Corona in Germany: A statement on the homepage of the Robert Koch Institute about the use of FFP2 masks causes confusion.
Are these not suitable in everyday life after all?
On Saturday, the Robert Koch Institute reported more than 16,000 new infections with the coronavirus *.
(Update from January 23, 7:08 a.m.)
A statement about the FFP2 masks, which was removed from the RKI homepage on Friday, causes confusion.
(Update from January 23, 12.30 p.m.)
The mutated variant from Great Britain could be more deadly than the previous corona virus
(update from January 22nd, 6.30 p.m.)
.
This news ticker on the corona situation in Germany is continuously updated.
Update from January 23, 12.30 p.m.:
At the last Corona summit, the
mask requirement in Germany was tightened again
.
The more protective
FFP2 masks
(mandatory in Bavaria) or
surgical masks must be
worn on
buses and trains as well as when shopping
.
Everyday masks made of fabric are no longer enough.
But while the federal government explicitly advises wearing those FFP2 masks,
something else could be read on the homepage of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) until Friday afternoon
, according to
RBB24
:
In the 'Recommendations of the BAuA and the ad-hoc working group' Covid-19 'of the ABAS on the use of protective masks in connection with SARS-CoV-2', FFP2 masks are not recommended for private use.
Robert Koch Institute (RKI), rki.de
Does the RKI
advise against using FFP2 masks in everyday life
?
No.
As
reported by
RBB24
, the RKI referred to the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA) and did not make the statement itself.
But
when asked
, a press spokesman also confirmed to
RBB24
that the Federal Agency did not make this statement.
In order not to cause further confusion, the relevant passage has now been removed.
Instead, it should be noted that the
protective effect of the FFP2 masks is
only guaranteed "if they are
worn
continuously and tightly
(ie matching the shape of the face and finally on the skin)".
"When used by laypeople, self-protection beyond the effect of correctly worn mouth and nose protection is therefore
not necessarily given,
" says the RKI.
Corona in Germany: demo escalated - three police officers injured
Update from January 23, 12:05 p.m.:
During a
demonstration by opponents of the Corona measures
in Lauf an der Pegnitz (district of Nürnberger Land),
three police officers were injured
.
As colleagues of theirs announced on Saturday night, there had been scuffles between around 25 demonstrators and dozen police officers on Friday.
The trigger was reportedly the
lack of mouth and nose protection of a protester
.
Although she presented a certificate, the officials doubted this.
A little later, the situation escalated and there were scuffles and several arrests.
According to the police, one of the injured officers had to go to the
hospital
and
could no longer work
.
The police initially gave no information about possible injured demonstrators.
Corona in Germany: RKI numbers show lockdown effect
Update from January 23, 7:08 a.m
.: The German health authorities
reported
16,417 new infections
to
the Robert Koch Institute (RKI)
within 24 hours.
In addition,
879 new deaths were recorded
within one day.
The
RKI
announced this
on Saturday morning.
Exactly one week ago, the RKI had recorded 18,678 new infections and 980 new deaths within 24 hours.
The number of new infections reported within seven days per 100,000 inhabitants (seven-day incidence) was 112.6 on Saturday morning, according to the RKI.
The previous high of 197.6 was reached on December 22nd.
The RKI has counted
2,122,679 detected infections with Sars-CoV-2 in Germany
since the
beginning of the pandemic
(as of January 23, 00:00).
The actual total number is likely to be significantly higher as many infections are not detected.
The total number of people who died with or with a proven infection with
Sars-CoV-2
rose to 51,521.
The RKI stated the number of those who had recovered at around 1,795,400.
The nationwide seven-day R-value was 0.97 according to the RKI situation report from Friday evening (previous day: 0.93).
This means that 100 infected people infect 97 other people.
The value represents the occurrence of the infection 8 to 16 days ago.
If it is below 1 for a long time, the infection process subsides.
Corona in Germany: mutated virus variant apparently more deadly than the previous corona virus
Update from January 22nd, 6:30 p.m.:
The
variant of the coronavirus
first discovered in
Great Britain
may be more deadly than the previously prevalent one.
There are "some indications", said British Prime Minister
Boris Johnson
on Friday in a press conference in the government seat of Downing Street in London.
The high burden on the hospitals in the country is to a large extent due to the
new virus variant
, according to the conservative politician.
Boris Johnson: "Some evidence" that mutation is deadlier
Whether and how much more deadly the
new corona mutation
* is is still
very uncertain
, warned the government's scientific advisor Patrick Vallance.
If one assumes with the previous variant that ten out of 1,000 people will die at the age of 60, be it
around 13 or 14 deaths
for the
variant
.
That would correspond to a
30 percent higher probability of a fatal course
of Covid 19 disease.
The
mutation
had appeared in the southeastern county of Kent late last year and had spread at breakneck speed in London and parts of the country.
Corona in Germany: Steinmeier starts an emotional appeal - high excess mortality at Christmas
Update from January 22nd, 3:45 p.m.:
With a
central commemoration
after Easter in Berlin, Federal President
Frank-Walter Steinmeier
wants to
keep
the memory of the
dead of the corona pandemic
alive.
Together with the other constitutional organs, he wanted to "set a sign that we as a society mourn together, that we do not forget the dead and the suffering of the bereaved," said the Office of the Federal President on Friday.
In
Germany
,
more than 50,000 people have died
in connection with the
corona virus
since the pandemic began around a year
ago, as the RKI announced on Friday.
“It's not just a number, it's not just a statistical value that we take note of today and that will change again tomorrow,” said
Steinmeier
in an online discussion.
“There is a fate behind every number.
A person is lost who was close to our hearts. "
At the same time, the
Federal President called on
all citizens to a “sign of silent remembrance”: Until the planned act of
mourning
as many people as possible should take part in the “
#lichtfenster
” campaign, put a light in their window and also a picture of it with the hashtag in share on social media.
In
Bellevue Palace
, a light will be clearly visible in the central window above the portal.
“We put a light in the window.
A light of sorrow, a light of sympathy, a light of compassion, ”said
Steinmeier
in his appeal.
+
Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier is sending out a sign of common remembrance of the Corona victims and calls for the #lichtfenster campaign.
© picture alliance / dpa / Federal Press Office |
Jesco Denzel
Corona in Germany: high excess mortality at Christmas
According to the Federal Statistical Office, almost a third more people died
in
Germany
at the end of last year
than the average in previous years.
According to preliminary results, there were at least
24,470 deaths
in the 52nd calendar
week
(December
21-27
, 2020)
.
That is
31 percent
, or 5832 cases,
more
than the average for the years 2016 to 2019, as the office averaged on Friday in Wiesbaden.
According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI)
, the number of people who died of or with a
corona infection was
5040 in the 52nd calendar week.
The development of the number of
deaths
in the
corona hotspot
Saxony
is particularly noticeable
.
“As in the previous week, the number of deaths there in the 52nd calendar week
more than doubled in
relation to the average for the four previous years for this week
,
” reported the statisticians.
After plus 111 percent in the previous week, there were
114 percent
or 1,228 more deaths
in the 52nd calendar week
.
In
Thuringia
, the number of deaths rose by 62 percent, in
Brandenburg
by 60 percent, in
Saxony-Anhalt
by 46 percent compared to the average for the years 2016 to 2019.
Corona in Germany: Haseloff sees the limit of possible measures will soon be reached
Update from January 22nd, 1:55 p.m.:
In the opinion of Saxony-Anhalt's Prime Minister
Reiner Haseloff
(CDU), the federal government will soon have reached the limits of its possibilities with the
corona measures
.
“There are a manageable number of instruments with which we
can fight
the
pandemic
.
And in principle we will soon have pulled out all the stops, ”he said in an interview with
Der Spiegel
.
Apart from a
total shutdown,
there weren't many measures that could still be decreed.
He
rejects a
shutdown of the economy
and
closing the borders
.
He
does not see
Germany's isolation
as a possible means.
“We live in an open Europe.
We cannot simply disconnect like New Zealand, for example, ”said
Haseloff
.
Corona in Germany: RKI boss Wieler names clear numbers in old people's homes - and speaks of unreported numbers
Update from January 22, 11:48 a.m.:
Federal
Minister of
Health
Jens Spahn
campaigned at the federal press
conference
for understanding for the extension of the
lockdown
.
The current figures are encouraging, but still at a high level.
"It's not over yet," he clarified.
He also warned against the spread of the
virus mutation
.
Spahn said there was hope from the
vaccination campaign
.
"We are at the height of the pandemic, and at the same time we have started the way out of the pandemic".
He
does not see the
zero covid strategy
as suitable for Germany.
The RKI President
Lothar Wieler
drew particular attention to the high
number of deaths
in Germany.
“That is a depressing number, for me almost unbelievable,” he said.
He sees the currently falling number of infections as positive.
“We can't let up.” Another problem is the many
outbreaks in old people's and nursing homes
.
About
900 cases
are known, "there is probably also an
unreported number
."
Virologist
Christian Drosten
warned against loosening the measures too quickly with regard to the
mutation
.
He explained his scenario of a possible 100,000 daily infections per day *.
DIVI President
Gernot Marx also
warned against premature easing.
There is currently a clear decline in the number of
intensive care
patients.
No “Christmas and New Year's Eve peak”
can be seen in
the intensive care units
Coronavirus: According to Spahn, “Zero Covid” cannot be used in Germany
Update from January 22nd, 11.11 a.m.:
The federal press conference is over.
A summary of the most important statements will be given shortly.
Update from January 22nd, 11:07 a.m.:
Spahn explains
the difference in
vaccination rates
between the
federal states
with the fact that some federal states have already vaccinated more hospital staff, others initially only vaccinated in nursing homes.
The vaccination in
hospitals
goes much faster.
"That will balance out," assures Spahn.
Update from January 22nd, 10:55 am:
Regarding the
"Zero Covid" strategy
, Spahn explains that he finds it difficult to compare with island states such as Australia and Taiwan.
That is a "completely different starting point",
Germany
is in the middle of a continent.
"That's why I don't see zero as a permanent target as something that can work in a country like Germany with our situation and situation."
The closer the incidence
gets to
zero
, the better.
“We have to get the incidences down,” said
Wieler
.
This only works through
contact reduction
and reliable
PCR tests
.
The "public health" measures can also
control
virus mutations
.
+
Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn does not see a zero Covid strategy for Germany.
© picture alliance / dpa / dpa Pool |
Michael Kappeler
Update January 22, 10:47:
The
self-test
is only possible once there is an admission says
Spahn
.
It must be ensured that a layperson also gets a correct result.
Otherwise there is a risk of incorrect test results.
“
I would also like to have the
home test
available.
But it has to be good and reliable, ”explains Spahn.
Corona in Germany: Drosten and Marx warn against easing too early
Update January 22, 10:42:
Too early
opening
could lead to a renewed
increase
in infection levels and the number of patients lead to the intensive care units, warns
Marx
clear.
The number of intensive care patients in the second wave was about twice as high as in the first wave in spring.
Update from January 22, 10:38 a.m.: When asked,
Drosten explains his forecast of the possible 100,000 new infections
every
day.
"This is a
scenario
, not a calculation," said the virologist.
You have to realize that you could "run into" something like that.
Should the risk groups be
protected
by the
vaccination
in a few weeks
, calls for
relaxation
would certainly
come.
Such a scenario is then quite possible.
“We shouldn't be too careless,” said
Drosten
.
Corona in Germany: positive trend recognizable in intensive care units
Update from January 22nd, 10:28 am:
"We ca
n't
see
a Christmas or New Year's Eve peak
," says DIVI President
Marx
.
He praises the population for it.
Overall, a
positive trend
can
be seen in the intensive care units
.
The numbers would drop significantly.
“But one cannot speak of relaxation just yet”.
The number of infections must therefore be further reduced and measures must be observed.
"A
spread of the mutation
leads to intensive care medicine being utilized," says Marx.
He draws attention to the fact that the staff in the intensive care units is heavily stressed.
Corona in Germany: Drosten informs about the Corona mutation
Update from January 22nd, 10:23 am:
For the control of this mutant, the extension and tightening of the
corona measures are
correct and important.
How much the mutation will spread cannot be definitively predicted, said
Drosten
.
The numbers mentioned are not "statistically representative".
You have to be patient until that is possible.
Update from January 22nd, 10:20 am:
Virologist
Christian Drosten
first gives information about
sequencing
.
The mutant from Great Britain was initially discovered by an abnormality in PCR tests and then confirmed by sequencing.
According to the latest findings, the virus variant provides an additional infectivity of
22 to 35 percent
on the R value.
“Some of what I can tell here is only anecdotal,”
explains Drosten
.
The
mutation
was
"brought in" by
tourist traffic over the
Christmas holidays
- not only from Great Britain, but also from other neighboring countries.
+
Virologist Christian Drosten at the federal press conference on the current corona situation in Germany.
© picture alliance / dpa / Reuters Pool |
Fabrizio Bensch
Corona in Germany: Wieler appeals to compliance with the measures
Update from January 22nd, 10.13 a.m.:
RKI boss
Wieler
takes the floor.
The number of
infections
in Germany is falling slightly, he reports.
The RKI dashboard is slowly becoming brighter.
"Unfortunately we still see a lot of
outbreaks in old people's and nursing homes,
" Wieler clarifies.
About 900 cases are known, "there is probably also an unreported number."
He draws
attention
to the
death
toll, which continues to be far too high.
"It is an oppressive, for me almost unbelievable number," said
Wieler
about the 50,000 corona deaths in Germany, which have now exceeded.
It is therefore important to
continue to adhere
to the
measures
.
"We can only return to normal everyday life if we reduce the number of cases and keep them permanently low," said the RKI boss.
He appeals for vaccination and compliance with the measures.
"Let's not give the coronavirus a chance."
Corona in Germany: Spahn wants to "minimize the spread of the mutation as much as possible"
Update from January 22nd, 10:08 am:
"We want to
minimize
the
spread of the corona mutation
as much as possible," said Spahn.
Therefore, easing the
lockdown is
currently not an option.
New measures, such as the introduction of the medical mask requirement, are therefore necessary.
Spahn explains that there is hope through the
vaccination campaign
.
“We are at the height of the pandemic, and at the same time we have begun the way out of the pandemic.
The
approval
of AstraZeneca's vaccine is also foreseeable.
"Take part, let's not let up now," appeals
Spahn
.
He promised that an offer could be made to every resident in the homes by mid-February.
Update from January 22nd, 10:05 am:
“The numbers are encouraging, they are developing in the right direction,”
Spahn
clarifies.
But they are still at too high a level.
The aim is to
further reduce
the number of
infections
in order to relieve the health authorities and especially the hospitals.
Too early
loosening
could lead to an inflamation of the situation, that has been seen in many European countries.
Corona in Germany: PK with Spahn, Wieler and Drosten on the current situation
Update from January 22nd, 10 a.m .:
The
federal press conference
on the current situation in the
corona lockdown
begins.
Health Minister Spahn takes the floor first.
First of all, he recalls the beginnings of the pandemic last year and the consequences so far.
“It's not over yet,” he explains.
+
RKI boss Lothar Wieler, Health Minister Jens Spahn and virologist Christian Drosten speak at a press conference on the current corona situation in Germany.
© imago images / photothek / Janine Schmitz
Update from January 22nd, 9.55 a.m .:
In a federal press
conference
from 10 a.m., Federal Health Minister
Jens Spahn
(CDU), RKI boss
Lothar Wieler
, virologist
Christian Drosten
and
Gernot Marx
, President of the German Interdisciplinary Association for Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine (DIVI ), on the current situation in the corona lockdown in Germany.
Corona in Germany: RKI reports 17,862 new infections - 859 new deaths
Update from January 22, 6:49 a.m.:
In Germany,
more than 50,000 people have died
in connection with the
coronavirus
since the beginning of the pandemic
.
The German health authorities reported
859 new deaths to
the Robert Koch Institute (RKI)
within 24 hours, as the RKI announced on Friday morning.
This brought the total number of deaths to
50,642
.
Exactly one week ago, 1113 new deaths were recorded within 24 hours.
The
high
of 1,244 new deaths was reached on January 14th.
The health authorities also reported
17,862 new corona infections
to
the RKI
within one day.
Exactly one week ago, the RKI had recorded 22,368 new infections.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, the RKI has counted 2,106,262 detected infections with Sars-CoV-2 in Germany (as of January 22, 00:00).
The actual
total number
is likely to be significantly higher as many infections are not detected.
The RKI stated the number of people recovered to be around 1,780,200.
The
seven-day incidence
was 115.3 on Friday morning, according to the RKI.
Its previous high was reached on December 22nd at 197.6.
The number fluctuated after that and has been falling again for a few days.
However, the differences between the federal states remain large:
Thuringia has the
highest incidences
with 218.4 and Brandenburg with 194.4.
Bremen has the lowest value with 80.9.
The nationwide seven-day R-value was 0.93 (previous day: 0.87) according to the RKI situation report from Thursday evening.
Coronavirus in Germany: R value still below 1 - RKI nevertheless urges caution
Update from January 21, 8:41 p.m
.: The number of
reproductions
in Germany has risen slightly again.
As can be seen from the current management report of the Robert Koch Institute on Thursday evening, the four-day R 0.84 (previous day: 0.79) and the seven-day R 0.93 (previous day: 0.87).
However, since the number of
reproductions
is still below 1, the infection rate levels off further.
In the first rudiments, this is also noticeable in the older population group.
After the RKI reported a
seven-day incidence
of 268 cases per 100,000 inhabitants
for the population 80+ on Wednesday
(
see first report
), there are now 259.
Despite this slight tendency towards improvement, the
RKI
warns
not to underestimate
the risk of the
coronavirus
.
Because "a high number of transmissions in the population in Germany can still be observed".
The institute therefore rates “the overall health risk in Germany as very high”.
Corona in Germany: Numbers give quiet hope - but the incidence among old people remains drastic
First report from January 21
: Berlin - Politicians
recently extended
the measures to contain the
corona
virus again.
Germany will be in
lockdown
*
until at least mid-February
.
Virus mutations such as those from
Great Britain
are of particular concern
, which, according to initial scientific findings, do not necessarily lead to worse disease courses, but are probably more contagious *.
Corona in Germany: concern about virus mutation - situation in Ireland and Portugal precarious
Therefore, keeping the number of cases low is currently the top priority for the Federal Government, as Chancellor
Angela Merkel
* emphasized again on Thursday morning (January 21).
If the numbers are low, then the virus “doesn't think so much” about the
mutation
, said the CDU politician *.
The simple calculation: the more spread the virus is, the more likely it is for
mutations
.
In this context, the Chancellor repeatedly refers to the threatening situation in
Ireland
, where the
virus mutation
is spreading ever further and 1,191 cases per 100,000 inhabitants have been registered in the last 14 days **.
The situation is currently even more tense in
Portugal
(14-day incidence of 1320), where 20 percent of new infections are due to a
mutation
.
The corona cases in the country with ten million inhabitants recently reached a record high of 14,600.
The unstable health system threatens to collapse.
+
Employees of the Curry Cabral Hospital in Lisbon transport a Covid-19 patient on a stretcher.
As a result of the strongly increasing corona numbers, the situation in hospitals is becoming increasingly tense.
© Pedro Fiuza / XinHua / dpa
Ireland
and
Portugal
serve as warning examples for the Federal Republic.
That is why the Chancellor never tires of pointing out the virus mutation.
However, there is currently hope in Germany.
Corona in Germany: the number of infections remains high - but the decline is clearly evident
In terms of the number of infections, there have recently been positive developments.
With
20,398 new infections reported
by the
Robert Koch Institute
*, the situation is still precarious, but there are signs of a clear decline.
Compared to the previous week, almost 19 percent fewer cases were reported, the
seven-day incidence has
decreased for the tenth day in a row and at 119.0 it has reached its lowest level since November 1.
So Germany is making progress on the way out of the crisis.
This can also be seen when looking at the respective federal states.
With
Thuringia
and
Brandenburg
only two federal states rank above the 200 mark.
The situation is currently most relaxed in
Hamburg
,
Bremen
,
Schleswig-Holstein
and
Lower Saxony
.
In
Baden-Württemberg
,
too
, the incidence is back in double digits after weeks.
state |
7-day incidence according to RKI (as of January 21, 12 a.m.) |
---|---|
Thuringia |
225 cases per 100,000 population |
Brandenburg |
203 |
Saxony-Anhalt |
195 |
Saxony |
186 |
Berlin |
120 |
Bavaria |
120 |
Hesse |
120 |
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania |
113 |
North Rhine-Westphalia |
111 |
Saarland |
109 |
Rhineland-Palatinate |
101 |
Baden-Württemberg |
99 |
Lower Saxony |
90 |
Schleswig-Holstein |
89 |
Bremen |
86 |
Hamburg |
83 |
Corona in Germany: R value well below 1 - "that shows that it is worth the effort"
The development of the
reproductive number also
gives reason for hope
. * If the so-called R value is below 1 for a long time, the infection rate flattens out.
The
four-day R
is currently
0.79 and the 7-day R is 0.87.
According to
Merkel
, the
decline in the number of infections shows
“that the tough cuts that people in Germany have had to take for weeks are beginning to pay off.
And it basically shows that the effort is worth it. "
Despite all the reasons for cautious optimism, the Chancellor warned on Thursday against
underestimating
the
corona crisis
.
If you do not act now, there is a risk of a third, possibly even more violent pandemic wave.
But: "We can still prevent that," said
Merkel
: "There is still some time to prevent the danger that lies in this mutated virus."
+
Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) speaks at a press conference on the current situation in the house of the Federal Press Conference.
© Michael Kappeler / dpa
Corona in Germany: incidence of 268 - threatening situation in the elderly
So while the current numbers are definitely positive, even if they are of course only a snapshot, other developments are of concern.
The virus is currently rampant, especially among the older population belonging to the risk group.
On Wednesday evening, the
RKI
reported
an
incidence
of 95 cases per 100,000 inhabitants
for people between 60 and 79 years,
i.e.
less than the German average.
For the population group 80+, however, the situation looks much more dramatic.
The incidence here is currently at a high 268. This number is also due to the increase in cases in old people's and nursing homes, as stated in the RKI situation report on Wednesday.
Merkel
knows that too, and she
can understand the population's frustration with the restrictions, because “it's a difficult time”.
As before, there is nothing to gloss over.
(as) * Merkur.de is part of the Ippen-Digital network
** Source: World Health Organization, as of January 20, 10 a.m .: The WHO gives the incidence over a period of two weeks, which is why there are sometimes significant differences with the local information, which is usually viewed within a week can. Germany ranks 26th in a European comparison. The full list can be found here.
List of rubric lists: © imago images / Sven Simon