Corona values ​​​​in Bavaria "worrying": But Söder Minister wants to relax - Munich Mayor sees failure

Created: 01/18/2022Updated: 01/18/2022 05:25

By: Katarina Amtmann, Klaus-Maria Mehr

The Omicron wave spills over to Bavaria. The number of infections is increasing. The Söder cabinet did not decide anything on Monday, but promised easing.

• The incidence in Bavaria has continued to rise (see update from January 17, 6:06 a.m.).

• Head of the State Chancellery Florian Herrmann promised easing for the coming week (see update from January 17, 1 p.m.).

• This ticker is updated regularly.

Corona in Bavaria: government postpones easing - Munich Mayor Reiter expresses regret

Update from January 17, 4:58 p.m .:

The Mayor of Munich Dieter Reiter (SPD) has no understanding for the continuation of the strict corona measures at cultural events. "I think it's absolutely justifiable to at least increase the spectator capacity of our cultural institutions in line with the strict hygiene requirements in order to at least provide a little relief here," said Reiter on Monday in Munich. "I regret that the Bavarian state government has failed to end the unequal treatment of cultural institutions and gastronomy in relation to the Corona measures."

Update from January 17, 1 p.m.:

The Bavarian cabinet has postponed the announced decisions on new hotspot regulations, but also on certain simplifications. Neither tightening nor easing has currently been decided, said Head of State Florian Herrmann after a cabinet meeting. He now promised corresponding resolutions for the coming week.

There is currently no clear answer to the question of how the rapidly increasing seven-day incidence is affecting the situation in hospitals.

Therefore, one wants to monitor the development of the situation again this week and then, if necessary, make decisions next week.

For the next week there is a “clear perspective” in some areas if the situation does not deteriorate, Herrmann continued.

As examples of conceivable easing, Herrmann named easier access regulations in youth work and capacity expansions in the number of spectators in culture and sport.

According to Herrmann, the regulation, according to which many areas would actually have to be closed in regions with a seven-day incidence of more than 1000, will remain suspended until the cabinet decides on this.

At the press conference after the cabinet meeting, easing was announced for next week.

© Sven Hoppe/dpa/dpa-Bildfunk

Söder cabinet meets: The press conference to read

12:33 p.m .:

A journalist wants to know what will make regulations dependent on in the future.

According to Holetschek, the occupancy of the hospitals is still a decisive factor.

You have to monitor the occupancy of the intensive care beds and the occupancy of the normal wards.

You also have to keep an eye on the incidence.

The CSU politician assumes that you have to bring both topics together.

But you will probably no longer have the classic traffic light, but rather a kind of monitoring.

Recommendations are expected from the LGL.

A renewed demand: What is the decisive factor for loosening?

After all, the incidence will be higher next week than it is now.

Specialists do not yet have any valid assessments either, they are currently looking at the data, says Holetschek.

When asked about the hotspot regulations, Holetschek says: "I think theoretically everything is possible".

Abolish, further suspend or adjust.

However, he thinks it is “reasonable in principle” and would like to develop it further.

"It's now paying off": Holetschek comments on the Corona strategy

12:21 p.m .:

Klaus Holetschek is happy that action was taken consistently and decisively at an early stage.

That "is now paying off", according to Bavaria's Minister of Health.

He pleaded for a general obligation to vaccinate.

There was also a dig at Chancellor Olaf Scholz: "Anyone who claims leadership in Berlin must also lead."

"Numbers not so clear yet" - Corona decisions next week

12.11 p.m .:

Michael Piazolo speaks after Head of State Herrmann.

This week, "the numbers are not yet so clear," said the Minister of Education.

That's why you give yourself "this one week time", even if it was difficult for him.

At least you know what the needs are.

"There will be a decision on this next week," assures Piazolo.

The start of school "went relatively smoothly," continued the Free Voter politician.

A large safety net was stretched.

Corona/Bavaria: glimmer of hope for culture?

Söder Minister gives hope

12.04 p.m .:

You can see new highs in new infections every day, increasing incidences.

On the other hand, intensive care unit occupancy is declining.

As far as the regulations are concerned, it was decided not to make any changes, says Herrmann.

It is not yet known how the increasing numbers due to Omikron will affect the situation in the health care system.

There are therefore neither tightening nor loosening today.

The 1000 limit for hotspots also remains ineffective, says Herrmann.

It is extremely important for the Council of Ministers to offer a perspective for more restricted areas (youth work, art, culture and cinema as well as sport), said Herrmann.

They want to ease things up “if the situation allows it.” If the situation in the hospitals doesn’t deteriorate this week, you could definitely imagine easing in these areas next week.

For art and culture, an adjustment of the capacity limitation from the previous 25 percent to 50 percent is conceivable in the event of a relaxation.

An adjustment would also be possible for sport.

Söder cabinet meets on Corona - press conference live

12 p.m.:

The press conference starts on time.

Florian Herrmann has the floor.

“The central topic today was Corona.

We analyzed the situation," said the head of the State Chancellery.

The "worrying development" is continuing, according to Herrmann.

The incidence has increased, and the number of new infections is also increasing.

There are 22 counties and independent cities that have an incidence of over 600.

From the 500 incidence there are 20 more.

Omicron is the dominant variant, reports the CSU politician.

Herrmann reports on the hospital situation: The intensive care bed occupancy has decreased since last week.

However, the hospitalization incidence has increased slightly (336 last week, 357 now).

He speaks of a "somewhat unclear situation" in terms of hospitalization.

Update from January 17, 11:45 a.m .:

The Bavarian cabinet met in the morning and the results will be presented soon (see previous update).

You can follow the press conference live here at 12 noon.

Söder cabinet meets - press conference at 12 p.m

Update from January 17, 10:12 a.m .:

The Bavarian cabinet around Prime Minister Markus Söder has been meeting since ten a.m.

Health Minister Klaus Holetschek, Head of State Florian Herrmann (both CSU) and Minister of Education Michael Piazolo (Free Voters) will then provide information on the results of the meeting.

You can follow the press conference at 12 noon here in the live stream and ticker.

Incidence in Bavaria is increasing - over 8200 new infections

Update from January 17, 8:03 a.m .:

The incidence in Bavaria has continued to rise (see previous update).

The health authorities in the Free State reported more than 8,200 new corona infections to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) within one day.

The number of corona-related deaths in Bavaria since the beginning of the pandemic rose by 7 to 20,177.

Numbers are typically lower on Mondays due to less testing and reporting over the weekend.

The number of corona patients in the intensive care units continued to fall.

The Divi intensive care register reported 405 corona patients in intensive care units in the Free State on Monday (as of 7:05 a.m.), that is 3 fewer than on Sunday.

245 of them had to be ventilated invasively.

Corona: Incidence in Bavaria increased further - Ingolstadt hotspot number 1

Update from January 17, 6:06 a.m .:

The incidence in Bavaria has continued to rise.

On Monday, the RKI reported a value of 551.5 (previous day: 527.4).

The number 1 hotspot is now the city of Ingolstadt (866.0) followed by Munich (859.7; previous day: 829.4) and the district of Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen (828.3)

How much does Omikron threaten the clinics?

Bavarian cabinet meets on Monday - results live here

Munich - The Omicron wave has arrived in Bavaria.

Munich becomes the number 1 hotspot in Bavaria on Sunday with a seven-day incidence of 829.4.

Ingolstadt follows in second place 820. The rapidly increasing numbers are remarkable because the reported infection numbers on Sunday and Monday are traditionally lower than the actual situation suggests, since the health authorities report less to the RKI at the weekend.

According to all pandemic rules, a rapid jump in the number of infections should be expected by Tuesday at the latest.

Corona in Bavaria: how bad is omicron in unvaccinated people?

The big question for politicians remains: How badly are the intensive care units burdened by Omikron?

If the current infection numbers were still linked to the delta variant, new restrictions, including for vaccinated people, would have to be considered now.

But Omicron is supposed to be milder, the Spaniards consider it flu-like.

In contrast to Bavaria, however, they also have a significantly higher vaccination rate.

And that remains the big unknown: How do the many unvaccinated people in Bavaria react to an omicron infection?

Corona in Bavaria: Cabinet meets on Monday - press conference live here

Under these conditions, the Bavarian cabinet will meet on Monday (January 17) at 10 a.m. to assess the current corona situation. Health Minister Klaus Holetschek (CSU) wants to announce the results in a press conference. Pressure comes mainly from the relaxation team. "Sensible improvements are urgently possible and necessary in the entire cultural sector: With 2G plus and masks and compliance with suitable distances, we want to allow 50 percent of the viewers again," said the health policy spokeswoman for the SPD parliamentary group, Ruth Waldmann. The Bavarian Music Council is even pushing for cultural events to be used up to a maximum of 75 percent - so far only 25 percent are allowed.

The Bayerische Jugendring (BJR) demanded that the 2G access restriction for youth work offers be overturned.

"Why a group of young people are allowed to meet in a restaurant or at a gas station, but not in the youth center - I still don't understand it and it's absurd," said BJR President Matthias Fack on Sunday.

Of course, Markus Söder still sets the course in Bavaria.

But he also made an unusually moderate statement to our editors on Friday:

“We now need a broader approach, especially at Omikron.

It will no longer be sufficient to only look at the situation from a medical and virological point of view.

We must also pay more attention to the societal and social component.

Our society is not divided into two equal parts, but it is divided.

A small group of lateral thinkers with very abstruse arguments, a large group of very cautious people, but also some who have followed all the rules but are exhausted and tired and are beginning to doubt the sense of some regulations.

You can read the results of the press conference live here in the ticker.

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