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Again, a high level of new infections and still very different crown rules in the federal states. It will be a little less than a week until the next federal-state consultations, but the first proposals have already been made.
In view of a renewed record of new corona virus infections, the debate over stricter corona rules and, above all, uniform rules in Germany is picking up speed again.
New measures?
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania Prime Minister Manuela Schwesig, who is following a particularly strict course in the pandemic, told “Bild” that she viewed the increase in the number with concern. “It is good that we have introduced the Corona traffic light. But we have to discuss next week at the prime ministers conference if more steps are necessary.” At their regular meeting next Friday, the heads of government of the federal states will discuss the situation of the crown at the national level.
Saarland Prime Minister Tobias Hans held back: he wants to wait and see if the latest federal and state decisions go into effect. His country quickly implemented them. “If these are enough, it will show up in the next ten to fourteen days. We should wait this long before taking further action,” Hans also said the “picture”.
More powers for the federal government?
The Federal Minister of the Economy, Peter Altmaier, like the Prime Minister of Bavaria, Markus Söder, spoke in favor of handing more powers in the measures of the crown to the federal government if necessary. “The decisions of a single federal state can have an impact on all other federal states. That is why we urgently need more joint decisions,” he said in the newspapers of the Funke media group. “Either by all the states together or, where that is too cumbersome, at the federal level, where the states are definitely involved,” he added, apparently with a view to the Federal Council.
Chancellor Angela Merkel was not satisfied with the resolutions of the last federal-state round on the status of the crown a week and a half ago. They didn’t go far enough for her.
Resolutions not implemented
Reinhard Sager, president of the District Assembly, has now criticized the fact that some of the states have not yet implemented the resolutions passed there.
Health authorities have not been strengthened, despite problems with tracking infections. According to Sager in the “Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung”, “there is currently no new appointment” based on the pact between the federal and state governments. “On the part of the federal states, it has to be a matter of speed.”
New maximum for new infections
The number of new infections reached a new record. According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) on Saturday morning, German health authorities reported 14,714 new cases of corona in one day.
Previously, there were temporary gaps in the transmission of infection figures on Thursday. Without the technical breakdown, the institute would have determined an even higher value on Friday, reducing the number now published.
More than 10,000 dead
According to the RKI, a total of 418,005 people in Germany were infected with the virus (as of October 24, 00:00). In addition, the number of deaths exceeded the 10,000 threshold for the first time: since the beginning of the pandemic, a total of 10,003 people have died in connection with a corona infection. That’s 49 more than the day before.
The number of views, or R-value for short, was 1.23 in Germany according to the RKI situation report on Friday (previous day: 1.11). This means that ten infected people infect about twelve more people.
Lauterbach: closing contacts
Due to the sharp increase in numbers, SPD health expert Karl Lauterbach sees only two options: voluntary contact restrictions for all or new forced closures. “If the virus is allowed to spread, the numbers skyrocket so fast that hospitals are overwhelmed and too many people die of corona,” said the epidemiologist of the “Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung”. “So we have to close personal contacts very quickly so that we don’t wake up to a month-long health emergency.”
Vice Chancellor Olaf Scholz expressed his understanding for young people who are “hungry for life” but cautioned that the crown’s measures must be observed. “I understand all those who savor every day to the fullest, who want to celebrate and meet friends,” the Finance Minister and candidate for chancellor of the SPD told the news portal “watson”. But it takes patience. “The current restrictions on protection against Corona are annoying for many, depressing for others and also an unreasonable financial burden for others. Unfortunately, they are necessary to prevent worse things. We must continue to do everything possible to protect those we love and whose health is important for us “.
