The health ministers of the federal states are meeting today with Jens Spahn.
They want to make booster vaccinations possible for everyone.
In Lindau on Lake Constance, Jens Spahn and the state health ministers are discussing the fourth wave.
Booster vaccinations should be possible for everyone six months after the second vaccination.
At 1 p.m., a press conference with Spahn and his colleagues Holetschek (Bavaria), Bachmann (Saarland) and Petra Grimm-Benne (Saxony-Anhalt) is scheduled.
Update from November 5, 1:37 p.m.:
When
asked by
a journalist, Holetschek explains that the issues that have now been decided must be put into practice with the interior ministers of the federal states.
Professor Janssen: Hospitals have "reached critical limits"
Update from November 5, 1:31 p.m.:
Professor Janssens talks about a nurse whom he recently retired after 45 years in the same hospital. She has now worked on the Covid ward for 19 months: “Those were the worst months of her life.” Thanks to the vaccinations, “thank God” we haven't yet had that many Covid patients on the wards. "But we have full intensive care units", because there are not only corona patients, but much more without Coivd-19. They would have to be treated with the same care. There we have now reached a “critical limit” because of the lack of staff.
"The concepts that have been decided today are sensible and important," says the professor.
"With the vaccinations, we now have at least a weapon in hand." But: "The next few months will be tough, I'm sure of that."
Update from November 5th, 1:23 pm:
"We not only have a tough time ahead of us, but also two tough years behind us," explains Monika Bachmann from Saarland.
She thanks that the chairman of the Holetschek conference today also invited Professor Janssens and a nurse to describe the situation on site.
The nurses are "finished and broken." They cannot just take five days' leave.
Update from November 5, 1:19 p.m.:
Minister Petra Grimm-Benne from Saxony-Anhalt announces financial support for the hospitals.
They want to do that retrospectively to November 1st.
She emphasizes once again that the tests in the homes will remain free until winter so that the weak will not be disadvantaged again.
So lonely Christmas, like last year, should be prevented.
Spahn announces booster vaccinations for everyone - "We have very difficult weeks ahead of us"
Update from November 5, 1:17 p.m.:
There is a lot of frustration in the intensive care units because "a lot of stress could have been prevented" - with more vaccinations.
Anyone who denies Corona should speak to nurses and medical staff, who could explain the real situation to them.
"In the end it is up to each individual."
Update from November 5th, 1:10 pm:
Jens Spahn speaks of a "force" that the fourth wave absorbed.
“We have very difficult weeks ahead of us.
This is evident from the high level of infections. ”It is all the more important to break this wave now.
You have the tools in hand, such as the booster vaccinations.
The medical profession as well as the federal and state governments agree that this booster should come for everyone.
In addition, one must protect the places that are particularly vulnerable, such as the elderly and nursing homes.
The booster vaccinations now need more speed.
“Boosters after six months should become the rule.” Not only are the medical practices involved, but also the vaccination centers and offers such as vaccination buses.
Health Minister Holetschek warns: "The situation is serious"
Update from November 5, 1:03 p.m.:
The Bavarian Health Minister Holetschek speaks of a dramatic and worrying situation.
“The situation is serious and it is becoming more serious.
We made some decisions in great unity. ”In principle, booster vaccinations should be possible for everyone after six months.
But especially for the elderly, those with previous illnesses and medical staff.
A nurse who took part in the conference made the dire situation clear to everyone.
“Nursing is the mega-topic in future evaluations.” Holetschek also wants financial incentives for caregivers, such as a bonus or tax relief.
Visitors to nursing homes should again receive free tests.
Update from November 5, 12.27 p.m.:
At the moment, the Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn and the state health
ministers are
discussing the further path in the corona pandemic with a view to winter.
At 1 p.m. they want to appear in front of the press and present their plans.
Dramatic corona numbers, booster vaccinations and lockdown - these are the health ministers' new plans
First report from November 5, 2021:
Lindau - The fourth Corona * wave is picking up speed.
The health authorities in Germany reported the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) to the new record of 37,120 new corona infections within one day.
The RKI even changed its risk assessment for incompletely or not vaccinated people from “high” to “very high”, according to the weekly report published on Thursday evening.
"For fully vaccinated people, the risk is assessed as moderate, but increasing due to the increasing number of infections," it said.
A week ago, the risk for vaccinated people was described as "moderate" in the report.
Corona: Health ministers advise on booster vaccinations
Against this background, the health ministers of the federal states meet in Lindau on Lake Constance.
The important topics: booster vaccinations *, protection of nursing home residents and support for hospitals.
At 1 p.m., a press conference with Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn (CDU *) and his country colleagues Klaus Holetschek (CSU *) from Bavaria, Monika Bachmann (CDU, Saarland) and Petra Grimm-Benne (SPD, Saxony-Anhalt) is scheduled.
The chairman of the conference, Bavaria's Minister of Health Klaus Holetschek (CSU), spoke on Thursday of a “big program”.
On some questions, however, there were trend-setting statements right from the start.
Video: Spahn about new measures in winter
Spahn and his colleagues want booster vaccinations for everyone after six months
According to Spahn, the health ministers agree that a booster vaccination six months after the second vaccination with a view to autumn and winter makes sense for everyone. “Boosters should become the rule, not the exception.” Because they are prioritized for first and second vaccinations, it is primarily older people, those with previous illnesses and medical staff who are first in line. “Boosting makes sense there,” said the Minister of Health. The Standing Vaccination Commission currently only recommends booster vaccinations for over 70-year-olds and those with previous illnesses.
Around 2.4 million people have received such a booster vaccination so far.
The Secretary General of the German Society for Immunology, Carsten Watzl, also expects a lot from it.
"People get a kind of super protection, so to speak, and can hardly pass the coronavirus * on," he told the
Augsburger Allgemeine
on Friday.
"If the virus hits someone like that, then the pathogen is the end of the line and the spread is stopped," added the immunologist.
Corona: Health ministers advise on protection in nursing homes
In addition, the health ministers are also discussing an expansion of mandatory testing in nursing homes.
Baden-Württemberg's Minister of Social Affairs Manfred Lucha (Greens *) even called for mandatory vaccinations for employees in nursing homes on Thursday.
Holetschek refused this before the meeting began: “At the moment we have agreed, especially in Bavaria, that there is no compulsory vaccination - and that’s the case now.” Instead, the ministers want to agree that in the facilities as well Vaccinated and convalescents are tested.
How closely the tests should be carried out was, however, controversial before the conference.
Financial compensation for clinics and nursing staff should be decided
Financial support for hospitals is also an issue. Should clinics for the care of corona patients have to postpone interventions again, “a targeted financial compensation regulation” would be necessary, according to a draft resolution from several countries for the conference, which is available to the dpa. The Federal Ministry of Health should therefore enable compensation payments from the health fund. First, the
Business Insider
reported about it. In the current situation, Holetschek considers an expiry of the epidemic emergency of national scope, as Jens Spahn is calling for, to be wrong.
He emphasized that it was also time to help clinics and nursing staff financially - for example with tax-free allowances for employees.
The federal and state health ministers had recently exchanged videos almost every week.
The fact that on-site advice is now being provided in Lindau is "very important at the moment," said the Bavarian Minister of Health.
(md with dpa)
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