Status: 08/21/2021 11:12 a.m.
The number of infections continues to rise – for the first time since May the seven-day incidence is over 50 again, according to the RKI. Labor Minister Heil wants to ensure that employees can also be vaccinated during working hours.
The health authorities in Germany reported 8092 new corona infections to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) within one day. The seven-day incidence rose to 51.6 – for the first time since May back to over 50.
The previous day the number was 48.8, a week ago it was 32.7. The incidence last reached a value of over 50 on May 25 (58.4), the lowest value of summer was reported at the beginning of July (4.9 on July 3 and 6). While the RKI now reported 17 new deaths, on May 26th there were still 270 deaths in connection with Covid in one day.
Mostly affects younger people
The seven-day incidence indicates the number of new infections per 100,000 inhabitants within a week. At the end of May it fell below 50 for the first time since October. But the numbers have been rising steadily for weeks. According to the RKI, the fourth wave of the corona pandemic has now picked up speed in Germany. Younger people in particular are affected by infections, according to the institute’s weekly report on Thursday.
Despite the vaccinations, the incidence will remain an important value for assessing the upcoming occupancy of intensive care beds in autumn and winter, experts recently explained. From 200 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants within a week, “a considerable burden on the intensive care units” with more than 3000 intensive care patients at the same time is to be expected, provided the vaccination rate is not increased significantly, according to the analysis presented last week.
Heil: Vaccination also during working hours
To stimulate the lame vaccination campaign, Federal Labor Minister Hubertus Heil suggested that employees could, if necessary, be vaccinated during working hours. “We must continue to ensure that the workplace does not become a place of infection. That is why we are adapting the Corona occupational health and safety ordinance,” said the SPD politician to the “Augsburger Allgemeine”. “We will urge employers to contribute more to vaccination education and, in case of doubt, to enable vaccinations during working hours.”
So far, employees have not had a general right to have an injection against the coronavirus given by a doctor or at the vaccination center during working hours. According to the RKI’s announcement on Friday, 63.8 percent of all German citizens have had themselves vaccinated at least once, 58.5 percent are fully vaccinated.