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In view of the high corona numbers, the federal government has tightened measures to combat the pandemic. The blockade has been in effect again across the country since Wednesday. Corona’s policy was also the focus of a government poll conducted by Chancellor Angela Merkel. The CDU politician answered questions from deputies in the Bundestag for about an hour.
The question of who should pay the bill for the pandemic played an important role. The chancellor made it clear that she strictly rejected a financial burden on top earners and the wealthy to fund the billions in costs to fight the crown pandemic.
“We don’t want a property tax,” he said. »The main task is: How do we create growth? Because we can generate additional income through growth. That will be the strategy ”. At the same time, Merkel stressed that the federal government was not planning cuts in social benefits.
Merkel also defended the communication and procedure for dispensing free FFP2 masks to people over 60 in pharmacies. The measure had drawn criticism because it led many people to meet in pharmacies, although the government tried to minimize contacts as much as possible through the closure that has been in effect since Wednesday.
“We are faced with the question of doing nothing or doing this before Christmas,” Merkel said. If you don’t have skins now, you will get them in January by other means, such as by mail. Pharmacy distribution was “a good step” that she supports. “If a lot of people want to see that, maybe it wasn’t so bad.”
Merkel believes that adjustments to the corona vaccination strategy are possible
The chancellor also spoke about the vaccination strategy in the Bundestag. According to Merkel, it is possible to make adjustments based on the intake of the different vaccines. The procedure also depends on what the licensing authorities have found about the suitability of the vaccines for which group, Merkel told the Bundestag on Wednesday.
“That is why you cannot just establish a vaccination strategy as a law.” Rather, you have to look over and over again. For example, data for children are not yet available.
The federal government relies on the European approval of the first vaccine shortly before Christmas, vaccines could start before the turn of the year. Merkel explained that the vaccines were reserved from six manufacturers. In the case of vaccinations, initially there will be a prioritization of particularly vulnerable groups. If all the substances are there in sufficient quantities, it will surely be possible to tell that you want a certain one. But it’s also about what material is best suited for which group.
Merkel explained that the goal is “herd immunity”, for which, according to experts, 65 to 70 percent of the population would have to be vaccinated, one day around the world. If more than 40, 50 or 60 percent of people did not want to be vaccinated, “then we will have to wear a mask for a long time.” Then herd immunity cannot be achieved. The Chancellor reaffirmed: “We do not want to introduce any mandatory vaccine.”
The Chancellor also responded to several questions on the subject of Corona’s aid. Other topics were, for example, the minimum wage and the planned supply chain law. Merkel confessed the latter. “I ask about the state of the conversation almost every day,” he said. The Union supports the relevant agreements of the coalition agreement, but rejects any other demands.
