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Lothar Wieler in the Federal Press Conference (archive picture): »There is an emergency in our country.
If you don't see that, you're making a very big mistake «
Photo: Wolfgang Kumm / dpa
In an online discussion event with the Saxon Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer (CDU), the head of the Robert Koch Institute, Lothar Wieler, spoke of a "serious emergency" in Germany.
He called for swift action from politicians: "We really will have a very bad Christmas if we don't take countermeasures now," said Wieler.
He was disappointed with the pace of Corona policy so far: "After 21 months, I simply can no longer bear the fact that what I say, among other things, like many other colleagues, may not be recognized."
For the next ten days, Wieler drew a "gloomy" forecast.
The number of new infections rose "steeply" in all regions of Germany.
The scenario had been known since July 2021.
Many areas were opened too quickly against the recommendations of the RKI.
Wieler
calls for corona vaccinations in pharmacies
Wieler called for contact restrictions.
In his opinion, hotspots such as clubs and bars should remain closed.
At the same time, Wieler advocated 2G rules.
"We really mustn't give those who don't get vaccinated the chance to bypass the vaccination, for example by getting tested."
According to Wieler, pharmacists should also be used to vaccinate.
“I'll be very clear about this now: It must now be the end of the story that somebody is not allowed to vaccinate any other professional group due to any circumstance.
We're in an emergency, ”said Wieler.
"We need everyone to be vaccinated." There are many millions of people who need to be vaccinated, including those with booster vaccinations.
“Any man or mouse who can vaccinate should vaccinate now.
Otherwise we won't get this crisis under control. "
The number of infections in Germany is currently increasing by almost 40 percent every week.
According to the RKI, the number of new infections reported on Wednesday was 52,826.
According to his own statements, however, Wieler assumes a high number of unreported cases.
In his lecture he estimated the number to be twice or three times as high.
In the past few weeks, 0.8 percent of the sick have died, said Wieler.
That means that of the more than 50,000 people who become infected each day, 400 would die in the next few weeks.
At the federal press conference, he recently spoke cautiously of 200 deaths per day, but the number is actually much higher.
Nothing can be changed about the death of these people, no one can help them, not even with the best medical care.
"The child fell into the well."
"As you can see, the prognoses are super bleak"
The situation in hospitals is also getting worse and worse, according to Wieler. The number of seriously ill corona patients is increasing, and stroke patients and other seriously ill people have to search for a free intensive care bed for up to two hours in some places. "The supply is already no longer in accordance with the rule in all federal states," said the RKI boss. And that will increase. “You see, the prognosis is super bleak. You're really dark, ”said Wieler. “There is an emergency in our country. If you don't see that, you're making a very big mistake. "
On Thursday, the federal and state governments will discuss how to proceed in the corona pandemic.
Several federal states had already tightened their protective measures beforehand.
Baden-Württemberg introduced the so-called corona warning level at the beginning of November.
The majority of the federal states introduced the 2G model for several areas.
ime / aar / dpa