End of the corona pandemic: Hamburg mayor dares to make a bold forecast

• OfSandra Kathe

  –

  shut down

–

Many sides warn that the corona pandemic is not yet over: But Hamburg’s Mayor Peter Tschentscher is emphatically optimistic.

Hamburg – With currently low incidences and daily increasing vaccination numbers in Germany, many citizens are again optimistic that they will soon be able to leave the corona pandemic behind. Hamburg’s Mayor Peter Tschentscher even speaks of an end to the pandemic by the end of the year at the latest. The advantages that the SPD politician cites in his prognosis compared to the prospects in the previous year are the vaccine, which is now abundantly available, the well-functioning test strategy and the knowledge and experiences that have been made in one and a half years of everyday corona.

Tschentscher sees the progress of the vaccination campaign as a decisive factor: “Now it is important that as many citizens as possible get vaccinated and that we as a society are protected as a whole,” said Hamburg’s mayor in an interview with the German press agency. The fact that the Covid-19 vaccination may have to be refreshed after a certain period of time is “also feasible as a routine in our health system.” Tschentscher announced that if all the announced vaccine deliveries arrive as planned, they will be in Hamburg by the end of the summer can make a vaccination offer to everyone. From the end of August, the vaccinations are to be carried out exclusively by resident doctors – similar to many other federal states, Hamburg is planning to stop work in the vaccination centers before the beginning of autumn.

Words of warning: Corona pandemic not yet defeated despite millions of vaccinations

But there are also cautionary voices that contradict an early relaxation of protective measures. Among those who warn that the pandemic has not yet survived in Germany despite the positive developments in Germany is the President of the Medical Association of Lower Saxony, Martina Wenker, who recently emphasized: “The coronavirus will keep us busy for a very long time”. Above all, due to the more contagious virus variants, which are also on the rise in Germany, at least distance, hygiene and mask rules must continue to be strictly adhered to. “How can you seriously want to say goodbye to wearing a mask when most of the children are unlikely to get a chance to get a vaccination?” Asked Wenker.