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Chancellor Olaf Scholz at the press conference
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Despite the rapid increase in the number of infections, the federal and state governments do not want to tighten the corona measures for the time being. At the moment you don't see any possibility for relaxation. One must remain cautious, said Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) after the virtual meeting with the state premiers. "It is clear to all of us that the direction we have taken will help," said Scholz. It is still unclear how the pandemic will develop. »But first of all, stay the course!«
Because of the omicron variant, the nationwide seven-day incidence is at a record level according to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) - it is expected that the numbers will continue to rise.
In view of the omicron wave, one does not know "whether we still have to reckon with a more dramatic situation" or whether it will soon become apparent that one can get through well.
The only real changes from the federal-state round concern the prioritization of PCR tests and contact tracing (you can find an overview of the decisions here).
»Look in both directions«
"It must and will be tested," said Scholz about turning away from the previous test strategy.
Due to the shortage of PCR tests - the capacity is currently around 300,000 per day - these are to be reserved primarily for hospital staff and high-risk patients in the future.
The health ministers from the federal and state governments should develop a strategy that is “balanced down to the last detail” to help keep track of new infections.
There had been a dispute on this issue beforehand: Several Union state leaders saw a failure on the part of Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD), from the SPD-led countries it was held that the overloading of the PCR laboratories was still due to predecessor Jens Spahn (CDU) back.
Scholz again emphasized the need for vaccination, especially to protect vulnerable people in old people's and nursing homes.
The pace of vaccination has slowed down, but things are still progressing, said Scholz.
The federal government will relaunch its advertising campaign for vaccination.
North Rhine-Westphalia's Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst, current chairman of the Prime Ministers' Conference, emphasized a two-pronged approach to combating the corona pandemic.
"We have to look in both directions in the next few weeks," says the CDU politician.
The federal and state governments would examine possible tightening, but also take care of opening prospects.
Scholz, however, said that it would be "idiosyncratic" to talk about specific easing in the current situation.
Dispute over Lauterbach's management
At the same time, Wüst took up another point of conflict from the federal-state discussion: the dispute over the relatively short-term change in the recovered status, which was recently shortened from six months to three.
"Such changes need advance notice," said Wüst, the people in the country need a "forward-looking pandemic policy".
According to SPIEGEL information, several Prime Ministers had complained about the short-term change of course by Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD).
He himself admitted that the communication had not gone well.
Wüst now said that one had to continue to work constructively, he didn't want to "point blame".
Scholz spoke of a “solidarity discussion”, he defended Lauterbach as an “outstanding minister”.
Berlin's governing mayor Franziskas Giffey (SPD), deputy chairwoman of the federal-state committee, emphasized the preservation of critical infrastructure as currently the most important focus of politics.
In the future, a “test regime” will be needed, especially for tests, as the high number of cases will prevent everyone from being tested.
However, the government must do everything possible to further expand the PCR test capacities.
In order to relieve health authorities, Giffey appealed to the people in the country to be responsible for informing contact persons in the event of a corona infection.
The health authorities alone are currently no longer able to keep up with contact tracing.
mrc/ulz/dpa
