Status: 05.12.2021 7:59 a.m.
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The stricter corona requirements that were only decided on Thursday do not go far enough for some: Union faction leader Brinkhaus does not want to rule out even stricter measures. Meanwhile, the incidence fell again slightly.
In view of the persistently high number of corona infections, the discussion continues on whether the measures adopted by politicians to counteract the pandemic are sufficient. For example, Union parliamentary group leader Ralph Brinkhaus called for a further tightening of the measures. “In areas with high incidences one must also think about temporary contact restrictions for vaccinated people,” said the CDU politician to the newspapers of the Funke media group.
In schools, of course, it must be the aim of the school ministers to keep them open for as long as possible with mask requirements, tests and ventilation. “But there must be no taboos for regions with very high incidences.” He feared that the latest federal and state resolutions will not be enough to break the wave.
Wissing advises against traveling for Christmas
The designated Federal Minister of Transport, Volker Wissing, advised staying at home for Christmas and not traveling. “Winter 2021 will be more dramatic than winter 2020. We mustn’t take Corona lightly,” said the FDP politician of “Bild am Sonntag”. “Contact restrictions also in the private sector are important in order to fight the pandemic. In the current situation, it seems more sensible to spend Christmas in a small group at home and not to plan major trips through the country.”
On Thursday, the federal and state governments decided on contact restrictions for unvaccinated people and stipulated for leisure events and businesses that only vaccinated and convalescent people (2G) are allowed access.
A general compulsory vaccination is also being sought, although the federal government had long ruled out such vaccination. The prospective new Chancellor Olaf Scholz has announced that the Bundestag will vote on it without being forced into a parliamentary group. According to government spokesman Steffen Seibert, this could be the case at the beginning of next year. It could then take effect in February of March. The German Ethics Council should be questioned beforehand.
Incidence at 439.2
Meanwhile, the nationwide seven-day incidence has fallen slightly again. The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) gave the value of new infections per 100,000 inhabitants and week at 439.2. On Saturday it was 442.7 – a week ago it was 446.7. The health authorities reported 42,055 new infections to the RKI within 24 hours. Exactly one week ago there were 44,401 infections. There were also 94 new coronavirus-related deaths.
When evaluating the infection rate, it should be borne in mind that experts are currently assuming a noticeable underreporting. Health authorities and clinics can no longer keep up with reporting cases, at least in individual regions. The RKI is also finding it difficult to assess the situation.
The slowed rise in the seven-day incidence could “on the one hand be a first indication of a slightly weakening dynamic in the transmission process due to the significantly intensified measures to reduce contact,” said the RKI weekly report on Thursday. However, the development could be “regionally due to the increasingly overloaded capacities in the public health service and the exhausted laboratory capacities”.
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