Confinement debate: critics warn against easing

The number of new infections with the coronavirus is on the decline, and the call to loosen the lockdown is strong. Intensive care physicians are now warning once again urgently against hasty decisions.

Faced with the decline in new coronavirus infections, the debate about easing measures to contain the pandemic has flared up again. More recently, Health Minister Jens Spahn declared, albeit cautiously, that he could imagine a “responsible transition from the blockade to the normal state.”

Intensive care physicians, on the other hand, once again urgently warn politicians against the relaxation of federal-state talks on February 10: “I am not advocating an infinite extension of the lockdown. But it is imperative that at least let’s change the current measures for two more weeks, “Gernot Marx, president of the German Interdisciplinary Association for Intensive and Emergency Medicine (DIVI), said to” t-online “. There should be another review at the end of February.

Marx emphasized that the situation in intensive care units remains very serious despite the decrease in the number of patients. In view of the 4,200 crown intensive care patients, one cannot speak of real relaxation. In addition, all employees have been in a permanent state of emergency for almost a year and it is not yet clear how strong the new mutations of the virus, particularly contagious, are.

Spahn: “I can’t stay indoors all winter”

Health Minister Spahn had previously warned the Funke media group about new variants of the corona virus. “It is not yet possible to finally say where we will be on February 14,” Spahn said. So far the end of the hard blockade is planned.

However, it is also clear that the measures have limits, so Spahn: We cannot remain in this harsh confinement all winter, “said the minister.” We couldn’t bear that as a society.

Preferred for schools and nurseries

When it comes to relaxation, childcare and education should take priority: daycare centers and schools “come first anyway,” Spahn said. This is how the chancellor sees it: “What I can promise – that the first thing we will open will be kindergartens and primary schools, above all,” Angela Merkel said in a citizen dialogue.

RKI reported 14,211 new infections.

The number of corona infections in Germany has been declining for weeks. German health authorities today reported 14,211 new corona infections to the RKI in one day. In addition, 786 new deaths were recorded in 24 hours, according to RKI figures. Exactly a week ago, the RKI had recorded 17,553 new infections and 941 new deaths in 24 hours.

The number of new infections reported in seven days per 100,000 population (seven-day incidence) was 80.7 in the morning, according to the RKI. Its previous high was reached on December 22 at 197.6.