Timo Lenzen / DER SPIEGEL
Dear readers,
After a few weeks of breathing deeply, a look at the current corona numbers this week does not bode well.
The incidence is increasing, the corona curve is pointing up again, the delta is noticeable.
The much more contagious variant now - as expected - dominates the infection process in this country as well.
Nevertheless, a possible fourth wave in Germany will probably turn out differently than the previous ones. A large part of the vulnerable population groups in Germany is vaccinated. This will shift the infection process to younger people. The health system will therefore probably not be burdened as quickly as it was at the beginning of the pandemic. However, this is not yet a reason to give the all-clear or to say goodbye to the incidence number as a parameter of the pandemic, as some are calling for it, as my colleague Jörg Römer described in this article.
The look that my colleagues Steffen Lüdke and Àngel Ferrero took to Spain shows how quickly the delta variant can spread in the much more mobile younger population. Barcelona is now an absolute corona hotspot there, the incidence there among the young population is 1745, the hospitals in Catalonia are filling up. Most of the people my colleagues spoke to for the article had strictly adhered to the applicable rules. Only they were apparently too loose in view of the Delta variant.
Are we too carefree in Germany?
I'm sure that will only become apparent in a few weeks.
The sharpest weapon in the fight against the virus so far is vaccinations.
In this article, my colleague Julia Merlot has analyzed which quotas have to be achieved in the respective age groups.
The fact is: The vaccination campaign is currently losing momentum - it would have to continue running at high pressure so that we can get close to herd immunity.
Dangerous vaccination fatigue is therefore also the main topic of the week.
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How Delta dominates
Corona hotspot Barcelona: with a run-up to the next wave
The incidence is rising rapidly, among young people it is already at 1745. In Catalonia, the delta variant rages almost unchecked - and the hospitals are filling up again.
What went wrong?
RKI report: Delta variant continues to spread in Germany
At the beginning of July, the delta variant was already detected in three quarters of the corona samples examined, reports the RKI.
It is estimated that it could be up to 100 percent more contagious than the alpha variant.
Fight against the Delta variant: Israel relies on "soft repression"
In Israel, the number of new infections is at its highest level since the end of March.
The government is returning to mask requirements and quarantine - Prime Minister Bennett wants to avoid another lockdown.
So it is with vaccinations
Discussion about compulsory vaccination: It becomes uncomfortable for
those who have not been vaccinated. The Chancellor has promised
that there is
no compulsory vaccination in Germany.
Therefore, other methods are now being discussed to increase the vaccination rate.
Refusals will have a hard time in the future.
Corona in Europe: where is vaccination compulsory?
The federal government rules out compulsory vaccination, but France has just decided on one.
The pressure is also increasing in other countries, vaccination is compulsory for some professions.
Where is what applies?
Scientists on incentives: "50 euros work, even against vaccine opponents"
Political scientist Felix Hartmann has empirically investigated how to get people to get vaccinated against corona.
Here he says which offers work - and why.
Protection against the fourth wave: How high do vaccination rates really have to be?
A high vaccination rate is considered to be the best protection against a new lockdown in autumn.
But because children are not vaccinated, the rates must be higher in other age groups.
The way to 80 percent will be arduous.
TV spots and awareness campaigns: Politicians and associations are pushing for more advertising for vaccinations
The vaccination campaign in Germany is slowing down.
Left parliamentary group leader Bartsch calls for TV spots for the vaccinations, SPD politician Bas sees health minister Spahn as an obligation.
Education union rejects compulsory vaccination for teachers and daycare staff
The vaccination campaign is
stalling
, the number of new infections is rising again.
Ethics Council member Henn therefore suggested compulsory vaccination for teachers and educators.
But the educators fight back.
»Vaccination happy hour«, meal vouchers, Biontech at Aldi: the federal and state governments are desperately fighting for herd immunity.
Vaccination vehicles for students and socially disadvantaged areas, concert vouchers or local advertising campaigns: What can the federal states come up with to inject vaccine-tired people?
Covid-19 in worldwide numbers
Confirmed Cases: 189,045,642
Deaths: 4,068,999
Germany: 3,741,781 confirmed sick people, 91,337 deaths
Sources: CSSE / Johns Hopkins University, as of July 16, 2021, 1:21 p.m.
Robert Koch Institute, as of July 16, 2021, 3:13 a.m.
Research news
Corona protection: Vaccination for 12 to 17 year olds - what speaks for it, what against it
In Germany there is still no recommendation to vaccinate the age group between 12 and 17 years against Covid-19.
Corresponding vaccinations are already in progress in other countries.
How do you weigh up the benefits and risks?
Corona infection numbers among young people: can there be safe parties?
In Spain and the Netherlands, the incidence of infections among young people is increasing rapidly.
The epidemiologist André Karch explains whether this can also be expected in Germany.
What else was important
Corona infections after the music festival in Utrecht: A festival for the virus
Despite all protective measures, a festival in the Netherlands became a superspreading event.
Why was the virus able to spread so quickly there?
German corona strategy: chargeable tests for unvaccinated people? Government does not rule this out
Baden-Württemberg's health
minister
can imagine compulsory vaccination for certain professional groups.
The federal government is against it - but brings other ideas into play to increase the pressure on unvaccinated people.
Have a nice weekend
Yours Michail Hengstenberg
