Pandemic: Lauterbach sees a decline in the corona summer wave

Pandemic
Lauterbach sees a decline in the corona summer wave

Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach sees the corona summer wave in Germany broken – but no reason to give the all-clear in the pandemic. “The summer wave is slowly starting to recede,” said the SPD politician on Friday in Berlin. There is a “robust decline in the number of cases”. Mortality is also going down. “First of all, that gives reason to be happy. That’s still no reason for the all-clear.” It is to be expected that the number of cases will rise sharply again in autumn.

One also has to consider that the proportion of unregistered corona diseases has increased, said Lauterbach at the federal press conference. “The number of unreported cases is increasing.” This was shown by data from the Robert Koch Institute.

According to Lauterbach, there is “very good news” about vaccines. It can be assumed that adapted vaccines could be delivered as early as September 2nd or 28th. “The federal government has procured sufficient quantities of both vaccines. We will therefore also be supplied relatively early.” The vaccination campaign could then take place promptly.

The Federal Minister of Health rejected criticism of the new version of the Infection Protection Act developed together with Justice Minister Marco Buschmann (FDP). From October 1st, the countries could then introduce a mask requirement regardless of indoor incidences. But you don’t have to do this, explained Lauterbach. But: “I believe that the countries will all do this because we will have higher case numbers again on October 1st.”

It is also not the case that a vaccination will only be valid for three months in the future, and that you have to be vaccinated every three months, emphasized Lauterbach. This deadline for exceptions to the mask requirement indoors was chosen because, according to the existing view, vaccinations protect against infection during this period. They provided much longer protection against severe infections. Getting vaccinated every three months would also be “completely nonsensical from a medical point of view”.

RKI sees the zenith of the Corona summer wave passed

Because the corona infection process has recently flattened out, the experts at the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) also see the zenith of the corona summer wave being passed.

According to the RKI weekly report on Covid-19, the nationwide seven-day incidence fell again by a total of 27 percent in the past week after the significant drop in the previous week and fell in all federal states and age groups. In addition, the number of Sars-CoV-2 infected people with symptoms of an acute respiratory infection in Germany and the number of visits to the doctor by infected people have fallen, “so that the current wave peak seems to have been exceeded”. Nevertheless: From the RKI’s point of view, it is too early to give the all-clear.

In addition, outbreaks in nursing homes have tended to decrease. The number of hospital admissions of people who had a severe acute respiratory infection and a Covid 19 diagnosis has fallen in the past week, as has the number of patients with Covid 19 diagnosis in intensive care units, the experts write. The RKI also recently spoke of a decline in deaths related to the virus – in the past week with 372 deaths reported compared to 444 in the previous week.

Older people are at greatest risk

The data showed that even in the case of severe illnesses, the current wave appears to have peaked. The RKI experts warn that people over the age of 80 are still most affected by severe illnesses. The decline in serious illnesses is currently progressing much more slowly than is observed in the overall figures. According to the RKI, despite the improved situation in the past week, the infection pressure remains high in all age groups – and so does the burden on the health system.

With a view to the next few weeks, the institute expects a “continued high number of hospitalizations, Covid 19 patients requiring intensive care and deaths, especially in older age groups”. Accordingly, the RKI continues to call for “absolutely” complying with the recommendations for avoiding infection – and once again emphasizes the great importance of the corona vaccination.

mutations are observed

According to the weekly report, the omicron subline BA.5 has meanwhile increased somewhat at a high level and, according to the latest data, has been found in about 94 percent of the positive samples. According to the RKI, the spread of the omicron subline BA.2.75, about whose mutations some researchers had recently shown concern, is mainly observed in India and various other regions worldwide. A total of five proofs are known in this country.

Survey: Majority for more corona strictness

According to a survey, the majority of citizens are in favor of stricter corona rules when the number of infections increases in autumn. That’s what 65 percent of the 1,389 respondents said in the ZDF “political barometer” on Friday, as determined by the research group elections. 33 percent are against stricter measures.

Nevertheless, 74 percent support the federal government’s plans not to provide for any school closures by law, only 23 percent disagree. 68 percent of those surveyed like the prevention of so-called lockdowns, 29 percent don’t like this decision.

dpa