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Dear readers,
Who would have thought that in Germany we would one day wonder in public what triage means? So ultimately we have to deal with who is worth saving and who we are going to let die.
For months this scenario seemed distant. The intensive capabilities hastily created during the first corona wave were not used. Afterward, some people thought of Corona’s summer fairy tale: completely covered, all the panic. How much does that cost!
Now, about six months later, triage is suddenly very close. In Saxony, where the corona virus is currently spreading like almost no other federal state, an employee at the clinic reported Thursday that they had to sort. The hospital in question later denied it.
Why the corona pandemic is so affecting the eastern federal state of all things was the subject of two of my colleagues.
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Jochen Martin Gutsch went to Pirna and asked: Why Saxony?
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My colleague Peter Maxwill took another closer look at the connection between the incidence of the crown and the approval of the AfD in the state. You can read the result here.
But not only in Saxony, but also in other federal states, the number of cases is too high. The message comes from more and more intensive care units: we are on the edge. When ventilator capabilities are depleted, medical professionals are faced with the impossible decision. Sad but true: with Christmas triage is just around the corner.
“Oh terrible, how Christmas can be a feast of hope despite everything”, is the title of the new SPIEGEL. You will receive the output now digital and since Saturday at the kiosk.
The Christmas drama
Crown between Zwickau and Zittau: the Saxon crisis
Nowhere in Germany is the number of infections more alarming than in Saxony. It is not clear exactly why this is so, but there are several plausible explanations.
Crown crisis in Saxony: Kretschmer currently does not want to have the critical points of the crown cordoned off
Saxony’s prime minister warns of hysteria: “ad hoc measures” such as curfews are currently not planned, says Michael Kretschmer. First you have to wait for the effectiveness of the measures.
Corona hotspot: why Saxony?
Hardly any other region in Germany has been so affected by the pandemic as the district of Saxon Switzerland and the ore mountains to the east. There are no more free intensive care beds for Covid patients. An on-site visit in Pirna.
Hospital capacities depleted: Hanau uses reefer containers for Covid-19 deaths
The mayor speaks of an aggravated pandemic situation: since the cooling capacity of the corpses in hospitals is no longer sufficient, Hanau has put into operation a container in the main cemetery.
Prime Minister Kretschmer on triage reports: “Zittau’s request to speak is a cry for help”
The crown situation is tense in many hospitals. After a Zittau doctor is said to have talked about triage, Saxon politicians now speak up.
Pandemic in Germany: the Robert Koch Institute reports 952 deaths
The harsh closure has begun in Germany and the number of deaths recorded in relation to the coronavirus has skyrocketed; new infections also remain high.
Emergency situation in German intensive care units: “You would have to accompany me one day”
The closure of public life was urgently needed, says the director of the Corona control center in Dresden. In Saxony, clinics are already over the limit, and not just there.
What you need to know about blocking
Crown lock – the ‘all or nothing’ principle
Experts agree that the measures decided by the federal and state governments will flatten the second crown wave. How well this works depends on a deciding factor.
Germany before closing: these are the crown rules from Wednesday
Most shops close, school only goes to school in exceptional cases: as of Wednesday, public life in Germany will remain closed in the fight against the corona virus. What are the rules?
Corona’s new decision: who (can’t) you celebrate Christmas with now
Who else can go with whom? The adopted Christmas regulation is a ten-line statute that could still generate discussions, in politics, but also in families.
Celebrate or not celebrate?
Corona Christmas: “Now we have learned that love cannot fight the virus”
If you still want to convince the family of a “week of protection” before Christmas, then now. But how do you get parents and grandparents to change their behavior? Family therapist Sandra Konrad knows what to do.
Antigen Self Tests: Negative Christmas Everywhere
Many people want to do rapid antigen tests on Christmas Eve so as not to endanger their families: a throat swab, wait 15 minutes, and go out to see Grandma. But it’s not that simple.
Crown and Christmas: Jesus would not have visited grandmother
Should urgently needed corona measures be applied only after Christmas? The debate is absurd and has to do with a false hype of the festival. It is completely clear what charity requires.
Covid-19 in world numbers
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Confirmed cases: 75,019,857
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Deaths: 1,663,740
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Recovered from illness: 42,402,224
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Germany: 1,439,938 confirmed illnesses, 24,938 deaths
Sources: CSSE / Johns Hopkins University, as of December 18, 2020, 9.28 am .; Robert Koch Institute, beginning December 18, 2020, 12:00 am
Research news
Drivers of infection: where people often get infected
The off light was not enough, now stricter measures should take effect. But how effective are they? And what can be learned from the infection process to contain the pandemic?
Vaccination committee recommendation: who will be vaccinated and when? And are the prioritizations fair?
Stiko has published its recommendations on who should receive a coronavirus vaccine and under what conditions. The most important questions and answers at a glance.
What else was important
Fight for the corona vaccine: the planning disaster
In the fight against Corona, the EU and the German government fail to obtain vaccines, hundreds of millions of doses have been rejected. Now the material is too late and it is not enough for everyone.
Accelerated corona vaccine for Europe: safety, side effects and a disappointment
Eight days ahead of schedule: on Tuesday it became known that Europe would decide on the approval of a vaccine on December 21. The most important questions and answers at a glance.
Last minute shopping before closing: shopping, no tomorrow
Because retail is due to close on Wednesday, the number of pedestrians inside German cities has increased significantly. In Frankfurt, for example, as many things happened on Monday as on the weekend. Data analysis
Reading material for the weekend
Swiss crown crisis: people are dying, life is still happy
Despite the alarming number of infections, restaurants, ski lifts and casinos continue to operate. The laxity of the Swiss government divides the country, the German neighbors are surprised.
Everyday life in the new closure: When will our lives finally return to normal?
The longer the crisis of the crown lasts, the more we yearn for normality. But is that the correct approach? Psychiatrist Jan Kalbitzer says: It can also be an opportunity to look at the world anew.
Have a good weekend
Yours Michail Hengstenberg
What you need to know about the virus
We have collected all the answers to the most important questions about the coronavirus here. You can find more current developments at SPIEGEL.de.
