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Corona vaccines will likely only be available on a larger scale at doctor’s offices starting in mid-April, and that is met with criticism. In particular, general practitioners themselves are calling for vaccines to be moved quickly from vaccination centers to clinics. Health Minister Jens Spahn (CDU) points out that the quantities of vaccines available are not yet sufficient. It does not expect deliveries of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which was approved in the European Union on Thursday, until mid-April at the earliest.
According to a recommendation from the federal and state health ministers, vaccinations in practices should begin “as soon as possible,” but no later than the week of April 19. However, the available vaccine should first be directed to the existing regional vaccination centers in the countries.
In the future, general practitioners want to fully immunize against Covid-19 instead of vaccination centers: “You can work with the vaccination appointments that are still booked there, but at the same time, the field of vaccines must finally be left. in the hands of the resident “. doctors “, said the president of the association Ulrich Weigeldt Augsburger Allgemeine. “The practices could start vaccinating right away,” he said.
Spahn announced at the ARD “Tagesthemen” to be patient. If each doctor only received five or ten doses a week, there would be legitimate questions about how the doctor should prioritize their patients. “We need a certain minimum amount above which it makes sense.” At one point in May, June and July there will be around ten million vaccinations per week in practices. “That will develop very quickly upwards.” Spahn spoke of a “ketchup effect”: “At first little comes out (of the bottle), then a lot comes out.”
SPD health expert Karl Lauterbach hopes that it will even be until May before vaccination in doctors’ offices can be fully implemented in all countries. He told the newspapers of the Funke media group: “If we had already involved the resident doctors, that would have led to disappointment. If a doctor can only vaccinate a few people a day, but 1000 wait for it, it will only cause trouble.”
Seven-day incidence increases again
German health authorities reported 12,834 new corona infections to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) in one day, 2,254 more than exactly a week ago. That comes from the RKI numbers on Friday. The seven-day incidence was also significantly higher on Friday morning at 72.4 than the day before (69.1). The data reflects the state of the RKI dashboard at 5:20 am, subsequent changes or additions are possible.
In addition, 252 additional deaths were recorded in 24 hours. Exactly a week ago, the RKI had recorded 10,580 new infections and 264 new deaths in one day. Already on Thursday there was a significant increase in new corona infections compared to the previous week and the seven-day incidence compared to the day before.
Four weeks ago, on February 12, the seven-day incidence was 62.2. The number of new infections in Germany dropped significantly for weeks in January and February. More recently, however, it stalled and then rose again, which could also be due to the spread of more contagious variants.
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.
Wieler: “The third wave has already started in Germany”
One year after the declaration of a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO), the Robert Koch Institute is convinced that the third corona wave has begun in Germany. “We have very clear signs of this: the third wave has already started in Germany,” RKI president Lothar Wieler said in an interview with the UN Association of Journalists (ACANU) in Geneva. “I’m very worried.” Strict application of protective measures, such as wearing a mask and keeping your distance, remains an urgent need despite vaccinations.
The vaccination campaign is a race against the mutant virus. The goal is in sight: If there are no interruptions due to production downtime or other reasons, 80 percent of the population could be immune to the virus in the fall. “If that’s the case, all measures can be lifted,” Wieler said. He assumes that refreshments will be needed after the first rounds of vaccination, at what intervals is still unclear.
The WHO declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic on March 11, 2020. At that time, 118,000 infections had been reported worldwide and nearly 4,300 people had died after becoming infected. One year later, according to WHO statistics, there are nearly 120 million reported infections worldwide and a good 2.6 million deaths.
Merkel sees “three or four difficult months”
According to Chancellor Angela Merkel, the crown situation in Germany will remain tense until the summer. “These are now three or four difficult months: March, April, May, June,” Merkel said in a public digital conversation with employees of the helpline and the crisis hotline. After that, the effects of the vaccination would be clear, Merkel said. “Then it will be much better, but at this time every day is difficult. It shows in everyone.” Spring makes some things easier, but it also allows you to feel the constraints more.
The Chancellor said that the political handling of the crisis was characterized by uncertainty. “We’re trying to build the bridges now, but we don’t know exactly where we’re going to build them either. Well, we don’t see the bank either,” he said. “That is really the most difficult part of a pandemic, that the end is not known.” During the great financial and banking crisis of a few years ago, it was clear that the cause had to be eliminated and the sweaty banks had to get money back. By comparison, much is unclear on the pandemic, Merkel said. “I also don’t know what else this virus is doing” and if there will be more mutations.
During the hour-and-a-half conversation, clerks from the phone, mail and chat pastoral services reported on Merkel’s experiences. Several participants reported, for example, that in the pandemic, help from the environment of those seeking advice was partially lost and that offers of help from third parties were reduced or more difficult to transmit. Several of Merkel’s interlocutors also spoke of their concern that social cuts would be made after the crisis.
Stiko-Chef lobt Sputnik V
The chairman of the Permanent Commission on Vaccination (Stiko), Thomas Mertens, praises the Russian corona Sputnik V vaccine. “This is a good vaccine that will probably also be approved in the EU at some point. Russian researchers have a lot of experience with vaccines. Sputnik V is cleverly built, “Mertens said. Rheinische Mail (Wednesday). The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is currently examining the approval of the product. So far, the vaccines from the manufacturers Pfizer / Biontech, Moderna and Astra Zeneca have been approved in the EU. The EMA is expected to recommend approval of the vaccine by US manufacturer Johnson & Johnson on March 11.
Mertens was “reluctant” to make a forecast about when everyone who wanted to get vaccinated in Germany. “At least I hope we get the situation under control in autumn to such an extent that the effect of the vaccines is clearly visible,” said Stiko’s boss. There is already a massive drop in serious illnesses and deaths in the elderly and nursing homes.
Mertens was also “sure” that there would soon be a corona vaccine for children. Manufacturers are currently investigating in studies how their products work for them. Here, too, the Stiko president did not dare to make a forecast: “I’m not sure if this will be something this year,” he said. “Maybe we can start vaccinating the children before the end of the year.”
Seven major outdoor festivals canceled due to Corona
Several major festivals in Germany and Switzerland will also be canceled this year due to the corona pandemic. This was announced by the chain of events, Eventim Live, on Wednesday. Canceled “Rock am Ring” at the Nürburgring, “Rock im Park” in Nuremberg, “Hurricane Festival” in Lower Saxony and “Southside” at Neuhausen ob Eck in Baden-Württemberg. The “Deichbrand” near Cuxhaven, “SonneMondSterne” in Thuringia near Saalburg-Ebersdorf and the Swiss “Greenfield Festival” are also canceled. “The organizers had to decide to cancel due to the uncertain infection situation,” Eventim Live said. For employees and hundreds of thousands of fans, the concert events are canceled for the second time. All major events had already been canceled in the summer of 2020.
In Eifel and Nuremberg, for example, the simultaneous traditional festivals “Rock am Ring” and “Rock im Park” were planned for the second weekend of June 2021 with headliners such as Green Day, System Of A Down and Volbeat. According to the responsible organizer, they should now take place again on the first weekend of June 2022. It was not yet clear which headliners would be on stage. Soon, fans who have already purchased tickets this year or even last year will be able to rebook them online for 2022.
