The corona numbers continue to rise steeply. The incidence of new infections has exceeded the threshold of 800 for the first time. The Federal Government’s Expert Council recommends preparing for a further sharp increase in the number of infections.
The corona numbers in Germany continue to rise steeply. The seven-day incidence of new infections has exceeded the threshold of 800 for the first time. The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) gave it 806.8 on Sunday morning. The previous day the incidence was 772.7, a week ago it was 515.7. The health authorities reported 85,440 new corona infections to the RKI within one day. In view of the rapid spread of the omicron variant, the Federal Government’s Expert Council calls for preparations for further steps. The federal and state governments want to discuss the further strategy this Monday.
Experts expect that more and more infections cannot be detected, partly because test capacities and health authorities are increasingly at the limit. In hospitals and other areas of critical infrastructure, there is already a risk of significant staff shortages as a result of high levels of sick leave and quarantine, and some of these have already occurred. Omicron is considered to be particularly contagious, but according to many experts, the course of the disease is milder.
Expert advice expects a further increase in infections
The prime ministers of the federal states want to discuss further steps with Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) this Monday. Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) has repeatedly spoken out in favor of maintaining the existing measures. The Federal Government’s Council of Experts supports this line, but advocates arming yourself for a further increase in the number of infections.
“The highly dynamic infection process currently requires the maintenance and strict implementation of the previous measures,” says a statement by the committee published on Saturday evening. If, as a result of further increasing incidences, critical levels are reached, for example in terms of hospital admissions, further infection control measures could become necessary. “These should therefore now be prepared in such a way that they can be implemented without delay.”
Contact restrictions and booster vaccinations
Both contact restrictions and booster vaccinations are necessary to slow down the dynamics of the current wave and to protect the health system and critical infrastructure, according to the unanimous recommendation of the 19 council members. It is therefore important to intensify the booster campaign.
Due to the existing contact reductions and the prudent behavior of the citizens, the internationally observed steep increase in the number of infections in Germany was initially slowed down. However, the Expert Council expects a further increase. At the top, seven-day incidences “of several thousand could be reached regionally”. The extent of the hospital burden will depend crucially on the incidences in unvaccinated adults and those over 50 years of age. These are still comparatively low, but infections have been entered in the group of older people.
With an increase in basic immunity in the population and a decrease in the number of new infections and hospitalization rates, the contact restrictions should be gradually reduced again. In the long term, it is urgently necessary “to close the remaining immunity gaps in society through vaccinations, as otherwise strong waves of infection and disease are to be expected in cycles.”
“A signal for large-scale, blanket easing would be too early at the moment”
North Rhine-Westphalia’s Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst (CDU) urged patience. “A signal for large-scale, blanket easing would be too early at the moment,” said the chairman of the Prime Ministers’ Conference to the “Tagesspiegel” (Sunday). “Around 1,500 people are still dying of Corona every week, the staff in the hospitals are completely exhausted – we can’t be cold.” In retail and gastronomy, a relaxation of the 2G and 2G Plus rules is currently out of the question for him.
The German Association of Towns and Municipalities called for the development of a phased plan for easing. “An exit strategy must be prepared now,” said managing director Gerd Landsberg of the editorial network Germany (RND). “In the neighboring countries, we can see that the pandemic will have reached its peak at some point and then the numbers will drop again drastically and quickly.”
Source From: Stern
