The Robert Koch Institute reports 12 925 new positive tests. That is 2,416 fewer than on Thursday a week ago, when 15,341 new infections were reported. The seven-day incidence drops to 76.3 from 77.9 the previous day. 68 other people died related to the virus. This increases the number of reported deaths to 92,837 within 24 hours. In total, more than 4.1 million corona tests have so far been positive in Germany.
Politicians warn against lateral thinking that is increasingly prone to violence
After an attempted arson attack on a Saxon vaccination center, domestic politicians in the Bundestag warned against radicalization of those who opposed the vaccination. “The increasing violence from the so-called lateral thinker scene against public institutions and health facilities is deeply worrying,” said the domestic political spokesman for the FDP parliamentary group, Konstantin Kuhle, the Editorial network Germany. Radical opponents of vaccinations and lateral thinkers are a danger to society and, through misinformation and uncertainty, contribute to the fact that fewer people are vaccinated.
The domestic political spokeswoman for the Greens in the Bundestag, Irene Mihalic, said that a radicalization of the scene has been observed for months. The Union’s domestic politician Mathias Middelberg (CDU) called for consistent clarification by the police and the judiciary. The Office for the Protection of the Constitution must continue to look closely at the scene.
In the Saxon Vogtlandkreis, strangers threw three bottles with a flammable liquid against a roller door at a vaccination center on Tuesday evening. The incendiary devices did not ignite, so no fire broke out. (16.09.2021)
Berlin probably wants to exempt children from the 2-G rule
In view of widespread protests against the new 2-G rule for restaurants or events, the Senate wants to discuss exceptions for children on Wednesday. The health administration announced this in the morning. It was about “the temporary expansion of the 2-G option model to include children under twelve years of age until these children can be vaccinated,” it said.
On Tuesday, the Senate, supported by the SPD, the Left and the Greens, decided that, from Saturday onwards, operators could decide for themselves in a number of areas whether they would allow access to indoor areas such as those who had previously been vaccinated, recovered and tested (3 G) or, for example, omitting the mask requirement and with more participants only vaccinated and convalescent people (2 G). This also led to broad criticism from within the coalition. It was mainly inflamed by the fact that, according to the Senate’s decision, there should be no exception for children for whom vaccination is not yet possible. The Senate now apparently wants to make quick adjustments a week and a half before the House of Representatives election.
For example, SPD country chief Franziska Giffey had called for such an exception. “Yesterday’s decision by the Berlin Senate on the 2 G option model must be corrected,” demanded the politician on Twitter. Otherwise children and their families would be “massively disadvantaged in their participation in social life”. A higher vaccination rate must be achieved, but not at the expense of children and their families.
The Green parliamentary group in the House of Representatives also demanded exceptions for children and for people who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons. The Berlin House of Representatives will be elected on September 26th, the former Federal Family Minister Giffey is the top candidate of the SPD. (15.09.2021)
EU vaccination certificates valid in more and more countries
In more and more countries, fresh corona tests, vaccinations and recoveries can be verified with the digital EU corona certificates. As the EU Commission announced, Albania, Andorra, the Faroe Islands, Israel, Monaco, Morocco and Panama are now connected to the necessary technology. The certificates issued there are also recognized in the EU. These mutual recognitions now apply to a total of 15 countries outside the EU. “More than 420 million EU certificates have been issued since June,” said EU Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders. “I therefore welcome the fact that more and more countries outside the EU are joining our successful system.” (15.09.2021)
Stagnation in the number of new infections is no reason to give the all-clear
Despite a stable infection situation in Germany for several days, an expert warns against jumping to conclusions. The Saarbrücken expert for corona forecasts, Thorsten Lehr, does not consider the stagnation of the number of new infections at the end of the fourth wave and a sudden increase in the corona numbers to be possible. “We were able to observe this behavior of the incidence curve almost to the day in the last year,” says Lehr.
A year ago, the incidence fell slightly and remained at a constant, slightly lower level than it is now, before it rose sharply again at the end of September. “With the current vaccination situation and the relaxed contact restrictions, a similar increase can be expected at the end of September and again at the beginning of October,” warned Lehr.
Lehr justified the stagnation in the number of infections with the dwindling number of travelers returning and the infections they brought in. In addition, the number of infections among schoolchildren rose explosively in many federal states after the summer holidays. Due to the continuous testing and quarantine measures with contact persons, in many places one to two weeks after starting school there is stagnation or even a decrease in the numbers in this age group. (15.09.2021)
Other federal states are about to introduce the 2-G rule
Other federal states are about to introduce 2-G rules. Vaccinated and recovered people, for example in Berlin, can expect further relief. According to information from the German Press Agency, the Senate decided to introduce a 2-G option model: In a number of areas such as gastronomy or at events, the operators can then decide for themselves whether they should only grant access to indoor rooms to vaccinated or convalescent (2 G) or also allow tested (3 G). In the case of 2 G, previous corona restrictions such as distance or mask would no longer apply.
Berlin’s Senator for Economic Affairs Ramona Pop (Greens) had previously said: “The 2-G model is central to preventing another lockdown,” she said on Tuesday. “For the event industry and the catering industry, 2 G is an opportunity to be able to receive more participants or guests, because distance obligations and upper limits for those who have been vaccinated and those who have recovered can be relaxed significantly.”
In Brandenburg, too, the cabinet will decide on Tuesday whether organizers and operators of facilities should have the option of introducing the 2-G rule. In return, Corona requirements should be dropped.
In Lower Saxony, the 2-G rule should be able to be used in more areas in the future – for example in gastronomy, culture, events or sports. In the previous Corona regulation, operators of discos, clubs and shisha bars can already restrict access to guests who have been vaccinated or have recovered. The new expansion was announced by Prime Minister Stephan Weil (SPD) in the state parliament in Hanover. People up to the age of 18 should therefore be allowed access without a vaccination or recovery, as they regularly test themselves before going to school. Children under the age of twelve cannot yet be vaccinated. The current state corona ordinance is valid until September 22nd. The expansion of the 2-G rule is therefore expected to be implemented in the coming week. (14.09.2021)
Putin goes into self-isolation
A few days before the parliamentary elections in Russia, President Vladimir Putin is going into self-isolation because of several corona cases in his vicinity, according to the Kremlin. Putin himself is absolutely healthy, his spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the agency on Tuesday Interfax according to. The 68-year-old, who was vaccinated with the Sputnik V vaccine, will for example forego face-to-face meetings and only take part in online conferences, the Kremlin announced.
The Kremlin did not provide any information about who is infected with the coronavirus. The Corona case does not affect Putin’s work. But he will not attend any events. The president was expected to remain in quarantine for about a week. The State Duma will be elected from Friday to Sunday. It was expected that Putin would personally cast his vote at a polling station.
The Russian authorities reported 17,800 new corona infections nationwide within 24 hours on Tuesday, significantly fewer than in July. However, the number of deaths is still high: 781 deaths were registered within one day. The number of people vaccinated is still comparatively low. According to the latest official information, 39 million people have received two components of the corona vaccination. That’s 26 percent of the population. (14.09.2021)
Chinese metropolis Xiamen goes into lockdown
After a new coronavirus outbreak, the authorities of the coastal metropolis of Xiamen in southeast China are calling on residents not to leave the city. Major events are being canceled, restaurants and shopping malls are being instructed to reduce the number of visitors. Schools are switching to online teaching.
32 new corona cases were discovered on Monday, bringing the number of infections in Fujian province to more than 100 since last week. The current outbreak originated in the city of Putian, which is northeast of Xiamen. A family man is believed to have brought the virus back from Singapore. The man traveled back to China on Aug. 4, spent 21 days in quarantine and tested negative for the virus nine times. It wasn’t until last Friday that a test was finally positive. Putian has also been in lockdown since the weekend.
The Chinese government is pursuing a “zero covid strategy”. With curfews, mass tests, contact tracing, quarantine and strict entry restrictions, the country has the coronavirus largely under control. Recently there had been an accumulation of local outbreaks of the delta variant, which, however, have so far always been brought back under control with strict measures. (14.09.2021)