In order to get more people in Germany to have a corona vaccination, the federal and state governments are calling for a “common vaccination week” from Monday. This should – together with municipalities and associations – bundle previous efforts and make more offers, said Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn (CDU) in the morning. He spoke of “many creative ideas”. In his eyes, Spahn explained the vaccination rate that was too low: There was no lack of information about the corona vaccinations, “nobody actually got around it”. However, there was apparently a lack of opportunities at times.
Spahn and Lothar Wieler, the President of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) repeated their appeal to get vaccinated. This is important to protect yourself and also people who cannot be vaccinated – for example children. “The number of unvaccinated people is still too large,” said Spahn. If it does not increase significantly, the fourth wave could “take a brilliant course” in autumn, warned Spahn. That would still be in the hands of the Germans themselves.
Those who do not get vaccinated will be infected with Sars-CoV-2 and possibly become seriously ill, said Wieler. According to Spahn, more than 90 percent of Covid-19 patients currently in intensive care were not vaccinated; the rate of infections in the unvaccinated is 10 to 14 times higher than that of the vaccinated.
In the morning, Spahn praised the vaccination campaigns in Bremen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Saarland and Schleswig-Holstein, in which the rate for first vaccinations is over 70 percent according to the Federal Statistical Office. “If we achieve vaccination rates like in these countries all over (Germany), it will be a safe winter for all of us”, the CDU politician tweeted. On Sunday, on the sidelines of a meeting of the health ministers of the G-20 states, Spahn said that in order to get through the next few months safely, a good five million vaccinations would still be needed in Germany. (08.09.2021)
Step-by-step plan with restrictions for unvaccinated people in Austria
In Austria, there will be restrictions for unvaccinated people in the future with increasing occupancy in intensive care units. Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said that the conservative-green federal government had created a step-by-step plan together with the state leaders. From an occupancy of 15 percent of the intensive care places, which corresponds to an occupancy of 300 beds, a 2-G rule should apply to clubs and bars, i.e. access only for vaccinated and convalescent people – instead of the 3-G rule as before ( Vaccinated, recovered and those tested negative), said Health Minister Wolfgang Mückstein. There should be no restrictions for vaccinated people. “What we are experiencing at the moment is a pandemic of the unvaccinated,” said Kurz. (08.09.2021)
The incidence value in Germany is falling again
The seven-day incidence of new corona infections has again decreased slightly. According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) on Wednesday morning, it is 82.7 – the previous day the value was 83.8, a week ago it was 75.7. The health authorities in Germany reported 13,565 new corona infections to the RKI within one day.
The incidence of new infections has so far been the basis for many corona restrictions. In the future, other values such as the number of hospital admissions are to be taken more into account. The number of corona patients admitted to clinics per 100,000 inhabitants within seven days was given by the RKI in its management report on Tuesday as 1.69 (Monday 1.64). A nationwide threshold, from when the situation can be viewed critically, is not provided for the incidence of hospitalization, among other things because of large regional differences. The previous high was around 15.5 around Christmas time.
Most infected people and Covid-19 deaths worldwide in the USA
In the United States, health officials report at least 289,557 new infections within 24 hours. At least 1,835 people died with or from the virus. This is a count by the Reuters news agency based on official data. In total, more than 40.47 million people have been proven to have contracted the coronavirus since the pandemic broke out in December 2019. The total number of deaths is 651,760. The USA has the highest number of infections and deaths related to the coronavirus in the world.
Clinic occupancy will be decisive in the future
The number of corona patients in the clinics should in future be the main yardstick for assessing the pandemic situation. This provides for an amendment to the Infection Protection Act, which the Bundestag decided on Tuesday. This is intended to replace the previous orientation towards the number of infections, which is no longer considered as meaningful in view of the vaccinations. In addition to the situation in the hospitals, “other indicators” should also be taken into account: the number of new infections per 100,000 inhabitants in seven days, the available intensive care capacities and the number of people vaccinated. The countries should then be able to determine where the critical thresholds lie, from which further everyday restrictions apply.
In addition, employees in daycare centers, schools and nursing homes should be able to be asked by the employer whether they are vaccinated during the crisis. The Federal Council should approve the new regulations in a special session on Friday. (07.09.2021)
Schleswig-Holstein abolishes the mask requirement – if 3G applies
Schleswig-Holstein wants to abolish the mask requirement at events, sports and gastronomy. The so-called 3-G principle applies there, according to which only those who have been vaccinated, recovered or tested receive access. “Wherever 3G can be complied with in Schleswig-Holstein, there will no longer be any restrictions in the future,” said Prime Minister Daniel Günther (CDU) after a cabinet meeting.
The state government made up of the CDU, the Greens and the FDP wants to make a clear change of course by September 20. In future, it will rely on the so-called 3-G rule. According to the plans, there will then no longer be any capacity restrictions at events, in the cinema, in sports or in restaurants. Wherever the 3-G rule is not practicable, such as in retail or in local public transport, the existing rules remain, said Günther. (07.09.2021)
Education minister welcomes quarantine rules for students
Federal Minister of Education Anja Karliczek welcomed the agreement of the health ministers of the federal states on quarantine rules in schools. “That will increase the acceptance of the rules. The correct approach is that the duration and the number of those affected in the quarantine are moderately restricted,” said the CDU politician at the German Press Agency in Berlin. This will help ensure that classroom teaching is maintained for as many children and young people as possible. “But it is also important that the health authorities always look at the individual case.”
Karliczek again appealed to adults to accept the offer for the corona vaccination. “The pandemic remains a threat to our children who cannot or are not yet vaccinated.” The more people are vaccinated, the easier it is to control the infection process in schools.
The majority of health ministers on Monday spoke in favor of simpler quarantine rules for corona cases in schools. In principle, quarantine should no longer be ordered for the entire class in one case, according to a decision after consultations with the federal government. Symptom-free children who are in quarantine as close contacts should be able to end this with a negative test at the earliest after five days. (07.09.2021)