is currently engaged in the examination. Seibert named France as a model for such a step, where the obligation to provide evidence already applies to long-distance transport. In Germany, the 3-G rule has so far only applied to international flights and some areas of public life – such as going to restaurants indoors.
Above all, a possible expansion to include long-distance trains raises questions about controls. Kristian Loroch, board member of the Railway and Transport Union (EVG), warned that measures to combat pandemics must also be “implementable and practicable”. The introduction of the 3-G rule in long-distance traffic should not be carried out on the back of employees, warned Loroch. The railway wants to reduce the staff in trains, “which will lead to an increased burden for the employees anyway”. In addition, the number of attacks on employees has increased “massively”, said Loroch. “A 3-G control would exacerbate this situation and is therefore unsustainable for us.” The EVG had already pointed out when the introduction of the mask requirement in trains that compliance with the rules was difficult to control. (08/27/2021)
Concert organizers want the 2-G option nationwide
The President of the Federal Association of the Concert and Event Industry, Jens Michow, calls for uniform national rules for his branch. “We hope that the Hamburg 2-G model is a blueprint for all other federal states,” said Michow of the German press agency. As long as there are capacity restrictions and distance rules, events make no economic sense.
His association therefore welcomes the 2-G option, which will be possible in Hamburg from Saturday. Then organizers can decide whether, after registering with the authorities, they will only let in vaccinated and convalescent people, who are then largely exempt from the corona restrictions, or whether they want to continue using the 3G model. This includes those who have been tested and therefore not vaccinated, but is subject to the previous corona restrictions.
“Concert tours will only be possible again, however, when there is no patchwork of different regulations in Germany, but when the federal states finally agree on a uniform opening scenario,” emphasized Michow. Since PCR tests provide far more reliable results than quick tests, it must also be possible to allow those who have tested PCR access to events without capacity restrictions.
Federal Justice Minister Christine Lambrecht sees no nationwide hurdles for the 2-G model. “I don’t think that’s problematic at all,” said the SPD politician on ZDF, referring to criticism that this would restrict the rights of those tested. After all, the basic rights of innkeepers would also be restricted if they were not allowed to fully occupy their restaurant. This would enable restaurateurs to exercise their domiciliary rights and there is a chance of less risk of infection in restaurants. (08/27/2021)
Merkel warns of resistant virus variants
According to Chancellor Angela Merkel, the number of people infected with corona must not become too large worldwide. “As long as the vaccines work, we can get out of the pandemic,” she says. “Once we get a variant that the vaccines don’t work on, we have a big problem,” she adds. “That is why we should work flat out to ensure that the whole world can be vaccinated. That is the most important thing.” (08/26/2021)