pandemic
Berlin (dpa) – In the corona pandemic, the federal government countered the impression that it was changing course. When assessing the situation, the so-called 7-day incidence should continue to play an important role despite increasing vaccinations.
“The incidence was never the only parameter used to assess the pandemic. But it is and will remain an important parameter, ”said a spokesman for the Ministry of Health on Monday. It remained unclear whether measures such as school closings should continue to be linked to certain incidence values or not.
The incidence indicates the number of infections per 100,000 inhabitants within seven days. So far, it has been the basis for many corona restrictions during the pandemic, for example as part of the federal emergency brake that expired at the end of June. In the future, additional values such as hospital admissions are to be taken into account to a greater extent. “But that is not to be understood as a departure from the seven-day incidence,” it said on Monday. There is also no change in political strategy associated with it.
The “Bild” newspaper, citing an “internal document” from the Robert Koch Institute, reported on a “turning point in corona policy”: the incidence should no longer decide on the corona measures. In the paper, the RKI presented “hospitalization (hospitalization) as an additional key indicator” for politics.
The situation in the hospitals is moving more into focus
Federal Minister of Health Jens Spahn (CDU) signed a new ordinance on Monday, according to the ministry, which obliges the clinics to provide more details about Covid patients. The regulation is due to come into force this Tuesday. “Since the endangered risk groups are vaccinated, a high incidence does not automatically mean an equally high burden in the intensive care beds,” wrote Spahn on Twitter. “The incidence is becoming increasingly less meaningful, we now need even more detailed information about the situation in the clinics.”
There was confusion about what exactly the clinics should do differently than before. The managing director of the German Hospital Society (DKG) Gerald Gaß told the editorial network Germany that it was “absolutely sensible to also include hospital occupancy in order to assess the dangers of the pandemic and take appropriate practical protective measures”. The DKG pointed out, however, that there are already comprehensive reporting requirements for corona patients. The clinics would have to report suspected illness, illness or death in relation to Covid-19 to the health authorities. In addition, there would be further information about the time or period of the infection and also about the vaccination status.
The Ministry of Health said that it was, among other things, about more detailed information on the vaccination of those affected in order to determine how well completely vaccinated people are really protected from severe courses. Because so far the assumption that the incidence value loses its informative value due to the vaccinations is only one assumption. On the practical question of whether corona measures, such as school closings, will continue to be linked to incidence values in the future, as was the case with the federal emergency brake, the ministry referred to the responsibility of the federal states in the school sector.
Seibert: “Not yet adequately armed”
Government spokesman Steffen Seibert said on Monday that, thanks to the vaccinations, one is in a very good position. Economy and trade could work, cultural life would return. “But that doesn’t mean that we would already be in a normal situation if you mean” normal “before the pandemic.” A look at neighboring countries makes it clear that low case numbers could quickly explode again. The vaccination changed the total bill. “But we are not yet adequately prepared for the case that the numbers really rise again.”
Bavaria’s Prime Minister Markus Söder also believes that it is premature to move away from the seven-day incidence to assess the situation. The CSU boss also spoke out in Munich on Monday in favor of maintaining measures such as masks and distance until more people are vaccinated. “We don’t make the models that are available in other countries, including the UK. It’s an experiment on young people, just let it run through, a contamination. “
Great Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson wants to override the remaining corona rules in one week – on July 19 – in England, although the number of infections on the island has now risen significantly again. The reason given for the step is that the connection between infections and hospital admissions, serious illnesses and deaths have weakened significantly.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210712-99-350327 / 8
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