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Steinmeier at the award of the Federal Cross of Merit
Photo: BERND VON JUTRCZENKA / AFP
In view of the rapidly increasing number of corona infections, Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has called on citizens to voluntarily restrict their contacts in order to prevent a new lockdown.
"It is important that we all act together now," he wrote in a guest post for "Bild am Sonntag".
"Let's stick to the rules, let's reduce our contacts again."
According to the head of state, this is necessary to prevent a shutdown, "so that schools and day-care centers do not close again, so that we do not have to shut down public life completely."
Steinmeier also urged people to get vaccinated: “We could be so much further!
That is a bitter but necessary realization. «You have the remedy against a severe, even fatal course of the disease in your hand.
But still too few would have made use of it.
"So I ask you again today: Get vaccinated and renew your vaccination protection in good time!"
Karliczek calls for implementation of the Leopoldina recommendations
The incumbent Federal Research Minister Anja Karliczek (CDU) called on the new federal government to immediately implement the recommendations of the Leopoldina Scientific Academy, such as contact restrictions, also for corona vaccinated people.
“Politicians should follow the advice of science without hesitation.
We mustn't lose any more time «.
On Saturday, the National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina proposed to quickly impose several weeks of contact bans also for vaccinated people in order to break the strong fourth corona wave.
In addition, 30 million people in Germany would have to receive a booster vaccination by the end of the year.
A vaccination, at least for employees in the health service, is necessary.
The appeals come just a few hours after the Omikron variant of the coronavirus, which was discovered in southern Africa, was detected in Germany for the first time: In Munich, the variant classified as worrying was discovered in two travelers, according to the Max von Pettenkofer Institute, in Munich November arrived on a flight from South Africa.
The authorities in Hesse are investigating the case of another returnee from South Africa who, according to the Ministry of Social Affairs, is "highly suspected".
German citizens expect lockdown
In view of these developments, a majority of German citizens now seem to expect another shutdown - one that has been ruled out by the federal government that is coming into office.
According to a representative INSA survey reported by »Bild am Sonntag«,
73 percent of those surveyed expect a nationwide lockdown to be decided this year,
57 percent even want this measure.
As a result, more than half of people expect to be infected
58 percent consider the current measures to be insufficient,
and 55 percent believe that politics is too considerate of the concerns of the unvaccinated.
Despite the dramatic situation, the Federal President also tried to spread hope in his guest contribution.
"As bitter as it is that our wish for a normal Advent has not come true: Let's keep the confidence that together we will be able to break the fourth wave and get the corona pandemic under control," wrote Steinmeier,
sbo / dpa
