Coronavirus: Saxony's Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer expects a record number of deaths in winter

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Saxony's Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer

Photo: Sebastian Kahnert / dpa

Michael Kretschmer (CDU), Prime Minister of Saxony, expects a record number of deaths from the corona pandemic and the fourth corona wave to continue until Easter. "We are only at the beginning of a harsh winter: the wave that we have in front of us will overshadow all previous waves," said Kretschmer of "Bild am Sonntag". “This fourth wave will demand more victims, including more fatalities, than anything we have known before. We know from last year that we have to hold out until Easter. This wave will not be over before then. «Germany still has the chance to prevent a lockdown over the Christmas period, said Kretschmer. "But we're running out of time."

Kretschmer called for further measures to combat the pandemic: »A 2-G rule is mandatory throughout Germany in order to avoid infection from unvaccinated people. In order to break the wave, we also have to reduce contacts again and cancel as many larger events as possible, such as Christmas markets across the country, "said Kretschmer of the" BamS ". "In view of the current dynamics, there will be no region in Germany that does not get into an emergency situation by Easter."

At the same time, Kretschmer criticized the traffic light parties' corona policy: »The traffic light's corona policy is extremely dangerous.

The decision-making speed of the new coalition in Berlin is too slow.

While the traffic light politicians in Berlin are talking about the fact that there is no pandemic situation, the number of infections is exploding across the country.

The employees in the hospitals have to uncover this policy. ”He also predicted:“ If the hospitals are overloaded, if nothing works, even the most stubborn traffic light government will not be able to avoid taking drastic measures to protect the population to seize a lockdown. "

"SPD, Greens and FDP may be able to defeat their political opponents, but not the coronavirus"

The Prime Minister's Conference on Thursday was "too late," said Kretschmer. »The federal and state governments worked together to fight this pandemic for 18 months. Now the traffic lights want to pass their law first and then talk to the prime minister. That's bad style. A lot will go wrong in the fight against the pandemic in the coming weeks and months. The SPD, Greens and FDP may be able to defeat their political opponents with their majority in the Bundestag, but not the coronavirus. "Kretschmer continues:" The culpable hesitation and irresponsible talk of the traffic light has consequences now. The agreement on free citizen tests alone took a week too long. A lot more people got infected this week than necessary. "

Kretschmer threatened to close in the “Bild am Sonntag” restaurant operators who did not implement the 2-G rule in Saxony: “A restaurateur who does not want to or cannot comply with the law does not meet the requirements for a license.

He has to lock his shop. "

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