FDP parliamentary group leader Christian Dürr calls for the rules on the isolation of corona infected people to be lifted. Germany should follow the example of Great Britain, where those who tested positive no longer had to go into forced isolation, Dürr told the editorial network Germany. “Anyone who has tested positive but is symptom-free should be allowed to leave the house with a mask and distance,” he said. “I am firmly convinced that people can make their own decisions on this issue. Government regulation is no longer required for this,” added Dürr.
The new guidelines published by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) on Monday evening stipulate that the prescribed isolation for people infected with corona can usually end after five days. At the end, however, a negative test is “strongly recommended”. Contact persons of infected people should be strongly recommended in the future to reduce contacts for five days. So far, the secretions have usually lasted ten days and can be ended prematurely with a negative test after seven days. The specific implementation is up to the federal states.
At a meeting at the end of April, the federal and state health ministers decided to reduce the length of isolation nationwide. In some federal states, there was already an obligation to isolate for only five days. (04.05.2022)
Seven-day incidence drops to 591.8
The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) reported 106,631 new infections within 24 hours on Wednesday. That is 35,030 fewer cases than on Wednesday last week, when 141,661 corona infections were reported. The nationwide seven-day incidence drops to 591.8 from 632.2 the previous day. 241 other people died in connection with the virus. This increases the number of reported deaths to 135,942.
The number of infections is currently only of limited significance. Experts have been assuming for some time that there will be a large number of cases not recorded by the RKI – due to overworked health authorities and because not all infected people have a PCR test done. Only these count in the statistics. That is why we use the SZ Corona Dashboard to show an average value from the reports of the past seven days, which is intended to compensate for fluctuations from day to day. You can find more information on this in the transparency blog, further data and graphics on the pandemic here. (04/04/2022)
Mothers’ Convalescence Agency: One in four mothers complains of sleep disorders, anxiety and depressive episodes
Many mothers have been challenged by the corona pandemic to the limits of their own resilience: almost a quarter of all mothers report sleep disorders, anxiety and depressive episodes, said the mothers’ recovery work (MGW) in Berlin. Health problems often come from the multiple burdens of children, work and family coordination. “Many mothers are more than just exhausted,” says the mothers’ recovery organization with a view to health problems.
According to the relief organization, a stay at a spa can help with rehabilitation and prevention. However, affected women are often denied this due to a lack of information or money for the necessary things related to a cure. According to its own statements, the MGW therefore helps with financial support for suitable spa clothing, the additional payment of the statutory personal contribution or pocket money for an excursion. To this end, it traditionally collects donations for the projects nationwide around Mother’s Day. (04.05.2022)
South African vaccine plant faces closure due to vaccine fatigue
The first African plant to produce a corona vaccine is threatened with closure. Due to vaccination fatigue on the continent, the South African pharmaceutical company Aspen Pharmacare has not received a single order for production, said a manager of the group.
Aspen agreed to a license with pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson last November. The South Africans were supposed to bottle its corona vaccine for the whole of Africa and sell it under its own name Aspenovax. In South Africa, the vaccination rate is stagnating at around 30 percent. A fifth corona wave is imminent. (05/02/2022)
Drug Paxlovid cannot prevent corona transmission
According to a study commissioned by the pharmaceutical company Pfizer, the company’s Covid-19 drug Paxlovid cannot prevent infection transmission. “While we are disappointed with the outcome of this particular study, these results do not affect the strong efficacy and safety data we observed in our previous study treating Covid-19 patients,” said Albert Bourla, Managing Director of Pfizer.
The company said the study’s safety data is consistent with previous studies showing that the pills prevent almost 90 percent of hospitalization or death in Covid patients at high risk of serious illness. (04/30/2022)
Economics Minister Habeck ends corona isolation
According to a ministry spokeswoman, Economics Minister Robert Habeck will be taking all scheduled appointments again from this Monday. A second PCR test at the weekend was negative and confirmed a negative PCR test from Friday. Previously, Habeck had had three positive rapid test results and isolated himself. The Green politician will take part in the special meeting of EU energy ministers in Brussels on Monday afternoon. Habeck tested positive for the corona virus on Friday. (05/02/2022)
Omicron subvariant BA.2 at 97 percent, other variants rare
According to data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), the omicron subvariant BA.2 is now likely to cause the vast majority of corona infections in Germany. According to the latest findings – a sample from the week before last – their share was 97 percent, according to the RKI weekly report on Thursday evening.
BA.1, the previously predominant subtype, comes to just under three percent. According to the data, the relatively new omicron sublines BA.4 and BA.5 have not played any particular role so far: BA.4 is listed with a share of 0 percent, BA.5 with 0.1 percent. Mixed variants have so far only been detected in isolated cases, writes the RKI. In Germany, the genome is only completely examined in a small proportion of positive samples. (04/29/2022)