Intensive care physicians on Corona: DIVI President warns against loosening too early

While some countries have already significantly relaxed the corona measures, the federal government remains cautious. DIVI President Marx thinks that is correct. The number of infections in Germany has reached a new high.

Intensive care physicians fear a “roller coaster ride with a renewed increase in the number of infections” if the corona measures are relaxed too quickly. The easing announced by some federal states came too early, said the President of the German Interdisciplinary Association for Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine (DIVI), Gernot Marx, to the newspapers of the Funke media group. The current measures have meant that the omicron wave in Germany is developing more slowly and not as steeply as in other countries, and this success should not be jeopardized.

The Aachen medical professor said it was reasonable to discuss the softening or withdrawal of measures with foresight. “However, concrete easing can only be decided when the peak of the omicron wave is behind us,” demanded the DIVI President. The federal and state governments should wait until the number of infections has fallen steadily over several days.

Another high for new infections

The numbers in Germany are still rising: The new corona infections transmitted to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) within one day reached a new high. According to the RKI, the health authorities reported 248,838 cases in 24 hours in the morning. A week ago there were 190,148 new infections recorded. The RKI gave the seven-day incidence in the morning at 1349.5 – this is also a high. For comparison: the day before the value was 1283.2. A week ago, the nationwide incidence was 1073.0 (previous month: 239.9).

Experts assume that there will be a high and increasing number of cases that are not recorded in the RKI data, partly because testing capacities and health authorities are at their limits in many places. In addition, some cities and districts have been reporting problems with the transmission of the number of corona cases for days. As a result, many cases are reported later.

170 new deaths

According to the new information, 170 deaths were recorded across Germany within 24 hours, just as many as a week ago. The number of people who died from or involved a proven infection with Sars-CoV-2 rose to 118,504. The RKI has counted 10,671,602 detected infections with Sars-CoV-2 since the beginning of the pandemic. The RKI gave the number of recovered people in the morning as 7,953,200. The actual total number is likely to be significantly higher, as many infections go undetected.

The RKI gave the number of corona-infected patients who came to clinics per 100,000 inhabitants within seven days as 5.00 (Wednesday: 4.77). These may also include people with a positive corona test who have another main illness.

Protective measures could expire in mid-March

While the DIVI President warns against easing too early, the SPD believes it is possible that the corona measures could be completely eliminated in March. “Over the next few weeks we will take our time to see whether it is even necessary to extend the corona protection measures beyond March 19,” said the parliamentary director of the SPD parliamentary group, Johannes Fechner, of the “Welt”.

If, in mid-February, a decline in the omicron variant is actually detected, the question arises as to whether the restrictions in the spring and summer months are still necessary. Fechner thinks it is more likely that “such protective measures will only be discussed again with a view to next fall”.

The Infection Protection Act was last amended by the Bundestag and Bundesrat in December. It enables the federal and state governments to take a number of measures to contain the pandemic, including the obligation to wear masks or social distancing. The measures are currently limited to March 19, but could be extended once by up to three months by the Bundestag.

“Prerequisites for easing not given”

The health policy spokesman for the Union faction, Tino Sorge, called on the federal government to “launch a plan for openings in February”. Sorge told the “Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung”: “Other countries are showing us that you can relax without immediately falling into recklessness. There must be gradual opening steps that are understandable for all citizens.” The opening steps should be based on hospital occupancy and other factors.

The Greens parliamentary group, on the other hand, urged caution. “We will now not be able to do without certain measures such as the obligation to wear a mask or a reduction in contacts,” said parliamentary group leader Britta Haßelmann of the “Welt”. The omicron wave has not yet reached its peak. Even if the course of the disease is less severe, in large numbers they lead to a noticeable burden on the clinics.

Not enough is known about the distribution of the subtype BA.2, the vaccination gap is too large. “Therefore, there are no prerequisites for easing at the moment.” If the infection situation eases, you will react to it. “Then it will be about opening steps and stage models so that sectors such as culture or retail have planning security.”