Should Germany "just let the coronavirus run"?
Experts are discussing this possibility - while other countries are already acting on it ...
When will we finally get rid of the coronavirus and all its measures and restrictions? Millions of Germans have been asking this question for over a year. Because actually many hoped that once a vaccination was there, everything would normalize and relax again - but as it turns out, the infection numbers in Baden-Württemberg * and other countries are also high again in the second Corona late summer and the vaccination campaign is stalling. Nevertheless, the measures and regulations to contain the pandemic could soon be a thing of the past, as
reported by echo24.de
*.
Because - at least if it is up to Andreas Gassen, the head of the German statutory health insurance physicians - all restrictions should be lifted by October 30th.
He now demanded that from the
Osnabrücker Zeitung
.
With this announcement, Gassen hopes to quickly achieve a vaccination rate of 70 percent.
The date mentioned gives anyone who wants to have enough time to be vaccinated by the deadline.
Corona in Germany: head of statutory health insurance doctors calls for the end of all measures
But with this daring statement, the head of the health insurance company promptly encounters headwinds from other health experts.
Both politicians and doctors are largely skeptical.
Right at the forefront, the SPD health expert Karl Lauterbach.
He says on Twitter: “It is completely underestimated how difficult the next few months can be without a higher vaccination rate.
SarsCoV cannot be defeated with a crowbar. "
It is completely underestimated how difficult the next few months can be without a higher vaccination rate.
SarsCoV is not defeated with a crowbar.
SPD health expert Karl Lauterbach
And Lauterbach is not alone with this opinion.
Lower Saxony's Minister of Health Daniela Behrens (SPD) also joins the discussion.
She considers an end to the corona measures "still too reckless".
But health insurance chief Gassen has a very specific reason for his request.
Other European countries such as Great Britain and Denmark are already taking the path of openings.
In Denmark this is due to the fact that almost 75 percent of people are already fully vaccinated against Corona.
Because of this vaccination quota, there is no longer any need for 3G proof at all - even at large events with tens of thousands of spectators there are no longer any restrictions or controls.
Corona in Germany: Great Britain and Denmark as role models?
Great Britain ushered in its large-scale opening strategy with a so-called "Freedom Day".
In mid-July the time had come and the British were literally “free” again.
Amazingly, the number of infections here initially fell, but as the editorial network Germany reports, the incidences rose steadily again from August.
More than 100 deaths a day were reported regularly.
+
Will corona measures in Germany soon be a thing of the past?
(Symbol image)
© Federico Gambarini / dpa
However, British politicians do not allow themselves to be deterred.
As
reported by fr.de
*, Vice Prime Minister Michael Gove had not ruled out that hundreds of deaths per day would have to be dealt with if necessary.
In Downing Street one assured: "There is no concrete number of acceptable victims of Covid."
The big difference to Germany is definitely the vaccination rate in countries like Denmark and Great Britain.
Because these two countries have a clear lead compared to the Federal Republic.
While the number of fully immunized in Germany is 63.4 percent (September 22), Great Britain is at almost 67 percent - Denmark is a whole lot better with its 75 percent fully vaccinated population.
Corona in Germany: This strategy against the pandemic would be possible
Because of the stagnating vaccination rate, Germany has so far been using a different strategy.
3G applies in large parts of Germany in public areas - this means that anyone who wants to go to a restaurant, cinema or museum must prove that they have tested negative, have been vaccinated or have recovered from Corona.
Baden-Württemberg even goes one step further with its new Corona regulation * and only allows vaccinated and recovered people in from a certain intensive care bed occupancy.
Those who are not fully immunized against Covid-19 then have to do without public life as much as possible.
For the state government it is probably the means of choice to put the unvaccinated under pressure and to get the vaccination campaign going again.
Because with 2G, the government hopes not to have to impose a new lockdown this winter.
A strategy paper by the
Robert Koch Institute (RKI)
states that the infection process should be kept under control through measures, "but more with individual measures than with the closure of facilities or restrictions on entire areas of society."
Corona in Germany: This has to be achieved in order to lift the measures
The RKI has also created updated models that show that "the termination of all protective measures would result in a very significant increase in infections with the known consequences for the sick and the health system," the epidemiologist Hajo Zeeb told the Science Media Center.
Accordingly, the vaccination rate is currently far too low to "prevent a scenario with many deaths" with a high degree of probability.
According to the RKI, the measures could only be lifted if at least 85 percent of people are fully vaccinated.
The RKI experts are certain that the so-called herd immunity only comes into effect from this vaccination quota and the pandemic can be kept under control.
This autumn, however, this situation is not expected in Germany because - according to the strategy paper - "the expected vaccination rates, especially among younger adults, are not yet sufficient." *
Echo24.de
and fr.de are offered by IPPEN.MEDIA.
List of rubric lists: © Armin Weigel / dpa
