Lauterbach and Wieler: New details on the Corona summit and lockdown plan

Created: 12/22/2021, 11:11 AM

From: Andreas Apetz

Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (right) and RKI boss Lothar Wieler.

(Archive photo) © Jens Schicke / Imago Images

After the last Corona summit, Health Minister Karl Lauterbach and RKI boss Lothar Wieler will answer questions from the press on Wednesday (December 22nd, 2021).

• After the Corona summit *, Health Minister Karl Lauterbach * (SPD *) and RKI boss Lothar Wieler will appear before the press on Wednesday (December 22nd, 2021).

• From 12.30 p.m. Lauterbach and Wieler will comment on the Corona situation, the Omikron variant * and the restrictions decided on Christmas and New Year's Eve *.

• In an interview on Tuesday evening (December 21, 2021) Lauterbach did not rule out a "hard lockdown".

  The news in the live ticker.

Berlin - At the end of the year, one topic dominated the German news landscape: the Omikron variant.

Experts and experts expect a new wave to begin shortly after the turn of the year.

To prevent this, the Corona summit met on Tuesday (December 21, 2021).

Prime ministers discussed with Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz * (SPD) about stricter corona measures for the Christmas holidays and New Year's Eve.

At the end of the summit, there is a decision that has been criticized from many sides.

One of the reasons for this is the Robert Koch Institute, which had published a Covid 19 strategy paper in advance, in which the institute called for significantly stricter measures than is the case in the current resolution.

On Wednesday (December 22nd, 2021), Health Minister Lauterbach and the head of the RKI Lothar Wieler will give a press conference together and comment on the new Corona measures.

Corona summit: Stricter contact restrictions from December 28th

From December 28th, strict corona measures will apply nationwide.

This was announced by Chancellor Scholz at a press conference after the Corona summit.

The resolutions include strict contact restrictions.

These do not only apply to unvaccinated people, there are also restrictions for vaccinated and boosted people:

• Contact restrictions:

   New contact restrictions apply to vaccinated and convalescent people from December 28th.

  Only a maximum of 10 people are allowed to meet.

  Stricter rules apply to the unvaccinated.

  You are only allowed to meet people in your own household and two other people.

  "It is not the time for parties or evenings in good company," said Scholz at the press conference on Tuesday.

  This is especially true for New Year's Eve.

• Workplace, retail and events:

   In retail and cultural events such as the theater or cinema, the 2G rule applies and in some places the 2G plus rule.

  Clubs and discos will be closed.

  Major events will take place without spectators.

  This also applies to football games.

  The 3G rule applies in the workplace.

• Infrastructure:

   The critical infrastructure should be maintained.

  Hospitals, mobile transports, fire brigades and the police should activate their emergency plans.

• Vaccination campaign:

   The vaccinations should continue to run over Christmas and New Year's Eve.

  By the end of the year, 30 million vaccine doses are to be administered.

  Another 30 million booster vaccinations are to be carried out by the end of January.

The next prime ministerial conference is scheduled for January 7th.

Then the corona situation and the spread of the Omikron variant should be checked again.

Should the situation in Germany worsen, a renewed lockdown cannot be ruled out.

Corona summit: RKI calls for tougher measures - "Maximum contact restrictions"

Immediately before the Prime Minister's Conference on the Corona situation, the Robert Koch Institute recommended more extensive measures than the federal and state governments have been planning so far.

In view of the great dangers posed by Omikron, "maximum contact restrictions" are necessary from now on, according to a corona strategy paper published by the RKI on Tuesday.

The then announced decision of the Corona summit fell short of expectations for many.

It is irritating that the corona measures will only be tightened from December 28th and not before Christmas, as required by the RKI.

Dietmar Bartsch * (Die Linke *) told the RND: "None of this can be explained to the population and further weakens trust in the Corona policy."

In the face of widespread criticism, Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) defended the corona measures decided on Tuesday in the federal-state round.

In an interview with ARD Tagesthemen on Tuesday evening, he said: "What we decided today will have an impact quickly."

After the Corona summit: Lauterbach and RKI boss Wieler with a joint press conference

In the ARD *, Lauterbach did not rule out “that a hard lockdown must also be discussed if the number of cases should develop like this”. There is no red line - only "at this point in time we are not there". A lockdown would come close to the demands of the Robert Koch Institute. However, new measures are not expected to be discussed until the Prime Minister's Conference on January 7th.

Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) and the President of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), Lothar Wieler, will again provide information about the Corona situation in Germany on Wednesday (December 22nd, 2021).

It is to be expected that the most recent resolutions of the Corona summit will also be at stake.

Andreas Gassen, Chairman of the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians, is also on the podium at the Federal Press Conference.

(aa / dpa / afp)