COVID-19 spikes in Germany, warns of third wave of epidemic

In the last day, 14,356 new cases of coronavirus infection have been detected in the country, most in one day since February 4, according to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI).

“We should be concerned in Europe,” Wieler told ACANU in Geneva on Wednesday.

“With regard to Germany, we are at the beginning of the third wave,” he added, highlighting the importance of preventive measures for the population, including the use of masks and social distance.

Germany has begun to relax quarantine measures very gradually since the end of February. First, younger students were allowed to return to schools and some stores were able to reopen this week.

The country felt public fatigue over constraints when leisure, cultural and sports facilities were closed in November. Direct training has also been suspended since mid-December and most stores have closed.

However, epidemiologists have noted that new, more contagious variants of the coronavirus have begun to spread and that morbidity has also increased in neighboring countries, including the Czech Republic and Poland, and experts have repeatedly called for premature moderation to be avoided.

However, Mr. Wieler said there were also encouraging signs when the vaccination campaign began.

“We are already seeing the impact among those over 80 years old [gyventojų]. [Koronaviruso] portability is drastically decreasing, ”he emphasized.

Germany, which began vaccinating the population in late December, focused its efforts mainly on the oldest and most vulnerable members of society, but criticized the pace of the vaccination campaign, which was much slower than in countries like the United Kingdom. or the United States. .

But Wieler said he was convinced the light was already visible at the end of the tunnel.

If the situation “does not get completely out of control … we will regain control in Germany next fall. I am absolutely convinced of that, “said the official.