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There are fewer new infections than a week ago, but relaxation is not yet in sight. Therefore, the federal government is promoting compliance with the rules, with a controversial campaign on social media.
German health authorities reported 10,824 new coronavirus infections to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) in one day. That’s about 6,100 cases less than Sunday, the RKI reports since morning. The number of cases registered is usually lower on Mondays, among other things because fewer tests are carried out on weekends and not all health authorities transmit data to the RKI. Last Monday, the number of new infections reported was 13,363. The peak was reached last Friday with 23,542 reported cases.
The number of deaths related to the virus rose 62 to a total of 12,547 as of Monday. According to the RKI, a total of 801,327 people across Germany have been infected with Sars-CoV-2 since the beginning of the pandemic (until November 16, 00:00).
According to RKI’s situation report on Sunday, the so-called seven-day R was 1.03 (previous day: 1.05). This means that, in theory, 100 infected people infect about 100 more people. The value represents the onset of infection 8-16 days ago. If it is below 1 for a longer period of time, the infection rate stabilizes.
Medical president asks for help for clinics
In view of the persistently high number of infections, the president of the German Medical Association, Klaus Reinhardt, called for more support to hospitals from the federal and state governments on the situation of the crown in Germany. Many clinics in regions with numerous infections have already reached the limit, Reinhardt told the dpa news agency. “Light blocking measures may slow down the exponential growth of the pandemic in Germany,” said the medical president. To ensure the treatment of the numerous Covid 19 patients, more human resources are also required in intensive care units. “That is why we now have to decide how to approach planned interventions,” Reinhardt demanded. In medically justifiable cases, these should be postponed if necessary.
Reinhardt campaigned for more cooperation between the clinics to have to postpone as few treatments as possible. Free capacities should be used. Other patients would also have to be fully cared for. Countries must take appropriate action. Reinhardt demanded that countries also have to fund him until the end of the pandemic.
Also, doctors and nurses should be better protected against corona infections. At least 21,000 employees in hospitals, doctor’s offices and other healthcare facilities have been infected with corona since the start of the pandemic. There are currently 1700 employees. “It is urgent to do something here,” Reinhardt said.
A federal government video encourages people to stay home
In the run-up to Corona’s summit at the Chancellery on Monday, the federal government announced on social media with tongue-in-cheek videos to stay at home and reduce contacts. Government spokesman Steffen Seibert shared the first of the videos on Twitter on Saturday under the hashtag “special heroes.” In it, people who sit on the couch at home during the pandemic and do nothing are declared heroes.
In the first video, which is accompanied by dramatic music, the fictional old man Anton Lehmann recounts from the future how the second wave lived “back in this winter of Corona 2020”. “An invisible danger threatened everything we believed in,” Lehmann describes in retrospect the situation of the crown in Germany. The fate of the country was suddenly in his hands. So they did what was expected of them. “Nothing. Absolutely nothing,” says Lehmann. “We stay home on our asses for days and nights fighting the spread of the coronavirus.” The sofa was the front, “and our patience was our weapon.” That was his destiny. “This is how we become heroes. In this Corona 2020 winter,” Lehmann recalls. The video ends with the call of the Federal Government: “Also become a hero and stay home.” In a second video, a woman makes a similar statement.
The videos generated shared reactions on social media. While some users praised the campaign, others complained that issues such as loneliness, domestic violence, existential fears or the situation of single parents do not play any role in the spots, or that the real heroes are, for example, the health workers. In addition, it was asked why people who are forced to leave the house to work even during the pandemic would be hidden, that is, they do not have jobs compatible with the home office.
The campaign was also noticeable outside of Germany. A London Financial Times reporter, Henry Mance, commented on Twitter: “I can handle the fact that the German response to the pandemic is better than ours, but I don’t think I can handle the fact that it is more fun.”
