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Corona: Lauterbach expects easing only after the omicron wave has been overcome

2022-01-25T05:57:08.823Z


Corona: Lauterbach expects easing only after the omicron wave has been overcome Created: 2022-01-25Updated: 2022-01-25 06:41 By: Kerstin Kesselgruber, Nico Scheck, Vincent Büssow Hotly discussed at the Corona summit: Demands to relax the measures are opposed to stricter rules because of Omicron - all news at a glance. The Corona* summit between the federal and state governments will take place


Corona: Lauterbach expects easing only after the omicron wave has been overcome

Created: 2022-01-25Updated: 2022-01-25 06:41

By: Kerstin Kesselgruber, Nico Scheck, Vincent Büssow

Hotly discussed at the Corona summit: Demands to relax the measures are opposed to stricter rules because of Omicron - all news at a glance.

  • The Corona* summit between the federal and state governments will take place on Monday (01/24/2022).

  • Chancellor Olaf Scholz* (SPD)* advises together with the representatives of the state governments on the further steps in the corona pandemic.

  • Above all, Markus Söder* and his CSU* plead for easing.

    Federal Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach is already considering it.

+++ 9.20 p.m .:

Federal Health

Minister

Karl Lauterbach (SPD) expects that the corona measures in Germany can be relaxed after the omicron wave has been exceeded.

At the moment, given the increasing number of cases, one still has to hope “that we can get there without tightening up,” he said on Monday evening (January 24, 2022) after the end of the federal-state consultations on ARD.

But once the wave has been overcome, “for example in mid-February” and the number of infections has gone down again, “then the time has come to relax”. 

Federal Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach: The number of infections must fall before the lockdown is relaxed.

(Archive image) © Political-Moments/Imago

Corona Summit: General vaccination requirements are being prepared

+++ 7 p.m .:

The mayor of Berlin, Franziska Giffey, defended the decision to suspend compulsory attendance in the capital’s schools.

The measure was announced on Monday (01/24/2022) in view of the increasing number of corona infections.

As Giffey said during the press conference after the Corona summit, parents should be able to decide whether or not to send their children to school.

In any case, the following applies: "The schools remain open," said the SPD politician.

+++ 6.40 p.m .:

The chairman of the Prime Ministers’ Conference Hendrik Wüst has announced that preparations for general vaccination will take place in Germany.

The CDU politician described this measure as necessary.

Another topic in the first minutes of the press conference after the Corona summit was the short-term change in the recovered status on January 14.

Accordingly, the dispute between some of the prime ministers and health minister Lauterbach (see update 3:06 p.m.) probably made it into the decision.

According to Wüst, Lauterbach should ensure that such a situation does not repeat itself.

Corona summit live: the federal and state governments are sticking to restrictions

+++ 6.20 p.m .:

The press conference after the federal-state meeting on the corona situation in Germany started with some delay.

Saxony's Prime Minister had previously said that the previous corona restrictions should be adhered to.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz also said at the beginning of the conference that the previous measures should be continued.

According to Scholz, the vaccination and booster campaign in Germany should also be pushed forward.

Corona summit live: If necessary, the federal and state governments want stricter rules – and are tightening them up

+++ 5:01 p.m .:

Apparently in response to warnings from the Corona Expert Council, the federal and state

governments have sharpened

their

draft for the Prime Minister’s Conference

.

"If there is a risk of the health system being overloaded, they will agree on further infection control measures," says a new draft from Monday afternoon, which is available to the Reuters news agency.

In response to the exploding number of corona infections caused by Omikron, the federal and state governments are otherwise relying on the continuation of the previous corona measures.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz and the 16 Prime Ministers want to decide this Monday how Germany should deal with the Omicron variant. The expert council had asked politicians at the weekend to also make preparations for

any tightening that might be necessary

. Because Omicron is less dangerous in most of the courses of the disease than previous coronavirus variants. But if the incidences continue to rise as expected, “a great many” admissions to clinics can still be expected. This wording should now also be included in the federal-state decision. Infections of unvaccinated older people and infection-related failures in the healthcare system “continue to give cause for concern about a significant burden on the healthcare system,” it says.

In view of the potentially serious economic consequences, companies can now prepare for

the state’s

Corona economic

aid

beyond March

.

So far, drafts have only mentioned an examination.

The federal and state governments also want to decide on a significant departure from the previous test strategy.

This is what the particularly reliable

PCR tests

are supposed to do

to prove a corona infection can only be used for particularly vulnerable groups and the staff in clinics and nursing homes. In the future, even after a positive rapid test, all other people should only use a second rapid test to check whether they are infected and then go into isolation. The reason is the bottlenecks in the PCR test capacity of currently around 300,000 a day if the number of infections skyrockets as expected. In the paper, the federal states also demand that the federal government “increase the PCR test capacities as quickly as possible”.

While the federal and state governments want to push the vaccination campaign in view of the bad numbers, they also indicate that the pandemic will flatten out later.

"The federal and state governments will

develop

opening

perspectives for the moment when an overload of the health system can be ruled out," says the template.

Details are not mentioned.

Corona summit: countries call for expansion of economic aid and short-time work benefits

+++ 4.10 p.m .:

The prime ministers of the federal states are calling for an expansion of economic aid and short-time work benefits in the corona pandemic.

This emerges from an updated version of the draft resolution for today's Corona summit, which is available to the editorial network Germany (RND).

As the RND writes, “an extension and expansion of the aid and special regulations beyond March 2022 is necessary”.

According to the RND, the date of the next Corona summit has already been fixed: The federal-state meeting is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, February 16, 2022, i.e. in just over three weeks.

Corona summit live: the federal and state governments want stricter rules if necessary

+++ 3.50 p.m .:

According to a new draft for the Prime Ministers’ Conference (MPK) available to the Reuters news agency, the federal and state governments are committed to imposing stricter corona measures if necessary.

“The development of the omicron wave will continue to be closely monitored.

If there is a risk of the health system being overloaded, they will agree on further infection control measures," the paper now says.

A common position should be worked out by February 9th for the implementation of major events.

Previously, there had been increasing calls for easing, including from Bavaria.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz is currently advising the prime ministers at the Corona summit on how to proceed during the omicron wave.

Corona summit live: violent dispute between SPD and Union countries

+++ 3.06 p.m .:

During the federal-state consultations before the Corona summit with Olaf Scholz, there is said to have been a heated argument between the SPD and the federal states led by the Union.

Specifically, according to information from Spiegel, the question is who is to blame for the lack of PCR tests.

According to the draft resolution, these are now to be rationed.

The country leaders blame the (former) Minister of Health of the other party: According to the CDU Prime Minister, Karl Lauterbach (SPD) is responsible, the SPD Prime Minister sees Jens Spahn * (CDU *) in of responsibility.

Lauterbach's management style was also criticized - he did not inform the federal states in good time about changes to the corona rules planned by his ministry.

According to Spiegel, Hessen's Prime Minister Volker Bouffier (CDU) is said to have said: "I personally feel betrayed *."

Corona summit: Start with Scholz is delayed

+++ 2.55 p.m .:

At 3 p.m. the Corona summit by Chancellor Olaf Scholz is to start with the Prime Ministers of the federal states. Meanwhile, a current report makes you sit up and take notice: For the second day in a row, the total number of Covid 19 intensive care patients in Germany increased slightly. According to the daily report of the Divi intensive care register, 2438 patients infected with the coronavirus were in intensive care treatment on Monday (01/24/2022). That's twelve more than the day before.

At the peak of the fourth wave in the first half of December 2021, around 5,000 corona patients were in intensive care. Then the number fell continuously for a long time. On Sunday (January 23, 2022) it grew again by 28 for the first time. "We are currently seeing a trend reversal in the normal wards, but not yet in the intensive care ward," said the head of the Divi intensive care register, Christian Karagiannidis, on Monday when asked by the dpa With. Traditionally, few patients would be transferred from the intensive care unit on Sundays. "I would not overestimate this." The week will show where the trend is going.

+++ 2:21 p.m .:

The Corona summit scheduled for 2 p.m. by Chancellor Olaf Scholz with the Prime Ministers of the federal states seems to be delayed.

It's supposed to start at 3 p.m.

The reason is probably the country consultations in the Prime Ministers' Conference (MPK), which, according to the information, are still ongoing.

Corona summit: Ministry of Health wants to lash down new rules "promptly".

+++ 1:52 p.m .:

The details of the planned prioritization of PCR tests should be specified in a corresponding regulation “promptly” after the federal-state consultations. A spokesman for the Federal Ministry of Health said on Monday in Berlin. "We will definitely try to provide reliable and comprehensible information very promptly to accompany the regulation process," he added. 

Chancellor Olaf Scholz and the prime ministers of the federal states will discuss the topic at the Corona summit this Monday.

Due to the high number of corona infections and limited laboratory capacities, PCR tests are to be used primarily for people from risk groups and employees who care for and treat them.

From when this should apply and how it will be specifically designed is open.

According to the currently applicable test regulation, everyone with a positive rapid test - including self-test - is entitled to a subsequent PCR test.

Corona summit: More and more politicians are calling for extensive easing

+++ 12.12 p.m .:

The Corona summit of the federal and state governments has been under the chairmanship of NRW Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst since 11.30 a.m., before Chancellor Olaf Scholz also joins the deliberations at 2 p.m. Calls for relaxation of the corona rules are already getting louder - despite new record numbers of new infections and incidences due to omicron every day.

The head of the FDP state parliamentary group in North Rhine-Westphalia, Christof Rasche, called for easing at major events and for the 2G regulation in retail and 2G plus in restaurants to be abolished. That's what he told the world. Federal Minister of Justice Marco Buschmann from the same FDP state association is a little more cautious: if the peak has been passed and the numbers in the hospitals have also fallen, the measures would have to be relaxed, he said on ARD ("Anne Will")*. "This is of course."

The rather cautious Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) sees it similarly: “Once we have that behind us, then of course the restrictions cannot remain.

And then, step by step, openings would be made again.

It is right to consider that now,” explained Lauterbach.

The draft resolution for the Corona summit * says: “The federal and state governments will develop opening perspectives for the moment when an overload of the health system can be ruled out.” This is not explained in detail.

However, the draft is only a basis for discussion - a few things could change before the decision of the Prime Minister's Conference (MPK).

Corona summit today: Hendrik Wüst (CDU), Prime Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, speaks to his counterparts at the beginning of the digital Prime Minister's Conference (MPK), including Manuela Schwesig (SPD), Prime Minister of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.

NRW is currently chairing the MPK.

© Kay Nietfeld/dpa

Corona summit: Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) wants an exit strategy

+++ 10.19 a.m .:

CSU regional group leader Alexander Dobrindt called for a “clever” strategy before the Prime Minister’s Conference (MPK) from the federal and state governments on Monday in order to “move out of the pandemic little by little”.

Dobrindt told the "Welt" (Monday edition) before the Corona summit: "The status of the pandemic will be different with Omikron." Therefore, the assessment standards would also have to be adjusted.

"It is important to recognize and absorb the effects of fatigue in society."

In view of the usually mild course of an omicron infection, the central criterion cannot be the incidence.

"The central question must be: How burdened is the health system?" Dobrindt told the newspaper.

"This question must be the basis for all federal and state decisions," he said.

Markus Söder had also called for a more relaxed approach to the pandemic (see update at 7:15 a.m.).

The federal and state governments want to discuss the corona protection regulations this Monday.

Before the Corona summit on Monday, CSU regional group leader Alexander Dobrindt called for a “clever” strategy to “move out of the pandemic bit by bit”.

© Karl-Josef Hildenbrand/dpa

Corona summit: Markus Söder is on a confrontational course

Update from Monday, January 24th, 2022, 7.15 a.m .:

Shortly before the start of the next Corona summit, Markus Söder is calling for far-reaching easing.

In an interview with the Augsburger Allgemeine, the Bavarian Prime Minister demanded that people should be able to take part in cultural and sporting events again.

The omicron wave is not comparable to the delta wave, the hospitalization rates are significantly lower.

The CSU politician is thus taking a confrontational course with the federal government around Olaf Scholz.

Due to the number of cases in the Corona crisis*, which had been high for days, he had put a stop to any easing of the measures.

There is no need for a course correction and it is not yet the time for the restrictions to end, Scholz told the Süddeutsche Zeitung.

Update from Sunday, January 23rd, 2022, 5:09 p.m .:

The draft resolution for the Corona summit has leaked in advance *.

Apparently, the main focus is on expanding the vaccination campaign, prioritizing testing and maintaining the current corona measures.

Before the Corona summit: "Omicron is not Delta" - Söder calls for relaxation

First report from Sunday, January 23rd, 2022:

Berlin - The omicron wave has completely captured Germany.

While the corona incidence continues to rise*, the next federal and state consultations are scheduled for Monday (January 24th, 2022).

These also seem sorely needed, as the incidence on Sunday (January 23, 2022) is over 800. Federal Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach* recently announced that he expects the omicron wave to peak in mid-February.

So far there is no draft resolution for the Corona summit on Monday.

But even in the run-up, there are topics such as compulsory vaccination and the prioritization of PCR tests.

As the Business Insider reports, no further corona tightening should be decided at the summit.

The current measures should simply continue to exist.

However, the last word does not seem to have been spoken between the federal and state governments.

Bavaria's Prime Minister Markus Söder is on a confrontational course with the federal government in the Corona crisis.

© Sven Hoppe/dpa

Before the Corona summit on Monday: Markus Söder calls for relaxation

Because: CSU boss Markus Söder has now announced resistance to stricter measures in an interview with the Augsburger Allgemeine before the Corona summit.

"Bavaria will not support any tightening in the Prime Ministers' Conference, but will adapt the rules in individual places.

We want to enable more participation in culture, sport and youth work," he emphasized.

And: "Omicron* is not Delta*, which is why we cannot transfer the measures 1:1 from one mutation to the other."

Rather, the burden on the health system is the benchmark.

Söder explained: "Thanks to the consistent measures taken in recent weeks and the milder course at Omikron, the number of occupied intensive care beds has fortunately decreased overall."

Before the Corona summit, Söder calls for a rethink on compulsory vaccination

Söder is also critical of the obligation to vaccinate.

A rethink is now needed, explained the CSU * boss: “It would have been better from the start to introduce general vaccination for everyone instead of just for individual groups.

We don't want there to be a loss of nursing capacity in the nursing and hospital sectors."

The Tagesspiegel had already reported on Saturday that some federal states are apparently in favor of postponing the partial vaccination requirement for nursing and hospital staff.

This should actually be introduced in mid-March.

According to the report, they initially want to wait for the introduction of the new inactivated vaccine from the manufacturer Novavax*.

Olaf Scholz: No easing at the Corona summit

Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) spoke out against easing before the Corona summit.

There is no need for a "course correction", as he explained to the Süddeutsche Zeitung.

"In any case, it is certainly not appropriate to relax the rules across the board in the middle of the omicron wave."

Rather, Scholz wants to “continue on the path we have taken”.

You shouldn't be naïve.

It is an illusion to think that in three months the pandemic will just miraculously be over forever."

Scholz also continues to advocate compulsory vaccination.

Because without them, “it will not be possible to bring the quota to the level that is necessary so that we can put the pandemic behind us”.

(nc/vbu)

*fr.de and fnp.de are offers from IPPEN.MEDIA.

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2022-01-25

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