A record number of coronavirus infections are being reported in Germany. Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) sees only one way out of the pandemic: the introduction of universal vaccination, which he strongly advocated Thursday in the Bundestag. He warned that otherwise covid restrictions would take effect again in the autumn.
More than 300,000 coronavirus infections in Germany per day
The Robert Koch Institute reported Thursday that, for the first time, more than 300,000 new infections were reported in Germany in a single 24-hour period. Another 300 people lost their battle with the coronavirus.
“This is an unacceptable situation,” Lauterbach told the Bundestag, referring to the statistics published by the Robert Koch Institute. The federal health minister urged the states to take advantage of the possibility of applying the restrictions allowed by the revised infection protection law.
The amended law provides only for basic protection measures, such as the obligation to wear masks in medical and care facilities as well as on public transport. The states, however, have the option through separate resolutions to impose stricter restrictions in so-called hotspots, areas considered to be outbreaks of coronavirus infection. Lauterbach, however, did not address criticism from states that such an option would be extremely difficult to exercise.
Lauterbach: “Let’s end the pandemic this year!” by introducing compulsory vaccination
The minister sees a real chance of ending the pandemic in the introduction of compulsory vaccination against coronavirus for all people over the age of 18, and that’s what he campaigned for in the German parliament today. “Let’s end the pandemic this year!” – he appealed during a debate on the healthcare budget in the Bundestag. “We should not miss such an opportunity,” Lauterbach stressed.
Otherwise, he said, the discussion on measures to protect against coronavirus will begin again in the fall: “Do we need to make changes to the Infection Protection Act? … What should we shut down? Do children have to wear masks?” – according to the German health minister, such questions will have to be asked once again. “The only reliable way out of a pandemic is to make vaccination universally mandatory,” the SPD politician said.
Federal health minister criticized opposition project
Lauterbach explicitly appealed to the CDU and CSU to agree to it. He said that the CDU/CSU faction’s proposal for a vaccination law, which assumes that a decision on whether to introduce mandatory vaccinations will only be made at a later date, is insufficient. “If we start to introduce compulsory vaccinations too late, we will only achieve the desired goal next spring. That would already be too late.” – acknowledged the federal health minister.
CDU health expert Tino Sorge criticized Lauterbach for using his speaking time in the budget debate virtually exclusively to promote mandatory vaccinations. He added that there was no majority in the Bundestag for the project to make COVID-19 vaccination mandatory.
The coalition of SPD, FDP and Greens has not presented its own proposal for universal mandatory vaccination against coronavirus. The reason is the opposition of the FDP. MPs are to decide on so-called group motions from parliament in April, with no party discipline. Everyone is to vote according to their conscience.
“Long Covid will be one of the most important chronic diseases in Germany”
In light of the record number of cases, Lauterbach also called on all unvaccinated people to receive at least one dose of the vaccine. According to the federal health minister, this alone would significantly reduce the risk of severe illness requiring a stay in an intensive care unit or even death. “A large proportion of the 300 people who currently die every day are unvaccinated,” the SPD politician stressed.
The minister also warned against the so-called pocovid syndrome, which is the long-term effects of the Sars-CoV-2 virus, such as a feeling of fatigue that persists for a long time after infection. “Long Covid will be one of the most important chronic diseases in Germany,” – Lauterbach said. It affects “especially middle-aged people.”
Source: www.spiegel.de, www.insidegermany.co