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Protests against vaccination certificates in France (symbol image)
Photo: GONZALO FUENTES / REUTERS
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RKI: seven-day incidence exceeds 1000
4:01 a.m .:
The number of new corona infections in Germany exceeded the 200,000 mark for the first time.
The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) reported 203,136 new infections within 24 hours on Thursday morning, citing data from the health authorities.
The RKI reported 164,000 new infections on Wednesday and 133,536 on Thursday a week ago.
The seven-day incidence also exceeded the thousand mark for the first time and was 1017.4 on Thursday morning.
On Wednesday the value was still 940.6;
last Thursday it was 638.8.
The incidence quantifies the number of new infections per 100,000 inhabitants over a period of seven days.
You can read more about the current RKI numbers here.
Argentina will have to do without their national coach for World Cup qualification
3:03 a.m .:
Because of a positive corona test, the Argentine national team has to do without their national coach Lionel Scaloni in the next game in the World Cup qualifier. “I want to make it clear that I'm fine. I've recovered but the PCR test is still positive," the coach said on Wednesday. "That's the problem. I'm actually in a condition to be at the game, but they won't let me into Chile like this."
Captain Lionel Messi is also absent from Thursday's game in Calama, Chile.
The star striker contracted the corona virus while on vacation in Argentina at the end of last year.
The recovery took longer than expected and the 34-year-old missed several of his club's games.
Like Brazil, Argentina has already qualified for the World Cup in Qatar at the end of the year.
England lifts most corona restrictions
2:36 a.m .:
Despite the high number of corona cases, England has again lifted almost all of the pandemic measures that are still in force.
Since Thursday, masks have no longer been compulsory in most indoor areas in the largest part of Britain.
Even the vaccination or test certificates, which are only used at major events and in clubs, no longer have to be checked.
The recommendation to work from home also no longer applies.
In the British capital London, however, masks are still compulsory on trains and buses.
In the past few days, the number of new infections has leveled off at a high level - between 80,000 and 100,000 new infections are reported daily, the seven-day incidence was around 945 (as of January 21).
Hans: Criticism of
Corona
policy is growing - but cohesion is still great
2:10 a.m .:
Two years after the first confirmed corona case in Germany, Saarland Prime Minister Tobias Hans (CDU) sees growing criticism of corona policy.
However, he does not consider social cohesion to be at risk.
"After this long period of restrictions, many people are simply tired of the pandemic and wish to go back to life before Corona," said Hans of the "Rheinische Post".
"The fact that criticism of individual measures or the Corona strategy as a whole is increasing is therefore also completely understandable and political decision-makers have to live with it: Because in this situation there was and is never the one perfect solution that has no disadvantages for anyone .«
He further explained: "It was and is always a very fine line to carefully reconcile the personal freedom of each individual and the legitimate interests of the economy with the protection of our health in the corona pandemic," emphasized Hans.
On the whole, however, it worked out quite well.
"We got through the pandemic better than other countries and I still feel a lot of solidarity," said the CDU politician.
On January 27, 2020, the first confirmed corona infection was reported in Germany.
An employee of the auto supplier Webasto in Stockdorf near Munich was affected.
Medical representatives warn of staff shortages due to the omicron wave
1:39 a.m .:
Doctors’ representatives fear gaps in medical care because staff are increasingly becoming infected with the corona virus. "The more the incidences rise, the more practices will have to close temporarily due to illness," said the national chairman of the German Association of General Practitioners, Ulrich Weigeldt, to the newspapers of the Funke media group. The practices are already working »at the limit«. The situation will worsen if the number of infections continues to rise.
The head of the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians, Andreas Gassen, also warned of staff shortages.
"The quarantine will become a problem in the coming weeks," Gassen said.
“If half the staff in the hospital has to stay at home because they are in quarantine, even a normal volume is difficult to cope with.
The same applies to practices – doctors and medical specialists can also become infected and have to be quarantined, so staff will also be scarce there.”
Göring-Eckardt expects a special rule in the Bundestag for those who have recovered
1:15 a.m .:
Bundestag Vice President Katrin Göring-Eckardt assumes that the Bundestag will change the special corona regulation for the recovered status again. For citizens, this has been shortened to three months, in parliament the period of six months applies through a general decree by Bundestag President Bärbel Bas (SPD). “It wasn't a good idea and that's why it's being changed. I'm quite sure of that," Göring-Eckardt said on Wednesday evening on the ARD program "Maischberger. The week".
The fact that the special regulation upset many people "I understood that well," said the parliamentary vice president.
"The (Bundestag) President decided that and decided according to the regulations that apply in Berlin," said Göring-Eckardt.
In the state of Berlin, the 2G-plus rule of six months for those who have recovered applies to events.
Moderna starts clinical trial of Omicron vaccine
12:52 a.m .:
The manufacturer Moderna has started its first clinical study to investigate a corona vaccine specially tailored to the omicron variant.
The US company announced this on Wednesday (local time).
The resistance of the antibodies with the normal booster vaccination is optimistic, said Moderna boss Stéphane Bancel.
"Nevertheless, given the long-term threat of the so-called immune escape from Omicron, we continue to advance our Omicron-specific vaccine candidate."
Recently, Biontech and Pfizer also announced the testing of their vaccine candidate against Omikron.
Meanwhile, the New England Journal of Medicine published a study on the effectiveness of Moderna's previously approved booster against the omicron variant.
According to this, the antibody level against the highly contagious mutation of the coronavirus is 20 times higher one month after the third injection than after the second - but it decreases significantly in the months that follow.
Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach tweeted: “The study shows that the Moderna Booster vaccine massively reduces the risk of infection with Omicron.
This is exactly the booster vaccination that we are currently offering in Germany alongside Biontech.«
World Congress: Pandemic as "accelerator" for anti-Semitism
12:35 a.m .:
According to the World Jewish Congress (WJC), the corona pandemic has increased anti-Semitism in Germany.
"The pandemic acts like a fire accelerator: people trivializingly compare the Holocaust to vaccinations," WJC President Ronald Lauder told the "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung".
"Under the cloak of supposed criticism of corona measures, anti-Semitism has become even more socially acceptable and therefore more dangerous," said Lauder.
Ahead of Holocaust Remembrance Day, Lauder expressed concern about a rise in anti-Semitism in Germany.
The WJC President referred to a survey conducted by his organization among 5,000 people in Germany in November, the details of which were reported by the "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung" and ZDF.
According to Lauder, every third person under the age of 25 has fundamentally anti-Semitic ideas.
Among all adults it is almost one in three.
Italy
will relax entry requirements for EU citizens from February
12:15 a.m .:
From February, Italy will relax the entry requirements for citizens from other EU countries.
According to a decree signed by Health Minister Roberto Speranza, from next month the vaccination card for travelers from other EU countries should be sufficient to prove a full vaccination, recovery or a negative corona test.
Italy is currently also requiring an additional negative corona test upon entry from those who have been fully vaccinated or have recovered.
The EU member states agreed on Tuesday to make it easier for citizens with a valid corona certificate to travel within the EU.
In Brussels, they spoke out in favor of the fact that vaccinated or recovered people do not need an additional corona test to enter another EU country.
In December, in view of the increasing number of new infections with the omicron variant, the government in Rome required tests from all travelers and a five-day quarantine for all unvaccinated people.
These stricter rules were met with criticism in Brussels.
Lauterbach wants to implement a shortened convalescent status throughout Europe, he considers vaccination registers to be a hindrance
12:00 a.m .:
In the dispute over the reduction of the convalescent status after corona infections in Germany, Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach defended the three-month period - and also wants to try to implement it at European level.
"We will soon try again to implement the three months at European level," said the SPD politician on Wednesday evening in the ZDF "heute journal".
“After three months, someone who was already infected with the delta variant can become infected again with the omicron variant.
So the three months are scientifically correct,” said Lauterbach.
The EU states had agreed on Tuesday that travelers should be able to move freely within the Union without further restrictions if they present valid proof of vaccination, test or recovery.
The proof of recovery is valid for 180 days, i.e. six months.
In Germany, the status was surprisingly shortened to a period of 28 to 90 days after a positive PCR test in the middle of the month.
However, the question of a possible general obligation to vaccinate is an ethical and not a scientific one, Lauterbach emphasized after the debate on the topic in the Bundestag.
In parliament, the SPD politician spoke out in favor of general vaccination, but not as a minister, but as a member of the Bundestag.
Lauterbach does not consider a vaccination register to be necessary and also a hindrance, since an introduction would take too long.
According to Lauterbach, proof of vaccination could be checked at work or when using certain means of transport or even when visiting a doctor.
There could also simply be sporadic controls like in Austria.
aar/AFP/dpa/Reuters
