The head of the German disease control agency said that the country is heading towards a “very bad Christmas season“If severe measures are not taken to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
Lothar Wieler, head of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), said that even if measures are taken Germany We are facing an “extremely tragic day” during which hundreds of people will die from the currently infected.
RKI reported approximately 65,000 new infections on Thursday, marking the ninth consecutive day a pandemic has been recorded. Weiler said the true number may be at least two to three times higher.
He urged Germany to increase vaccination rates, including boosting doses, banning large gatherings and reducing social contact. He also suggested closing indoor venues such as bars and nightclubs.The outgoing prime minister, Angela Merkel, called the situation “very dramatic” earlier this week, saying Fourth wave We are “strike our country with all our strength.”
In recent days, stricter regional regulations have been introduced across the country, the most extreme of which is to restrict access to non-essential facilities such as restaurants or fitness centers for people who have been vaccinated or can prove that they have recovered from the disease. In addition to documents, people must also show negative test results.
In neighbouring Austria, the hardest-hit area Upper Austria and Salzburg In preparation for a complete blockade, the government is facing more and more calls for expanding operations across the country. Zhou Yi implemented a blockade against unvaccinated people. Austria has one of the lowest vaccination rates in Europe, at 66%.
Merkel and the heads of state of 16 German states agreed on Thursday to compulsorily vaccinate staff in nursing homes and hospitals. The Bundestag also approved measures proposed by the three political parties that may form the next government, requiring people to show proof of vaccination, proof of rehabilitation or negative Covid tests in workplaces and public transportation.
However, the three parties decided not to extend the legal framework introduced 20 months ago, which enables the federal government to take action across the country in response to the pandemic. On the contrary, the 16 German states will have the right to adopt new protective measures.
Critics, led by the conservatives (CDU/CSU) of Merkel’s outgoing government, say this is equivalent to reducing restrictions, creating a confusing hodgepodge of rules and giving the impression that the virus is under control.
This vote is seen as the first major test of the ability of the tripartite governments to respond to the pandemic when they take office next month. In a heated parliamentary debate, the outgoing government was accused of letting go, especially in terms of vaccine promotion.
Some members of the far-right populist Alternative Party of Germany (AfD) were unable to sit in the main hall of the Bundestag. Instead, they were required to sit in the public gallery because they refused to produce vaccines or rehabilitation documents or undergo tests.