Corona numbers are increasing – earlier vaccination for teachers and educators – politics

20.02.2021

Photo: Hans-Joachim Winckler, NN
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In Germany, there are signs that the corona pandemic will worsen again. The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) reported 9,164 new infections within one day on Saturday. That was 810 more than on Saturday the previous week. In addition, the so-called R-value rose – another important figure. Against the background of the upcoming school and daycare openings in several federal states on Monday, there are now increasing signs that the corona vaccination staff could take their turn earlier and the vaccination regulation will be changed accordingly.

The RKI gave the nationwide seven-day R-value on Saturday afternoon as 1.07. That is the highest value in several weeks. This means that 100 infected people theoretically infect 107 more people. This could indicate that the more contagious virus variants are spreading faster despite the lockdown.

Spahn speaks of a “really difficult phase”

RKI President Lothar Wieler called on people to persevere: “False promises do not help anyone, and it is quite simply that we have to follow these measures, which we know, that we have to hold out for a certain time,” he said at an im Internet broadcast discussion of the Federal Ministry of Health on the subject of vaccination.

Health Minister Jens Spahn (CDU) spoke of a “really difficult phase” of the corona pandemic. Everyone is tired after twelve months. “A child who is ten years old has now spent a tenth of his life in the pandemic.” There is an expectation that with a decrease in the number of new infections, the restrictions will also go a little further. Spahn also mentioned the mutations. But the vaccination gives confidence, he added.

It is becoming more and more likely that daycare and elementary school employees will move up in the order. It is socially very important that daycare centers and primary schools can reopen, said Spahn. On Monday, face-to-face classes will begin again in many institutions in ten federal states and the day-care centers are accepting more children. But because distance is not possible there, they want to move the employees quickly to the next higher group two and make a vaccination possible earlier, said Spahn.

Will the vaccination regulation be changed?

In the vaccination sequence in Germany, three large groups were determined: group one with “highest priority”, group two: “high priority”, and group three: “increased priority”. According to the current vaccination ordinance, daycare and primary school employees are in group three and would therefore probably not be there until the summer. Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) and the heads of government of the federal states asked the Ministry of Health at their latest meeting to check whether teachers could get their turn earlier. For this, the current vaccination ordinance would have to be changed.