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Vice Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) wants to quickly lift restrictions on vaccinated people. “Now that initial studies suggest that vaccinated people no longer transmit virus diseases and therefore do not pose a risk of infection, we should discuss what restrictions can be removed for this group,” Scholz said Wednesday. Süddeutsche Zeitung. “I can well imagine that the vaccination certificate can be used as a negative rapid test. Vaccinated people have access to all those places that otherwise can only be accessed with a rapid test.” Consequently, vaccinated people could be in theaters, cinemas. Visit sports facilities or beer gardens without having to take a daily test.
Scholz said as a justification that the crown’s restrictions had a profound impact on citizens’ rights. Such profound interventions against the individual are justified as long as there is a serious reason for it. “That also means that the faster we move forward with vaccination, the more we gradually recover our daily lives.” (Cerstin gammelin)
Germany extends border controls until March 17
Germany is extending its stationary controls on the border with the Czech Republic and the Austrian state of Tyrol until March 17. This was announced by the parliamentary Secretary of State Stephan Mayer (CSU) in the Bundestag’s Home Affairs Committee, according to participants in a non-public meeting.
Germany declared the Czech Republic, Slovakia and much of Tyrol as so-called virus variant areas in mid-February. From there and from other areas where more contagious variants are widespread and, according to initial studies, of the coronavirus that cause severe courses, currently only Germans and foreigners with residence permits and residence in Germany can enter. There are exceptions, for example, for truck drivers and cross-border travelers with systemically important professions. You must submit a negative corona test that is no older than 48 hours.
Spahn wants to increase the interval between vaccinations
The Federal Minister of Health, Jens Spahn (CDU), has spoken in favor of a longer interval between the first and second vaccination against the corona virus. In the ARD “Morgenmagazin,” Spahn said that people who are vaccinated with the Biontech and Pfizer vaccine should only receive a second vaccine after six weeks, and the Astra Zeneca vaccine should not be vaccinated a second time until twelve weeks. Currently, second vaccines with the Biontech and Pfizer vaccine are generally given after three weeks, with the Astra-Zeneca vaccine after nine weeks. This would allow more people to receive a primary vaccination more quickly. Spahn has asked the Permanent Commission on Vaccination (Stiko) to adjust its recommendations. I expected a decision in a few days.
There is also encouraging data on the efficacy of the Astra-Zeneca vaccine in people over 65 years of age. “If we could vaccinate those over 65 with Astra Zeneca, it would really speed things up.” Regarding demands to increase the speed of vaccination, the Federal Minister of Health said: “We have now vaccinated five percent of Germans for the first time. But of course: more speed is needed.” Vaccination centers should use “principle-based pragmatism” to more flexibly decide who can be vaccinated, while still following a fixed classification into vaccination groups.
With a view to calling for the crown’s measures to be relaxed despite the increased incidence, Spahn said before the federal-state consultations in the afternoon: “We will fight.” It is now about “balancing for society between the best possible protection and, at the same time, the consequences that this has and that we all need for normality.”
The federal and state governments also want to link openings to an incidence of 100
According to a new draft, the federal and state governments want to link the relaxation of crown rules to a seven-day incidence out of 100. If more than 100 out of 100,000 residents are first infected with the virus in a week, they will will have to withdraw the relaxation of the contact restrictions planned for March 8. This reflects the state of the discussion as of Wednesday morning and specifies the previously leaked easing plan.
Chancellor Angela Merkel and the prime ministers will meet this Wednesday from 2:00 p.m. After a month-long lockdown, they are planning new opening steps, depending on the regional infection rate and with an “emergency brake”, as can be seen in a preliminary draft resolution for the federal-state round on Monday for the night. The occurrence value of 100 is obviously the advertised “emergency brake”. Numerous openings starting March 8 will also be tied to massive rapid tests.
In principle, the blockade will last until March 28, also due to the danger posed by new variants of the virus. However, Reuters reports that if the incidence is less than 100, more extensive easing should be possible even before then.
Before Consulting Federal and State Governments: Drosten Urges Caution
Ahead of federal and state consultations on the corona pandemic on Wednesday, virologist Christian Drosten showed understanding for requests for relief, but cautioned against being careful.
The proportion of the most contagious variant B.1.1.7 continues to grow, the warmer season will not eliminate the problem and vaccination needs more speed, emphasized the Charité coronavirus expert in the “Coronavirus Update” in NDR-Info en Tuesday. It’s “a really difficult game if you relax too fast now. You just come across a situation with naive eyes.”
By Drosten’s estimate, the proportion of mutants first discovered in Britain in infections in Germany has risen to about half, and the proportion will continue to rise, which is inevitable, he said. In Britain now only remnants of other variants remain, B.1.1.7 is completely dominant. The measures there are stricter compared to those in Germany.
In this country, an increase in new infections can be expected if relaxation is relaxed, Drosten explained. “But it is legitimate to withdraw such measures,” he said, referring to social and economic considerations. Fully understand the desire for relaxation. However, it is important to carefully examine where it is possible. Drosten believes that intensive care medical association Divi models, according to which intensive care units would be overloaded again in May if they were loosened too soon, are realistic. Divi experts are in favor of a lockdown in early April.
To make faster progress with vaccination, Drosten called for more pragmatism. There are tried and tested structures with family and company doctors that should also be used. These doctors also know who should get the preferred vaccine.
After months of lockdown, there are signs of new opening steps in Germany, but depending on the regional infection rate and with an “emergency brake”. This stems from a preliminary draft resolution for the Bund-Länder Round this Wednesday, which has the status of Monday at 7:10 p.m. and has reportedly not yet been coordinated with all Länder. Numerous openings are also tied to massive rapid tests. In principle, the blockade will last until March 28, also due to the danger posed by new variants of the virus.
RKI Reports 9019 New Corona Infections
German health authorities reported 9,019 new corona infections to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) in one day, about 1,000 more than on Wednesday a week ago. In addition, 418 additional deaths were recorded in 24 hours. Exactly a week ago, the RKI had recorded 8007 new infections and 422 new deaths in one day.
According to the RKI, the number of new infections reported in seven days per 100,000 population (seven-day incidence) was 64.0 nationwide on Wednesday morning and thus slightly lower than the previous day (65 ,4). Four weeks ago, on February 3, the incidence had been 82.9. Its previous high was reached on December 22 at 197.6.
On January 14, the peak of 1,244 recently reported deaths was reached. For new infections registered within 24 hours, the highest value was reached on December 18, at 33,777, but it contained 3,500 late reports.
Since the start of the pandemic, the RKI has tallied 2,460,030 detected infections with Sars-CoV-2 in Germany (as of March 3, 5:35 am). The actual total number is likely to be significantly higher, as many infections go undetected. The RKI stated that the number of people recovered was around 2,274,400. The total number of people who died with or with a proven Sars-CoV-2 infection increased to 70,881.
According to RKI’s management report on Tuesday, the national seven-day R-value was 0.94 (previous day 1.01). This means that, in theory, 100 infected people infect 94 more people. The value represents the onset of the infection 8 to 16 days ago. If it is below 1 for a longer period of time, the infection process subsides; if it is constantly higher, the number of cases increases.
