Status: 02/09/2022 07:44 a.m
The hospital society no longer expects the health system to be overloaded by the omicron wave – and is thus heating up the debate about easing. The focus is primarily on the children.
The German Hospital Society assumes that the clinics are coping well with the omicron wave. “I currently no longer expect the German healthcare system to be overburdened in the coming weeks,” said CEO Gerald Gass of the “Bild” newspaper.
The current corona measures have “significantly contributed to the fact that the feared wave was not as high as feared”. They should apply until the peak of the omicron wave, which the federal government expects in one to two weeks. After that, politicians could “without a doubt envisage gradual easing for the coming weeks”.
“Politicians must already develop a concept now”
The German Association of General Practitioners joined the calls for a concrete opening plan. “Politicians must already develop a concept of how the opening steps should look in concrete terms,” said Federal Chairman Ulrich Weigeldt to the editorial network Germany (RND). “What must not happen is that hectically inconsistent and not well thought-out relaxation measures are decided.” There are currently more corona patients in the practices, but the courses are significantly milder.
The calls for easing prospects are also getting louder from politics, despite the further increase in the number of infections. The leader of the FDP parliamentary group in the Bundestag, Christian Dürr, told the “Bild” that as soon as there was no longer a risk of the health system being overloaded, restrictions would have to be withdrawn. “That’s why we are already talking about concrete opening perspectives.” The next prime ministers’ conference should take the first decisions on this.
Relaxation first for minors?
The Green politician Dieter Janecek called for minors to be taken into account first when loosening. “Children and young people finally need complete normality again, they should be the first to benefit from openings,” he told the “Bild”. For youth sports and club life, “all restrictions should be lifted promptly”.
FDP health expert Christine Aschenberg-Dugnus wants to give children “broad access to educational, sports and cultural facilities”. “This should be done regardless of vaccination status and be implemented first when measures are relaxed.”
“Schools are not islands”
On the other hand, the education and science union warned against losing sight of the consequences for the schools in the event of possible easing. “Schools are not islands, infections are carried into the facilities and spread here too,” said Maike Finnern, the chairwoman of the Education and Science Union (GEW), the RND.
“Relaxing protective measures in other areas of society therefore means accepting that the number of infections in schools will continue to rise – and that more and more facilities will have to close.”
Federal Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach had only yesterday warned against a quick lifting of measures and described the discussion about easing as inappropriate. “We don’t really have the situation under control yet,” said the SPD politician. A peak in the omicron wave is expected for the middle of this month.