Corona situation: “Every day costs human lives”

Because of the high number of infections, scientists are urging strict corona measures. Chancellor Merkel warns of “very difficult weeks”. The Bundeswehr should relieve hospitals and health authorities again.

In view of the rapidly increasing number of infections, calls for a change of course in corona policy are increasing. 35 leading doctors and scientists from other disciplines called for a more consistent approach in an appeal to the federal and state governments. “Every day of waiting costs human lives,” said a call published by the “Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger” and the “Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland”.

Instead of increasingly shifting responsibility for breaking the fourth wave into the private sphere and “within the discretion of each individual”, politicians must finally “fully meet their responsibility,” demanded the signatories. “The current pandemic situation has the potential to overshadow the situation from spring and past waves,” it said. The infection process is spreading uncontrollably, the health system is in danger of collapsing. “It is incomprehensible to us that the leaders of this country have allowed such a situation.”

The Cologne internist Michael Hallek and the Braunschweig virologist Melanie Brinkmann were in charge of the joint text by researchers from all parts of Germany.

“Very difficult weeks ahead of us”

Chancellor Angela Merkel warned urgently about the current situation in her video podcast and once again called on people to vaccinate. “There are very difficult weeks ahead of us,” said Merkel. A year ago they were in a similarly serious situation, but now there are vaccines. “We just have to grab it, grab it quickly. I ask you: join in and try to convince relatives and friends too.”

Every corona patient should receive the best possible treatment, said the executive chancellor. But there should also be space and staff in the hospitals for everyone else in need of treatment. “But that is precisely what is no longer possible in the districts most severely affected by Corona. The wards are full, patients have to be relocated. Surgery appointments are being canceled. Doctors and nurses who are still in the bones of the last pandemic winter are already on the verge of being overwhelmed, “said Merkel.

Merkel also emphasized the importance of booster vaccinations. There, too, things have to move very quickly now. Progress there is a “national effort under great time pressure,” said Merkel, but also a real opportunity to break the heavy autumn and winter wave.

The vaccination rate of patients should be recorded

Before the federal-state meeting next Thursday, Merkel called for joint action. “It has always helped us when the federal and state governments take action and commit to uniform rules,” she said. The federal and state governments would have to set a threshold value for the hospitalization value “very quickly” from which additional steps would have to be initiated. The value indicates how many people per 100,000 inhabitants have to be treated with a corona infection in hospital within seven days. It is an important yardstick for the pandemic situation.

Lauterbach warns of deaths

The SPD health expert Karl Lauterbach called for the immediate implementation of strict measures to break the fourth wave. The corona case numbers urgently need to be reduced, he told the “Rheinische Post”. Lauterbach spoke out in favor of a 2G regulation in all leisure areas and a 3G regulation in all businesses. “Unfortunately, it is to be expected that the death rate will increase significantly and that in a few weeks we will mourn the 100,000th death from this pandemic,” he said.

Recently, the number of infections repeatedly reached highs. The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) reported 45,081 new infections with the virus within 24 hours. The seven-day incidence – the number of infections per 100,000 inhabitants within a week – rose to 277.4, a new high for the sixth day in a row. A week ago the value was 183.7.

Bundeswehr is preparing for an emergency

According to a report by “Spiegel”, the Bundeswehr is meanwhile preparing for a corona emergency. According to this, up to 12,000 soldiers are to be mobilized to support overburdened clinics and health departments. In addition, they should be available for booster vaccinations and the expansion of rapid tests in front of nursing homes and clinics. A spokesman for the Ministry of Defense confirmed to the AFP news agency that the current development of the infection situation is also leading to an increase in administrative assistance requests. Most calls for help are currently coming from Thuringia, Saxony and Bavaria.

The President of the German Teachers’ Association, Heinz-Peter Meidinger, warned in the “Bild” newspaper of renewed school closings. There are now almost 100,000 schoolchildren in quarantine. There is a threat of a “loss of control”. It will be “high time for an orientation light for the schools”. In addition, the municipalities would have to ensure that the money for air filters, for example, is finally released, said Meidinger.