The Managing Minister of Health Jens Spahn (CDU) is pushing for more speed with booster vaccinations. “The speed of boosting is not enough,” said Spahn in the federal press conference. Although it was agreed with the federal states three months ago that residents in care facilities and all over 60s should be offered a booster vaccination, there have only been two million booster vaccinations since then.
Spahn criticized the federal states. You should inform those affected how North Rhine-Westphalia and Berlin are doing this. The federal states have committed to leaving vaccination centers in stand-by mode and should now reactivate them. He will also talk to medical representatives. “Too many people who want to be vaccinated cannot find a doctor to vaccinate them at the moment,” said Spahn. “The pandemic is far from over,” emphasized the Minister of Health. With the end of the epidemic emergency one leaves a legal state of emergency, but the pandemic and especially the fourth wave are there “with full force”.
Spahn warned that the regulations of 3G (vaccinated, recovered, tested) and the distance and hygiene rules should be consistently enforced and, if necessary, tightened to 2G (vaccinated, recovered), for example in high-incidence regions. He also spoke out in favor of mandatory testing for visitors and staff in places where many vulnerable people live. “I don’t want to have to experience dying in the nursing homes again like last winter.” However, Spahn refused an obligation to vaccinate nursing staff.
“If we don’t take countermeasures now, this fourth wave will bring a lot of suffering again,” said Lothar Wieler, President of the Robert Koch Institute. You have the tools in hand. There is no reason not to get vaccinated. The vaccines are approved and safe. Vaccinated sick people are much better protected, but can still pass the virus on, warned Wieler. The vaccination is not a silver bullet: it does not work the same for everyone who is vaccinated. “In addition, the vaccination protection can decrease over time – especially in the elderly, who are already very vulnerable.”
A broad booster campaign would have a clear effect not only on protection, but also on the spread of the virus, said Leif Erik Sander, head of the research group for infection immunology and vaccine research at the Berlin Charité. He referred to Israel that the delta wave had “effectively boosted itself”. (03/11/2021)
Two thirds of the people in Germany are vaccinated
55.6 million people (66.8 percent) in Germany are now fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, according to figures from the RKI. 57.8 million people (69.5 percent) received at least one vaccination. 2.2 million people have also received a booster vaccination. According to the RKI, about 196,000 vaccine doses were administered on Tuesday.
There are still considerable regional differences in the level of Covid 19 vaccinations: Among the federal states, Bremen has the highest proportion of first-time vaccinations with 81.2 percent. 14 other federal states have reached the 60 percent mark, only Saxony is below this mark with 59 percent. (03/11/2021)
More than 20,000 new infections
According to the RKI, the number of known new infections in Germany has risen by 20 398 to 4.6 million. That is almost twice as many new infections as were registered on Monday. The number of deaths rose by 194 to 96,027. The RKI put the seven-day incidence at 146.6 after 153.7 the previous day. The sharp decline is likely to have something to do with reporting delays due to public holidays. (03/11/2021)
Lauterbach for the quick reopening of the vaccination centers
According to a media report, the SPD health expert Karl Lauterbach calls for as many vaccination centers as possible to be reopened so that booster vaccinations can initially be carried out for people over the age of 70. This will be “expensive and complicated”, says Lauterbach to the editorial network Germany (RND). However, the reopening is still worthwhile: “We now need a very high speed with the booster vaccinations.” (03/11/2021)
In the US, children five years and older can be vaccinated starting this week
The US disease agency CDC is clearing the way for children between the ages of five and eleven to be vaccinated with the aid of Biontech / Pfizer. A corresponding recommendation from CDC director Rochelle Walensky comes hours after the approval of specialist advisors. The US FDA issued emergency approval for vaccinations on Friday. In an initial statement from the Office of the President, it is said that the vaccination program for children will now be ramped up. (03/11/2021)
Baden-Württemberg tightened corona measures
In Baden-Württemberg, the corona warning level comes into force on Wednesday. The number of Covid-19 patients in intensive care units exceeded 250 on Tuesday for the second working day in a row: This means that stricter rules apply again, especially for those who have not been vaccinated.
Those who have not been vaccinated or recovered will in future have to show a PCR test instead of a quick test for numerous leisure activities in closed rooms. These include restaurants, cinemas and swimming pools. In the future, a 3G certificate will be required for museums, trade fairs or canteens outdoors, but a quick test is usually sufficient here. No test was necessary so far. In addition, the stricter rules provide for contact restrictions to one household and five other people. Vaccinated persons and genesis as well as people who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons are exempt from the regulation. Children and young people up to the age of 17 are also not included.
Health Minister Manne Lucha (Greens) speaks of a “pandemic of the unvaccinated”. Almost without exception, non-vaccinated patients with a severe course are in the intensive care units, he says.
Saxony also wants to tighten the corona measures. The cabinet discussed the key points of a new protection ordinance on Tuesday: It provides for the introduction of the 2G rule for restaurants, indoor events or major events. FFP-2 masks should be compulsory in local public transport, the mask requirement in class is not lifted. The cabinet wants to make a final decision on Friday, and the ordinance will come into force next Monday. (02/11/2021)
Stiko-Chef: Booster for those particularly at risk
How is the pandemic developing? At the federal press conference, Andreas Gassen, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KBV), Thomas Mertens, the Chairman of the Standing Vaccination Commission (Stiko) and Martin Scherer, the President of the German Society for General Medicine and Family Medicine (DEGAM), talked about the current situation in Germany and the outlook for the winter.
According to Gassen, 15 million people in Germany will have to receive a booster vaccination by the end of December. “That can be done,” says Gassen. The medical practices in Germany are able to do this, a reopening of the vaccination centers is not necessary. However, the framework conditions would have to be right for this. It is not helpful if these are changed every few weeks by politics. The persons concerned would have to be written to in an orderly manner. Gassen also calls for more flexible options for practices when ordering vaccines and handling larger vaccine vials.
Vaccination boosters (“boosters”) are possible at least six months after a full vaccination. For the time being, Stiko recommends it for people aged 70 and over, among others. According to a decision by the federal and state health ministers, they can also be offered to older people aged 60 and over, corona risk groups and people who have been vaccinated with Astrazeneca and Johnson & Johnson. In principle, according to the vaccination ordinance, they are also possible for all other people.
According to its head Thomas Mertens, the Standing Vaccination Commission is still checking whether a booster vaccination for under 60-year-olds does not make sense for individual protection, but with a view to passing the virus on to the population. Healthy middle-aged people with primary immunization could assume that they still have adequate protection against severe Covid 19 disease. Protection against infection diminishes over time, but protection against serious illness does not.
Mertens emphasizes that basic immunization is more important than re-vaccinations. There are 30 percent of the areas in Germany where the initial vaccination rate is far too low, says Mertens. First of all, those who need the vaccination most urgently should be protected: including people over 70, immunocompromised, medical staff and nurses.
Martin Scherer, President of the German Society for General Medicine and Family Medicine, believes the current situation could “be a blueprint for the next few years”. A miracle cure for Corona is not yet in sight, he therefore assumes that the coming winters will be similar. He also shares the opinion of Stiko boss Mertens: Priority must be given to vaccinating those who need vaccination protection most. From a medical point of view, it would be “unforgivable to repeat the mistake made last year”: People in nursing homes in particular need to be vaccinated and protected at an early stage.
KBV boss Gassen believes a debate about compulsory vaccination for nursing staff is necessary. This is justified, although he is generally against compulsory vaccination. At the very least, non-vaccinated staff should no longer have contact with patients. Compulsory vaccination is a political decision. (02/11/2021)
The Netherlands are reintroducing the mask requirement
In view of the increasing number of infections, the Netherlands are introducing new restrictions in the fight against the corona pandemic. This includes the mask requirement, as Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced. In addition, starting next Saturday, the “Corona Pass” will be more stringent as proof of a vaccination or a negative test in many public places such as museums. More than 1200 Covid patients are currently being treated in hospitals in the Netherlands – more than in five months. In September, the country relaxed the measures against Corona in parts. (02/11/2021)