The number of new infections reported daily in Germany exceeded the high of the third wave of infections in spring. On April 22, the value was 29,518, now the health authorities in Germany reported 33,949 new corona infections to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) within one day. A week ago the value was 28 037 infections. The nationwide seven-day incidence was therefore 154.5. The previous day the value was 146.6, a week ago it was 130.2. It was initially unclear to what extent the All Saints holiday on Monday played a role in the development of the numbers in five federal states.
Across Germany, 165 deaths were recorded within 24 hours. A week ago there were 126 deaths. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the RKI has counted 4,672,368 detected infections with Sars-CoV-2. The number of corona patients admitted to clinics per 100,000 inhabitants within seven days was 3.62 on Wednesday (Tuesday: 3rd November) , 29). The previous high was around 15.5 around Christmas time. (04/11/2021)
Union calls for jail for vaccination forgers
The Union parliamentary group wants to face severe penalties for people who produce, sell, or use falsified vaccination certificates to circumvent measures to contain the corona pandemic. Since the current legal situation does not allow that, the CDU and CSU are expected to introduce a draft for a “law to improve the protection of vaccination passports” in the Bundestag in the coming week. This would close a loophole in the law that Federal Justice Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD) has so far paid too little attention to, said the group’s legal policy spokesman, Jan-Marco Luczak (CDU).
The draft stipulates that in the future not only the deception of authorities and insurance companies should be punishable, but also the presentation of a fake in the pharmacy or at the employer. In addition, false vaccination certificates that “concern threatening communicable diseases” are to be included in the group of cases that are classified as “particularly serious forgery of documents”.
Anyone who pretends to be a doctor and issues a certificate about their own state of health or that of another should face imprisonment of up to two years or a fine, according to the proposal of the Union. In particularly serious cases – such as commercial falsification – the draft provides for a prison sentence of three months to ten years. “Anyone who falsifies vaccination passports or uses forgeries endangers people’s health and shakes trust and acceptance of corona protective measures. That must be severely punished,” said Luczak.
The Osnabrück Regional Court had ruled on October 26th that showing a forged vaccination card in a pharmacy to obtain a digital vaccination certificate was not a criminal offense under the current legal situation. It is to be assumed from a “criminal liability loophole”. (04/11/2021)
Merkel thinks it makes sense to expand the 2-G rule
The Executive Chancellor calls for stronger controls on the so-called 3-G rule and considers further restrictions for non-vaccinated people to be conceivable. Government spokesman Steffen Seibert said on Wednesday in Berlin that compliance with the access rules is of no interest to some, clearing the way for the virus. Only if the rules are observed and controlled can a good protection be achieved for the whole community, he said.
Seibert emphasized that, according to the Chancellor’s position, there should be no further restrictions on vaccinated people, even in view of the increasing number of infected and corona patients in hospitals. If the pandemic situation worsens, further restrictions are only possible for non-vaccinated people. “That then logically leads to the 2-G rule,” said Seibert. While with the 3-G rule, people who have had negative reactions to the coronavirus on a daily basis are given access to restaurants, for example, only those who have been vaccinated and those who have recovered can enter with 2-G. Some federal states would consider this expansion. That has a certain logic, said Seibert. (03/11/2021)
Spahn: “The speed when boosting is not enough”
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 tests 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)
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 funds from 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 President’s Office, it is said that the vaccination program for children is now being 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)