RKI sees "very worrying" – First federal state is moving ahead: Christmas silence is coming

The Stiko now recommends Corona vaccinations for some children. EMA is considering reducing booster spacing. RKI with warning words. The news ticker.

Update from December 9th, 12 noon : The corona pandemic is currently still causing high numbers of infections, a way out of the pandemic has not yet been found. Lower Saxony’s Prime Minister Stephan Weil is now calling for an extended Christmas break, between Christmas and New Year’s Eve a rest phase should ensure the relaxation of the infection situation. “The state government will take the necessary decisions in the course of the upcoming amendment to the Corona Ordinance,” announced the Lower Saxony head of government.

As the Kreiszeitung * reports, the corona situation in Lower Saxony actually seems to relax, the Robert Koch Institute is at least reporting falling numbers. But appearances could be deceptive *, the intensive care units should gradually fill up.

Corona in Germany: Karl Lauterbach comments on vaccination light – “I’m sure …”

Update from December 9th, 9:40 a.m.: Will the vaccination be compulsory or not? If the new Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach has its way, vaccination is actually compulsory in Germany, and the SPD politician also considers fines for those who refuse to be vaccinated to be inevitable. If someone does not pay, “the fines must be increased significantly,” Lauterbach told the news magazine Spiegel, according to an advance notice on Friday. Nobody has to go to jail for this. “But I am sure that we will reach a lot of people just with the announcement of the general compulsory vaccination.”

Lauterbach also spoke out in favor of compulsory vaccination for educators. “From what we know so far, the new Omikron variant affects children much more severely than the previous variants,” he said. The children became infected more often and they became more ill. That is why child vaccination is also becoming more important. The Bundestag and Bundesrat will decide on Friday whether the staff of hospitals and old people’s homes are to be vaccinated.

The SPD politician, who has been omnipresent in the media in recent months, no longer wants to appear on talk shows as often in the future. “I will be on talk shows less often because I have to do a different job now,” Lauterbach told Spiegel . Nevertheless, he will continue to do public relations work. “In a health crisis in which the aim is to take the population with it, it is essential that the minister translate science and politics into everyday language.”

Corona in Germany: RKI publishes current infection numbers – almost 500 deaths

Update from December 9th, 9.30 a.m.: The nationwide seven-day incidence has decreased slightly compared to the previous day. The Robert Koch Institute gave the value of new infections per 100,000 inhabitants and week on Friday morning as 413.7. For comparison: the previous day the value was 422.3. A week ago the nationwide incidence was 442.1 (previous month: 232.1). The health authorities in Germany reported 61,288 new corona infections to the RKI within one day.

When evaluating the infection rate, it should be borne in mind that experts are currently assuming a noticeable underreporting. Health authorities and clinics can no longer keep up with reporting cases, at least in individual regions. According to the new information, 484 deaths were recorded across Germany within 24 hours. A week ago there were 390 deaths.

Update from December 9th, 10:19 pm: The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) has called for the corona measures to be expanded – also in view of decreasing infections. The high risk of infection remains in view of the large number of cases, writes the RKI in its weekly report on Thursday. Lower numbers could also be due to overloaded systems and delivery bottlenecks.

Omikron variant: RKI calls for tougher action in the current corona situation

Overall, the current development continues to be “very worrying,” says the report. “The situation can only be improved by intensifying contact-restricting measures and rapidly increasing vaccination rates,” writes the RKI. “A maximum reduction in transmission rates is also necessary in order to slow down the expected spread of the Omikron variant.” The institute is of the opinion that everyone – including those who have been vaccinated and those who have recovered – should reduce unnecessary contacts and avoid travel.

Corona in Germany: Lauterbach advertises booster vaccination

Health Minister Karl Lauterbach said on Thursday evening on ARD that the best thing that you can counter to Omikron now is booster vaccinations. “We can meet all vaccination requests by the end of the year.” It would be nice if the population would now also use these options. There is enough vaccine for this from both the manufacturer Biontech and Moderna. Lauterbach confirmed that the federal and state governments dealt intensively with the Omikron variant in the deliberations on Thursday.

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Regarding the criticism that the Standing Vaccination Commission accuses of working too slowly and therefore recommending vaccinations late, Lauterbach made a promise. But he thinks that it could be faster if it had more staff. “I’ll make sure of that.”

Corona vaccination: EMA is already considering boosters after three months

Update from December 9th, 5.45 p.m.: According to the European Medicines Agency (EMA), booster vaccinations against Covid-19 could also be carried out after three months. The current recommendation of the German Standing Vaccination Commission (Stiko) reads: Refreshments should be injected six months after the last vaccination. A shortening of the vaccination interval to five months can, according to Stiko, “be considered in individual cases or if sufficient capacities are available”. In Bavaria, those wishing to be vaccinated can currently get their dose after five months.

The EU institution EMA has now announced a new assessment of the situation. “The data currently available suggest a safe and effective booster dose as early as three months after the completion of the primary series,” said EMA Director of Vaccination Strategy, Marco Cavaleri, at a press conference of the authority in Amsterdam on Thursday.

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Corona vaccination for children: Hessen orders 180,000 cans

Update from December 9th, 4.15 p.m.: In Hesse, the responsible doctors, health authorities and children’s clinics have ordered more than 180,000 vaccine doses for children between the ages of five and eleven. The Hessian Ministry of Social Affairs announced this on Thursday. If the Standing Vaccination Commission recommends vaccination for this age group, as expected, and the Biontech children’s vaccine arrives in Hesse on Monday, then things can start. The Stiko had announced shortly beforehand that it would recommend the corona vaccination for children with previous illnesses and contact with high-risk patients (see update from 3:15 p.m.). But healthy children should also be able to be vaccinated if they so wish.

Update from December 9th, 3:15 p.m.: The Standing Vaccination Commission (Stiko) wants to recommend the corona vaccination to children aged five to eleven with previous illnesses and contact with high-risk patients. But healthy children should also be able to be vaccinated if they so wish, according to a statement by the expert committee on Thursday regarding a draft resolution. It is not yet a final Stiko recommendation.

Corona in Germany: intensive care physician warns – incidence must fall below 200

Update from December 9th, 3:10 p.m.: According to the intensive care doctor Christian Karagiannidis, Germany needs a seven-day incidence of less than 200 to keep its intensive care units operational. This is what the scientific director of the Divi Intensive Care Register told the mirror .

According to the Robert Koch Institute, the incidence value on Thursday was 422.3 new corona infections per 100,000 inhabitants within one week – more than twice as high. “We let the number of cases soar far too high for too long. We urgently need to reduce the incidences a good bit so that we have room for Omikron. ”When asked about the often repeated appeals from science to politics, Karagiannidis said:“ Sometimes I can no longer hear myself. ”Politics I totally underestimated the delta wave and got lost in the federal election campaign at the most critical moment. “I would recommend that the next general election be postponed should it fall again into a critical phase of a pandemic.

Update from December 9th, 2:50 p.m.: The new Corona variant Omikron is causing uncertainty among many, an expert from South Africa discovered new symptoms at the beginning. A noticeable number of children are currently dependent on treatment.

Update from December 9th, 1:39 pm : Is the Omikron variant more dangerous than the currently rampant Delta variant? Much is still unclear. A booster vaccination protects against infection after the first laboratory tests. According to virologist Hendrik Streeck, there are indications of a so-called sweetspot mutation *.

Hotspot scratches the 3,000 mark

Update from December 9, 12.20 p.m .: Two districts in Germany are above the 2000 mark, one of which is almost at the 3,000 mark: Meißen district (2,750.3). Hildburghausen (2,007.8) has already passed the 2000 mark. Just below that is Saalfeld-Rudolstadt with 1,951.3. 25 districts show an incidence of over 1,000. The incidence is lowest in the district of North Friesland (93.9) and the district of Rotenburg 94.2.

Top 10 corona hotspots in Germany (as of December 9th)

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Corona in Germany: More boosters than ever before

Update from December 9th, 11.30 a.m.: In Germany, 991,608 boosters were vaccinated on Wednesday – more than ever. This comes from the data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI). On Tuesday, 863,992 people had received a booster vaccination and on Monday 589,014. So far, 16,619,446 boosters have been administered.

Wüst advises against Christmas trips

Update from December 9th, 10:04 a.m .: North Rhine-Westphalia’s Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst (CDU) advises against long trips at Christmas at home and abroad. “I advise all people to hold back even with extravagant trips and covering great distances,” said Wüst in the ARD “Morgenmagazin”. No trips are currently prohibited. “Not everything that is allowed is also smart,” said the chairman of the conference of prime ministers.

The number of corona intensive care patients continues to rise

Update from December 9th, 9:53 a.m .: In the intensive care units in Germany, 4,862 Covid-19 patients are currently being treated. Of these, 2,727 are artificially ventilated. This can be seen from the data in the DIVI intensive care register on Thursday (as of 9:05 a.m.).

Corona number of cases in Germany: RKI corrects incidence drastically upwards after breakdown

Update from December 9th, 9 a.m .: The corona case numbers from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) are now apparently available. The data on the Covid-19 dashboard has been updated. The nationwide incidence was corrected to 422.3 (previous day: 427). In the morning the value was significantly lower (see update December 9, 6:21 a.m.) . In the meantime, the RKI had published incorrect data on its dashboard. The incidence remains above the 1000 mark in Thuringia (1,046.2) and Saxony (1,104.5).

In the past 24 hours, 70,611 new corona infections and 465 further deaths have been reported to the RKI. A week ago there were 67,651 new corona infections.

Lauterbach with a new vaccination announcement because of Omikron

Update from December 9th, 6.59 am : “The vaccination is only complete if you have been vaccinated three times,” said SPD politician Karl Lauterbach on Wednesday in the ZDF’s “heute journal”. That is the new reality in order to be somewhat protected from Omikron. It is very likely that two vaccinations will already alleviate the disease, “and three vaccinations will probably protect very well against serious illness”.

You have to make sure that Omikron reaches Germany as late as possible. According to Lauterbach, if the Omikron variant were to reach all of Germany, this could have an impact on who is considered fully vaccinated. “If we actually had the Omikron wave here in Germany, then 2G would be achieved when you have the third vaccination,” says Lauterbach.

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Update from December 9, 6:21 a.m .: The incidence in Germany fell surprisingly on Thursday. The Covid-19 dashboard shows a nationwide incidence of 338.1 (as of December 9, 6.24 a.m.). The day before, the value was 427.

Apparently there are problems with the data transfer. There could also be a reporting delay behind it. The data are noticeable in Saxony and Thuringia, for example. According to the RKI, the incidence has slipped into the cellar here. There appears to be a mistake in the death toll as well. According to the RKI, 527 corona deaths were recorded on Wednesday. The Covid-19 dashboard was last updated today at 5.13 a.m., according to the website. An error message from the RKI is not yet visible.

Bahn increases range of long-distance trains at Christmas time

Update from December 9th, 6:15 am : Deutsche Bahn (DB) wants to increase its long-distance train offer at Christmas time. “Around Christmas, from December 22nd to January 2nd, we are also running around 100 special trains, primarily on the connections that are in high demand,” said DB Fernverkehr CEO Michael Peterson to the newspapers of the Funke media group. “If you have to travel on the days, you should be able to do it safely and with a good feeling,” said Peterson

Lauterbach: 30 million booster vaccinations by Christmas

Update from December 8, 6.45 p.m.: Karl Lauterbach has taken over the office of Minister of Health from Jens Spahn. The SPD politician has seen himself in the role of the admonisher again and again in the last few months, but this time he struck a positive note. Germany got through the pandemic waves better than many other European countries. They are convinced that the declared goal of 30 million booster vaccinations will be achieved by the end of the year. “We will continue to boost and vaccinate until we have brought the pandemic to an end. Fighting the pandemic in the next few months is the central task, “said the new strong man in the Federal Ministry of Health.

The new Chancellor Olaf Scholz sees no division in the population with regard to the effects of the pandemic. Most people would have already been vaccinated. For everyone else, “only conviction and the word” help in a democracy.

Update from December 8, 11.30 a.m.: To accelerate the corona vaccinations, the federal government has organized three million additional vaccination doses from Biontech that other EU countries do not currently need. They are to be made available to the countries for the vaccination centers this week and at the beginning of the coming week, according to a report by the outgoing Health Minister Jens Spahn (CDU) to his country colleagues from Wednesday.

Accordingly, more Biontech cans should also go to practices via wholesalers. In total, the federal government should deliver eight million doses of Biontech and more than ten million doses of Moderna for booster vaccinations in the week of December 13th.

Opponents of the vaccination gather in front of Lauterbach’s private apartment

Update from December 8, 11:26 a.m .: Four anti-vaccination opponents held an unannounced demonstration in front of the private apartment of SPD politician Karl Lauterbach in Cologne. The police ended the meeting last Friday evening, as the Cologne police confirmed on dpa request. The investigators assume that the corona deniers had chosen Lauterbach because he repeatedly appeared in the media.

Corona: 15.6 million people in Germany boosted

Update from December 8, 11:13 a.m .: In Germany, 15.6 million people are now boosted. That corresponds to 18.7 percent of the total population, according to the figures from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) on Wednesday. A total of 973,000 vaccine doses against the coronavirus were administered on Tuesday, 833,000 of them booster vaccinations.

57.5 million people (69.2 percent of the total population) are fully vaccinated. 60.0 million people (72.2 percent of the total population) have received at least one first vaccination. The RKI assumes that among adults there are probably more people vaccinated than the data suggests: A hundred percent registration of the vaccinations cannot be achieved by the reporting system, according to the vaccination overview of the RKI.

RKI reports the highest number of corona deaths since February

First report from December 8, 2021

Berlin – It’s a sad number: 527 people died within 24 hours with or from Corona, according to data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) on Wednesday. The last time that many deaths were recorded was in February. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the death toll has risen to a total of 104,047.

The RKI also reports 69,601 new corona cases. Exactly one week ago there were 67,186 infections. However, experts assume that the data are distorted. Individual regions are currently completely overloaded and can hardly keep up with reporting the corona numbers. Apparently there were problems with the transmission in Saxony.

The nationwide incidence is 427 (previous day: 432.2). Two federal states crack the 1000 mark: Thuringia (1,028.0) and Saxony (1,125.0).

RKI Corona case numbers in Germany (as of December 8, 2021)

Drosten: “Omikron will probably be a problem in Germany from January”

Virologist Christian Drosten has expressed concern about the rapid spread of the Omikron variant. In South Africa, the growth rates are high despite the summer that is beginning there. “And that’s why I wouldn’t say at the moment that the pandemic in Germany will be over by Easter if Omikron takes over,” said the scientist from the Berlin Charité in the new NDR podcast “Coronavirus Update”.

“I think we will have a problem with Omikron in Germany from January,” said Drosten. The variant will probably make it necessary to adapt the existing vaccines. So far, he has known about 25 to 30 Omicron cases in this country from his exchange with colleagues. The number is not complete and will increase rapidly. The virus seems to be “extremely spreadable”. The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) spoke of four previously confirmed cases last Thursday.

According to the Corona expert, a new generation of adapted vaccines could possibly be used from the second quarter of 2022. Manufacturers had announced work to adapt to Omikron. The variant shows numerous mutations at critical points. It is to be feared that Omikron is “not harmless” for unvaccinated people, said Drosten. One shouldn’t fall into euphoria because of reports of mild developments in South Africa: Most people there have already been infected with Sars-2 corona virus.

2,500 euros fine! Deutsche Bahn tightens 3G controls in local transport

As of Wednesday, Deutsche Bahn is tightening the so-called 3G controls in regional traffic. From now on, the so-called customer service representatives, i.e. conductors, will also check when the tickets are checked whether the passengers have been vaccinated, recovered or tested (3G). So far, it was mainly the security staff in local transport that had done this. However, it remains with random checks, said the railway. The 3G certificate is only asked if the inspectors are accompanied by security personnel. It was said that two employees would always be used for the control in order to ensure the greatest possible safety for the customer service representatives in local transport.

3G has been mandatory in regional and long-distance traffic since November 24th. If you cannot provide proof of this, you will be asked to leave the train at the next station. There is a risk of a fine of up to 2500 euros. (ml with dpa) Here you will find our news ticker (until December 7th) for reading. * Merkur.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA

Rubric: © Hannibal Hanschke