"If in doubt, be mad at me": Spahn and RKI boss Wieler warn against radical easing

Because the seven-day incidences are falling, many federal states are loosening up. Jens Spahn, Lothar Wieler and Henriette Reker informed about the current corona situation.

The press conference is now over.

Update from May 21, 11:39 a.m.: With regard to the necessary herd immunity, Lothar Wieler explained that this is defined using the R value. Therefore, the required proportion of immune, i.e. vaccinated and recovered, was adjusted from 60 percent to 80 percent in the course of the pandemic. The high value of 80 percent is due to the increased R value that results from more contagious virus variants.

Update from May 21, 11:34 a.m.: With regard to possible loosening, Jens Spahn explained a rule of thumb: outdoor activities and many tests are less questionable than stays indoors without mask protection. Overall, the Federal Minister of Health was confident. “Who would have thought four weeks ago, when the federal emergency brake was introduced, that we already have a situation today where well under 100 districts and cities are still affected,” said the CDU politician. We are on the right track. Any loosening must be handled carefully, otherwise stricter measures threaten again.

“The measures together have a great effect,” explained Lothar Wieler in view of the falling numbers. Therefore, individual loosening can have major negative consequences.

Corona: Lothar Wieler (RKI) sticks to the mask duty

Update from May 21, 10:45 a.m.: Lower Saxony is planning to abolish the mask requirement in retail. When asked, Lothar Wieler from the RKI said: “I will wear my mask for a long time. I hope that this knowledge will last. ”The effectiveness of the masks has been scientifically confirmed, so adhering to the AHA rules is elementary. Jens Spahn emphasized that the masks are relatively easy to implement compared to other measures. Therefore, he also wants to hold on to the mouth and nose coverings despite the loosening.

Update from May 21, 10:39 a.m.: With regard to the digital vaccination certificate, Jens Spahn explained that there is no central vaccination register in Germany, so the data is not stored uniformly nationwide. Therefore, everyone who has already been vaccinated would have to subsequently seek digital evidence from the relevant agency. Depending on the local structure, this can be the city, the district or the state. In some cases, there are also plans to reach vaccinated people by post and to send them digital proof in the form of a QR code. If this results in additional work for general practitioners and pharmacies, this will be remunerated accordingly.

“Traveling is also possible with a paper ID”, Jens Spahn clarified when asked. It might be easier with digital evidence, but the WHO document is also an international standard and serves as a vaccination certificate. It is not an easy task to create Europe-wide proof, and if it succeeds a globally unique achievement.

Corona: Reker on vaccination strategies in “vulnerable social spaces”

Update from May 21, 10:21 a.m.: Cologne’s Lord Mayor Henriette Reker has stated that the city, together with the Fraunhofer Institute, found out that social and living conditions have an influence on the risk of infection. The coronavirus is spreading more rapidly in so-called “vulnerable social spaces”. Therefore, the city of Cologne wants to react and vaccinate more in affected districts. Reker emphasized: “The vaccinations not only protect the residents, but also everyone else.”

Update from May 21, 10.16 a.m.: Lothar Wieler praised the current development. Thanks to considerate behavior and a high willingness to vaccinate, the number of new infections fell. “We are still in the middle of the pandemic. The number of cases is still too high, ”the RKI President clarified. In view of hasty easing, Wieler warned: “We must not allow the virus to regain the upper hand.” He compared the situation with a balloon that has to be pushed under water with all its might. It is important to prevent the balloon from pushing to the surface of the water – the virus is spreading uncontrollably again.

Corona: News ticker for the PK from Jens Spahn and Lothar Wieler

Update from May 21, 10.09 a.m.: Health Minister Jens Spahn, RKI President Lothar Wieler and Cologne Mayor Henriette Reker are taking part in the federal press conference on the current Corona situation this week. “The numbers make us confident,” said Jens Spahn at the beginning in view of the falling number of new infections and the increasing number of vaccinations.

“We are on the right track,” said the Federal Minister of Health. In addition, Spahn is sticking to being able to offer all those willing to vaccinate by September 2021. One has to be “pragmatic and patient” with the upcoming vaccination challenges. The motto for the near future should be: “Opportunity makes vaccination”. Spahn warned not to strain doctors and medical specialists too much and take anger out on them if a vaccination appointment is not possible as soon as hoped. “If you want to be mad, then if in doubt, be mad at me,” said the minister.

Corona in Germany: Press conference with Jens Spahn and RKI President

First report from May 21st, 8:20 am:

Berlin – These days it is Corona easing time. More and more federal states are opening up different areas because the number of new infections is falling and the vaccination rate is increasing. In Bavaria, for example, new rules have been in effect since Friday (May 21), for example for sports, tourism and leisure activities. There are also other projects that stand out, because one or the other Prime Minister already dares to go a step further than others.

In Saarland, restaurants and cafés could also receive guests indoors from May 31, announced state chief Tobias Hans (CDU) on Thursday. Overnight stays in hotels and pensions as well as on campsites will then be possible again with a hygiene concept and subject to conditions. Bus and boat trips are likely to start again, among other things. The prerequisite for all steps is that the nationwide incidence is stable below 100.

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Lower Saxony wants to lift the mask requirement in retail for corona incidence below 35

In Lower Saxony there is growing hope that they will soon be able to go shopping again without a mask. The state government wants to lift the mask requirement in retail in regions with a stable seven-day incidence below 35 after Pentecost. This emerges from the draft for a short-term relaxation of the corona rules, which is available to the German Press Agency. The regulation should be decided on this Friday. As the government in Hanover said, this is following the demands of the trade because, according to experts, they are not a driver of the infection process.

In the meantime, children and adolescents under 16 years of age in Germany will no longer have to wear an FFP2 mask in local public transport or at medical appointments; a surgical mask is sufficient for them. The Bundestag decided on Thursday evening. The Federal Council still has to agree to this.

Corona situation: PK with Health Minister Spahn and RKI President Wieler on Friday

Health Minister Jens Spahn (CDU) and the President of the Robert Koch Institute * (RKI), Lothar Wieler, will give another press conference on Friday morning. This time the mayor of Cologne, Henriette Reker, is also sitting at the table. It starts at 10 a.m. The topic will be the current corona situation.

The nationwide seven-day incidence * fell again slightly on Friday. According to the RKI (as of May 21, 5:08 a.m.), the value is now 67.3 (previous day: 68.0; previous week: 96.5). At the press conference, Wieler will presumably provide further information on how reliable these figures are up to date. Due to bank holidays and bridging days like last week, the RKI has pointed out in recent days that fewer people may see a doctor, which means fewer samples are taken and fewer laboratory tests are carried out. This could lead to fewer pathogens being reported to the health authorities. According to the information, 226 new deaths were recorded across Germany within 24 hours.

Corona in Germany: Schleswig-Holstein with the lowest seven-day incidence, Thuringia with the highest value

In a comparison of the federal states, Thuringia still has the highest seven-day incidence: According to the RKI dashboard on Friday morning, the state is the only one still above 100 (exact value: 106.4). It is followed by Saxony (86.6) and Baden-Württemberg (80.2). Schleswig-Holstein currently has the best numbers in this comparison: The state in the north is 30.3. Hamburg with a seven-day incidence of 35.3 is in second place, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania with 42.3 in third place. (cibo / dpa) * Merkur.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA.

List of rubric lists: © Kay Nietfeld / dpa