Stagnant numbers of new infections: Wieler warns of a tipping point

The number of new infections has only decreased slightly for a few days. Therefore, RKI boss Wieler warns of a turning point from which the numbers could rise again. The reason is mutant viruses. He also campaigned for confidence in vaccines.

The president of the Robert Koch Institute, Lothar Wieler, has stated that the number of corona infections has stagnated at a level that “is still too high.” “We are possibly at a tipping point again. The downward trend of the last few weeks is apparently no longer continuing,” he told a news conference. The seven-day incidence is only slightly decreasing, in some regions like Thuringia it is even increasing again.

The reason for this is that the mutant virus initially discovered in Britain is spreading massively. Their infection rate is increasing rapidly. It is now almost a quarter and will continue to spread. That makes fighting the pandemic even more difficult.

More infected youth are expected

This is why you expect more breakouts in the coming weeks, even among the very young. “There will also be more young adults, teenagers and children.” Any careless loosening would accelerate the spread of the virus and push Germany back from fighting the pandemic. “So in a few weeks, we’ll be exactly where we were by Christmas.”

“Accept vaccines”

One way out is vaccines, which, according to current knowledge, would help against mutants. “Anyone who is offered a vaccine must also accept it,” the doctor said. All vaccines, including AstraZeneca’s, are safe and effective.

However, it is important to continue to observe hygiene rules. Again he appealed to German citizens to limit contact to a minimum, to meet outdoors if possible and wear mouth and nose masks, “also in the office, in the car and on public transport. “. Wieler also advised against traveling because it was dangerous to carry the virus to another country or take it to Germany from there.

“The virus will not give up”

The Federal Minister of Health, Jens Spahn, also again asked for caution. “The virus is not giving up,” he said. The need to end the confinement is palpable. When opening, it is advisable to proceed with caution and care so as not to jeopardize what has been achieved.

This is particularly true in light of the opening of elementary schools and nurseries in the coming week. Spahn cautioned against expectations of automatic follow-up steps. The establishment of schools and nurseries would cause a “great mobility”. Then millions of children are on the road every day, along with parents, teachers, and educators. Therefore, it is important to see how this is reflected in the infection process after a week or ten days.

As much as one would like to have an approach based on the motto “step one, step two a week later” coming out of the crown lock, this is not possible, Spahn clarified. “The automation does not work. We have to see what step one implies, if we can keep it under control or if we prefer to wait with step two.”

More speed with vaccines

Spahn also noted that vaccines should continue to increase. So far, five million vaccines have been administered, and by the end of next week, the same number of doses of vaccine will be administered again. At the national level, 150,000 vaccines were administered in one day as a maximum value. This number will have to double in the next few weeks to be able to vaccinate all available doses of vaccine.

Meanwhile, 740,000 nursing home residents have been vaccinated with a first dose and nearly 500,000 with the second.

March Self-Assessments

According to Spahn, bottlenecks could occur in the early days of the rapid tests, which will be available for free from March 1, as they are performed by trained personnel at the test centers. “There will also be snakes,” said the Health Minister.

He pointed out that in the course of next month the rapid tests for self-consumption will also be approved, which he intends to deliver according to previous plans for a personal contribution of one euro. The testing capabilities are now sufficient to be able to make this offer. That was not the case at the end of last year.

The incidence hardly falls

The number of new infections per 100,000 inhabitants in seven days is now 56.8 throughout the country and is therefore slightly lower than the previous day (57.1). In the previous days, there had not been a clear decrease in this seven-day incidence. The federal government and federal states aim for a level of less than 50, more opening steps should be possible with less than 35.