Before possible corona loosening
After criticism of the RKI: Karl Lauterbach wants to decide for himself whether he has recovered in the future
Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach
© Wolfgang Kumm / DPA
Before the federal and state governments debate the likely far-reaching easing on Wednesday, Health Minister Karl Lauterbach warned against taking hasty steps – and spoke a word of power when it came to the status of those who had recovered.
Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) spoke a match word before the federal-state meeting on the current corona situation. With the Covid 19 protective measures exception ordinance of January, the RKI and the Paul Ehrlich Institute were authorized to decide who is considered recovered or vaccinated under what circumstances and for how long. Lauterbach now wants to withdraw this competence from the RKI.
“I would like to make decisions myself and directly about far-reaching decisions such as the status of a person who has recovered,” Lauterbach told the “Bild” (Wednesday edition). “Otherwise I bear the political responsibility for the actions of others.”
The RKI was heavily criticized in mid-January because it had short-term reduced the convalescent status from six to three months, thereby changing access to gastronomy and events overnight for millions of Germans. RKI boss Lothar Wieler was then violently attacked by the FDP, among others. However, Lauterbach had placed himself in front of the head of the authorities and assured him of his trust.
Karl Lauterbach on the easing of the corona virus: “Time for easing with a sense of proportion”
The controversial shortening of the recovered status should also be reversed according to a previously announced draft resolution for the Prime Ministers’ Conference on Wednesday.
It is unlikely that the corona measures will be almost completely eliminated, as in other European countries – at least when Lauterbach has its way. It is time for easing with a sense of proportion, he told the German Press Agency in Berlin. However, it is still necessary to be able to react quickly and flexibly to the pandemic. “The virus doesn’t go away overnight.” The Infection Protection Act must be reformulated in such a way that “basic protection is guaranteed and can be extended if necessary,” Lauterbach said. In other words, even after March 20th, if necessary, tougher measures than a mask requirement and a distance requirement should be able to take effect. “We have reached the peak of the omicron wave,” affirmed Lauterbach. “We’ll have to live with its aftermath for a while, though.”
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MPK on Wednesday: possible end of the corona measures by March 20th
The MPK is advising on far-reaching openings this Wednesday. According to a first draft for an MPK draft resolution, the corona requirements are to be largely eliminated by March 20th. After that, according to the draft proposal, only “low-threshold basic protection measures” should be required – such as compulsory masks indoors. According to the first draft by the Chancellery and MPK leaders, the Bundestag should create the legal basis for appropriate state measures. Lauterbach also emphasized: “The countries need a larger Corona cutlery.”
According to the draft, as a first step, there should no longer be any access restrictions in retail nationwide. From March 4th, the 3G regulation will then apply in restaurants and hotels, which means that those who have not been vaccinated can also visit them again with a test. From March 20th, all more far-reaching protective measures, including the home office obligation, are to expire. However, the mask requirement should continue to apply indoors as well as on buses and trains.
Incidence falls for the fourth day in a row – but this has only limited significance
Meanwhile, the nationwide seven-day incidence has fallen for the fourth day in a row. This increases the evidence that the omicron wave actually breaks. The RKI gave the value of new infections per 100,000 inhabitants and week on Wednesday morning as 1401.0.
For comparison: the day before the value was 1437.5. A week ago, the nationwide incidence was 1450.8 (previous month: 515.7). The health authorities in Germany reported 219,972 new corona infections to the RKI within one day. This is evident from numbers that reflect the status of the RKI dashboard at 5 a.m. A week ago there were 234,250 infections.
However, the numbers are only of limited significance at the moment. Experts assume a high number of cases that are not recorded in the RKI data. Test capacities and health authorities are therefore at the limit in many places, and contacts are only tracked to a limited extent. In addition, the number of people who no longer have their infection confirmed by a PCR test is likely to increase – the infection is therefore not included in the official statistics.