Merkel: Germany has a difficult week ahead



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In the past 24 hours, 465 new deaths have been reported in Germany, according to the Robert Koch Institute. The total number of deaths increased to 40,343.

Since the start of the pandemic, more than 1.9 million cases of coronavirus infection. Almost 17,000 have been cleared since Saturday. new cases of infection.

In her weekly video report on Saturday, Merkel said that the full impact of communication during the Christmas and New Year period is not yet reflected in the statistics.

The chancellor warned the Germans that “the coming winter weeks will be the most difficult phase of the pandemic yet” and that many doctors and other medical personnel are working to the limit.

Germany has coped better than many other European countries with the first wave of COVID-19 in the spring, but is now facing a very large second wave.

83 million The most populous country, mainly in the European Union, has introduced additional restrictions on social contacts to help hospitals cope with the influx of patients.

Currently, more than 5,000 patients are treated in intensive care units in Germany. COVID-19 patients; occupied more than 80 percent. beds for these patients.

Germany closed schools and non-essential shops, cultural and leisure facilities on at least January 31, in hopes of curbing the spread of the virus.

Like other EU countries, Germany started vaccinating citizens against COVID-19 in late December with Pfizer and BioNTech. More than half a million people have already been vaccinated with the first dose of the vaccine.

Vaccination and a vaccine developed by the American company Moderna should begin in the next few days.

“Absolutely necessary”

Merkel acknowledged that the vaccination campaign had started slowly, but said “the pace will accelerate.”

“It is important that we can say that we have enough vaccines for everyone [žmogui] In Germany ”, he stressed.

“Month after month, we will vaccinate more and more people and eventually we will be able to offer the vaccine to whoever wants it,” said the chancellor.

According to her, vaccines create “reasonable hopes” that the world can overcome a pandemic.

However, Merkel urged Germans not to lose patience, saying she was “firmly convinced” that the current severe restrictions on public life were “absolutely necessary.”

A survey by the sociological research company Kantar for the newspaper Bild am Sonntag showed that 56 percent of Germans agree with the latest measures to stop the spread of the virus.

25 percent of respondents said the limitations were insufficient and only 16 percent. indicated that in his opinion the rules were too strict.

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