Pandemic in Germany: Corona incidence increases for the fifth day in a row

Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) expects a quick decision to shorten the quarantine periods for corona infections.

In order to prevent the Omikron wave from becoming too big, there will “definitely be new resolutions” at the Bund-Länder-Round on Friday, Lauterbach announced in an interview with RTL / ntv on Sunday evening.

This involves changing the quarantine regulation, but also, for example, the question of which contact restrictions are appropriate.

It remained open whether Lauterbach would only consider shortening the quarantine periods for contact persons or even shorter isolation times for infected people.

Among other things, it must be clarified to what extent the deadlines for people with booster vaccinations could be changed, he said.

Incidence continues to rise

Meanwhile, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) reported an increase in the official nationwide seven-day incidence for the fifth day in a row.

The RKI stated the value of new infections per 100,000 inhabitants and week on this Monday morning as 232.4.

Because there has been less testing and reporting between the years, the RKI assumes that the figures are underreported.

For comparison: the previous day the value was 222.7, a week ago it was also 222.7, and a month ago it was 442.1.

The health authorities in Germany reported 18,518 new corona infections to the RKI within one day.

Exactly a week ago there were 13,908 infections.

According to the new information, 68 deaths were recorded across Germany within 24 hours.

A week ago there were 69 deaths.

The number of people who died with or with a proven infection with the Sars-CoV-2 virus rose to 112,223.

The RKI has counted 7,207,847 detected infections with Sars-CoV-2 since the beginning of the pandemic.

The actual total number is likely to be significantly higher, as many infections are not recognized.

The RKI stated the number of those who had recovered at 6,478,600.

Bund-Länder consultations on Friday

The federal and state governments want to meet for a new switching conference on January 7th to discuss the further strategy.

Lauterbach made it clear that, in view of the spread of the highly contagious Omikron variant in Germany, it is imperative to hurry: “The number of cases will rise sharply, and that will also affect many unvaccinated people, and they are not protected.

So I'm very worried. "

The German government's Corona Expert Council warned before Christmas that the health system and the entire critical infrastructure such as clinics, fire brigade or power supply would be extremely stressful if many people fell ill or had to be in quarantine at the same time.

Other states with a high proportion of omicrons, such as the USA or Great Britain, have already relaxed their rules.

With the spread of the Omikron variant, the risk increases that the number of quarantine orders for contact persons of infected people increases significantly.

Because, unlike other corona variants, from the RKI's point of view, quarantine is always recommended if Omikron is present - also "also for fully vaccinated and recovered contact persons".

The UK and US have already reduced the symptom-free duration to prevent acute staff shortages in areas essential for basic services and safety.

Spain and Portugal shortened the quarantine period for asymptomatic infected people from ten to seven days.

There is also evidence that Omikron is less likely to lead to severe disease processes.

"Omikron is different from previous versions - that's why the quarantine rules have to be adapted," said the health policy spokesman for the Union parliamentary group in the Bundestag, Tino Sorge (CDU), of "Welt". "We expect a new dynamic with a great many, but also many mild corona infections." In such a situation, it must be prevented that staff failures paralyze the economy and the critical infrastructures. “That is why it would make sense to shorten the quarantine for certain contact persons. Close-knit tests could accompany that. "

Lauterbach expects that the Omikron variant will soon be predominant throughout Germany.

This is already the case in Schleswig-Holstein.

The state government is therefore tightening the corona rules from Tuesday.

Prime Minister Daniel Günther (CDU) announced a government statement at short notice for this Monday.

Lessons begin again

Shaded by Corona worries, schools will start again this Monday in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Brandenburg, Berlin, Saxony and Rhineland-Palatinate.

Saarland will follow on Tuesday, Hamburg on Wednesday and - depending on the decision of the schools - Thuringia will follow.

The Greens health expert Janosch Dahmen demanded daily PCR tests in the schools.

The best method are PCR pool tests because they are the most reliable way to make the sources of infection visible, he told the "Rheinische Post" and the Funke media group.