In view of the reduced number of corona infections, the precautionary measures against the virus are also falling in the Bundestag. The mask requirement and the 3-G proof as a prerequisite for participation in plenary and committee meetings will be abolished for the next week of the meeting. This was announced by Bundestag President Bärbel Bas to the MPs. “In view of the current development of the pandemic situation, I have now decided to lift the general decree at the end of April 24, 2022,” the letter says.
“Of course, everyone is free to continue to wear a mask. This still seems advisable, especially where it is not possible to keep your distance,” the SPD politician continued. MEPs could continue to order masks and self-tests themselves and settle them via their non-cash account. Until May 20, 2022, there is also the possibility to be tested on the test routes provided by the Bundestag administration.
In the Bundestag, the 2-G-plus rule had temporarily applied to the 736 members of parliament, their employees and the administration of the parliament. Those who were only double-vaccinated or recovered needed an additional negative test to enter the Chamber or committees. Only those who were boosted or recovered with a double vaccination did not need this. In addition, FFP2 masks were mandatory. MEPs who were neither vaccinated nor recovered could only follow the sessions from a designated tribune. Almost only AfD MPs sat there. (04/21/2022)
US government wants to go back to mandatory masks on trains and planes
The US government is taking legal action against the end of the mask requirement on public transport. She filed a complaint letter Wednesday night, starting an appeal against a federal judge’s decision, court documents show. The US health authority CDC had previously spoken out in favor of an appeal. The authority said it was still of the opinion that it was currently necessary to wear masks on public transport for health reasons.
A federal judge in the US state of Florida had declared the mask requirement on public transport invalid on Monday. Judge Kathryn Kimbell Mizelle, appointed by former US President Donald Trump, said the CDC’s order exceeded its authority, failed to seek public comment and failed to adequately explain its decisions. For the time being, passengers on planes, trains and other means of transport no longer have to wear masks. The US government had waited for a statement from the CDC before taking legal action against the decision.
President Joe Biden made masks compulsory on public transport shortly after taking office in January 2021. A few days later, the CDC health authority ordered that mouth and nose protection must be worn on airplanes, ships, ferries, trains, subways, buses, taxis and similar means of transport. The obligation also applies in airports, train stations and ports. The regulation was extended several times, most recently until the beginning of May. In recent months there has been increasing resistance, including from airlines. (04/21/2022)
Seven-day incidence again over 700
The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) reported 186,325 new infections within 24 hours on Thursday. That is 20,957 more cases than on Thursday a week ago, when 165,368 positive tests were reported. Overall, the number of confirmed corona infections in Germany is more than 23.8 million. The nationwide seven-day incidence rises to 720.6 from 688.3 the previous day. 324 other people died in connection with the virus. This increases the number of reported deaths to 133,632. As the RKI reports, there may be fewer testing, reporting and transmission activities in some federal states due to the Easter holidays and vacations.
The infection numbers are generally only of limited significance at the moment. 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. (04/21/2022)
Finance Minister Lindner tested positive for Corona
Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner tested positive for the corona virus at the IMF conference in Washington. That’s what employees of the Ministry of Finance say to journalists. wrote later Lindner on Twitter: “After two years without Covid19 infection, yesterday a negative result in the test center and today a negative rapid test: positive.” He added, “Thanks to three vaccinations,” he “only had mild cold symptoms that subsided.”
It was initially unclear whether Lindner would travel back to Berlin with the government plane as planned on Thursday. He had previously attended the meeting of finance ministers of the G-20 countries. (04/21/2022)
Moderna plans to submit vaccination approval for young children in April
The US biotechnology company Moderna intends to apply for emergency approval for its corona vaccine from the US FDA for children aged six months to five years by the end of the month. A company spokesman said.
March had that the US company publishes the first study results, according to which the preparation has also proven to be safe and well tolerated in small children between the ages of six months and six years. Despite the lower dosage, the immune response was just as strong as in adults. Moderna’s vaccine could become the first approved corona vaccine for children under five in the United States. (04/21/2022)
Medical officers: Corona numbers are probably twice as high
The medical officers assume that the number of new corona infections in Germany is twice as high as officially reported. “We expect an unreported number times two in terms of the reported corona cases,” said the chairman of the Federal Association of Physicians in the Public Health Service, Johannes Nießen, the editorial network Germany. “We don’t know the exact number, but after two years of the pandemic we can roughly estimate how the number of unreported cases will develop.”
Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) made a similar statement at the end of March. He expects the number of actual new infections to be more than twice as high as known. Experts attribute the high number of unreported cases, among other things, to the fact that many health authorities are overloaded and by no means all infected people have a PCR test done. Only these count in the statistics.
Nießen also pointed out that not all positive rapid tests were checked with a PCR test. “We are also observing a more relaxed approach to corona, not everyone with cold symptoms can be tested for corona, vaccinated people are hardly ever tested and 3G only applies in a few areas. This means that the number of unreported cases is increasing,” he said.
Union faction vice Sepp Müller brought up a changed reporting strategy for new infections. “In my opinion, one status quo report per week during the summer would be sufficient,” Müller told RND. “For two years, the health authorities have been beyond the limit of what they can do. The Bundeswehr is no longer extending its administrative assistance, which I can understand.” A weekly report during the summer would relieve the offices.
It is already the case today that individual federal states do not report data every weekday, and at weekends, for example, Baden-Württemberg, Lower Saxony, Brandenburg and Saxony do not, or only partially, report data. This in turn leads to late registrations on the following days. A comparison of daily values is therefore becoming increasingly difficult. (04/21/2022)