Corona loosening: Lauterbach sees "nothing to celebrate" – "Could only enforce hotspots"

For the first time after a long rise, the nationwide seven-day incidence fell slightly. However, experts urge caution.

Update from March 20, 9:52 p.m .: Extensive easing despite high incidence. Hospitals in Germany could continue to reach their limits. According to physicist and modeler Dirk Brockmann, there is a risk. He urges forward-looking action and draws on a graphic comparison.

Corona loosening: Lauterbach sees “nothing to celebrate” – “Could only enforce hotspots”

Update from March 20, 6:41 p.m .: This Sunday (March 20), the first nationwide corona measures will be eliminated. Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) spoke up via Twitter.

“There’s nothing to celebrate. But the legal basis for #corona restrictions is the threat of overloading the health system. I can’t do anything about that. Not the incidence alone. Therefore, I could only enforce hotspots. Because that’s where the overload will occur first,” Lauterbach wrote on Twitter. With the lines he reacts to a tweet from a Handelsblatt editor, which reads that the FDP is “celebrating” the lifting of the restrictions.

Lauterbach had already spoken very cautiously about the new Infection Protection Act in the Bundestag on Friday – the Minister of Health seemed to get himself out of the line of fire in view of the relaxation of the corona virus.

Corona: As of today, the 3G rule will no longer apply to Deutsche Bahn

Update from March 20, 3:08 p.m .: Despite the high number of infections, the first nationwide corona measures in Germany are ended. On Deutsche Bahn trains, you no longer need 3G proof that you have been vaccinated, recovered or tested. However, the mask requirement in local and long-distance public transport continues to apply. The legal obligation to provide 3G access proofs at the workplace has also been abolished – in future companies will be able to define their own protection concepts. Widespread criticism of the easing course of the traffic light coalition does not break. With the new legal situation, the federal states are under pressure to implement possible stricter everyday requirements, at least regionally.

The 3G rules at work and in transport had been in effect for almost four months. They are now omitted after changes to the Infection Protection Act, which the Bundestag passed on Friday. This means that the countries are still only able to set a few general protective requirements in everyday life, such as masks and tests in facilities for vulnerable groups such as nursing homes and clinics. However, there may be further restrictions for regional “hotspots” if the state parliament determines a particularly critical corona situation for them. All countries want to use a transitional period and maintain the current rules until April 2nd at the latest.

Freedom Day? Countries must clarify next steps by April 2nd

In further crisis management, the federal states now have to clarify the next steps under time pressure – and there is great dissatisfaction with the federal requirements. First of all, all countries want to use a transition period of two weeks provided for in the law. This means that existing regulations such as more extensive mask requirements in other areas such as shops or schools as well as access rules such as 2G and 3G can remain in place until April 2nd at the latest – but with the exception of contact restrictions or upper limits for participants for events.

First report from March 20th: Every day a new record. This is what the corona numbers of the last few weeks looked like. The Germany-wide seven-day incidence* has now fallen slightly again for the first time after a longer phase of increase. As the Robert Koch Institute* (RKI) announces, the value on Sunday morning (March 20) is 1708.7. On Saturday it was 1735.0, the week before 1526.8.

The health authorities in Germany reported 131,792 new corona infections to the RKI within one day. This emerges from figures that reflect the status of the RKI dashboard at 5:04 a.m. A week ago there were 146,607 infections.

Corona incidence in Germany: Experts assume a high number of unreported cases

Experts assume a high number of cases that are not recorded in the RKI data. One reason is the limited capacity, for example of health authorities. Contacts are often only tracked to a limited extent.

According to the new information, 49 deaths were recorded across Germany within 24 hours. A week ago there had been 50 deaths. Since the beginning of the pandemic*, the RKI has counted 18,553,100 detected infections with Sars-CoV-2. The actual total number is likely to be significantly higher, as many infections go undetected.

The RKI last gave the number of corona-infected patients per 100,000 inhabitants within seven days on Friday at 7.81 (Thursday: 7.58). Among them are many people with a positive corona test who have another main illness. The value is not communicated at the weekend.

The RKI gave the number of recovered people on Sunday morning as 14,528,800. The number of people who died from or involved a proven infection with Sars-CoV-2 rose to 126,916 . *Merkur.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA