Status: 02/15/2022 1:42 p.m
Health Minister Lauterbach sees the week-long sharp increase in the number of infections as broken. “Moderate loosening” is now possible. His assessment is supported by the laboratories, which report fewer tests carried out.
Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) sees the current wave of infections broken. “The peak of the omicron wave has passed – pretty much exactly on the day I predicted a month ago,” Lauterbach told the “Bild” newspaper.
Therefore, “moderate easing” is now possible, added the minister with a view to the upcoming federal-state talks. According to Lauterbach, he “fully supports” the proposals for gradual easing that have been made known so far. “But not more, so as not to risk another increase.”
Peak forecast for mid-February
The health minister predicted the peak of the omicron wave a month ago for mid-February using a model by several scientists. Now you can see how well the model works. “The measures were right,” said Lauterbach, referring to the corona restrictions. “This enabled us to significantly reduce the number of deaths and, compared to other countries, we came through this omicron wave really well.” Referring to his critics, the SPD politician added: “One should acknowledge that something worked.”
The federal and state governments will discuss how to proceed in the corona pandemic on Wednesday. According to a draft resolution that was announced in advance, gradual easing should be agreed so that all far-reaching containment measures will be lifted on March 20th.
Labs report declining positive rate
The data from the PCR laboratories also give a first indication of a declining corona infection process. The Association of Accredited Laboratories in Medicine (ALM) announced that in the week to Sunday, for the first time since the beginning of the year, both the number of tests carried out and the so-called positive rate had declined.
2,366,691 PCR tests were carried out within seven days, four percent fewer than the week before. The nationwide calculated positive rate – i.e. the proportion of positive results in all tests made – was also slightly lower than in the previous week at 43.9 percent.
“Continued reason for caution and prudence”
The slight decrease in the number of tests is a first indication of a declining infection rate, “but from the point of view of the laboratories there is still reason for caution and prudence,” said Nina Beikert, member of the ALM board. “The peak of the omicron wave has still not been reached in some federal states.”
The laboratory association relied on data from 182 specialist laboratories. In the week ending February 13, the nationwide average was 86 percent. In the week before it was given as 93 percent.