News that moves us in November: Jens Spahn announces free tests +++ STIKO only recommends BioNTech products for under 30-year-olds +++ Is the booster vaccination coming for everyone now? +++
The most important news in the BRIGITTE ticker
What is moving the world? What motivates the BRIGITTE editors? In this ticker we summarize the most important news in November for you.
November 12, 2021
Jens Spahn announces the return of free tests
Federal Minister of Health Jens Spahn spoke up at a press conference on the current corona situation in Germany – and announced new corona measures. The citizen tests are to be made available again free of charge, starting at the weekend. Spahn wants to sign a corresponding test regulation today, which will apply from tomorrow.
In addition, Spahn brings a so-called “2-G-Plus rule” into discussion. In the future, only those who have been vaccinated and those who have recovered who have had additional tests may have access to events. “If we want to break the pandemic, we have to act more decisively,” Spahn justified his idea and warned that the 3G rule would no longer be sufficient to contain the corona situation. Because especially with the Delta variant, vaccinated people could spread the coronavirus further, tests are necessary for everyone.
“We have to do everything we can to break this dynamic,” said the Health Minister at the press conference in Berlin, “otherwise it will be a bitter December for the whole country.”
November 10, 2021
STIKO: Vaccination for under 30-year-olds only with BioNTech / Pfizer
The Standing Vaccination Commission (STIKO) has updated its recommendations regarding corona vaccinations. According to this, under 30-year-olds should in future only be vaccinated with the vaccine from BioNTech / Pfizer. The reason: Vaccinations with the remedy from Moderna were more likely to lead to cardiac muscle and pericardial inflammation in this age group compared with that from BioNTech / Pfizer.
For people over 30, however, no increased risk of such inflammation was found. For pregnant women, regardless of age, they should be offered the vaccine from BioNTech / Pfizer.
November 5, 2021
Press conference of the conference of health ministers: Booster vaccination for everyone
The State Secretary of the Bavarian State Ministry for Health and Care Klaus Holetschek (CSU) stated at the press conference of the Conference of Health Ministers that the booster vaccination six months after the second vaccination is “generally possible for everyone”.
In particular, the elderly, medical staff and people with weak immune systems should be vaccinated as soon as possible. There is currently no age limit.
The situation is “partly dramatic” and anything but “all-clear,” said Holetschek. It is still important to test yourself – this also applies to those who are already fully vaccinated. The acting Federal Minister of Health Jens Spahn (CDU) added that these tests are essential, especially in nursing homes, in order to protect the vulnerable groups. When it comes to booster vaccinations, Spahn once again set the pace: “Boosters after six months should be the rule and not the exception.” There is still a need for public services in addition to the medical practices that are currently vaccinating the most.
The current recommendation of the Stiko is expressly that only over 70-year-olds should receive a booster vaccination. The Stiko itself recently announced that it wants to decide in a few weeks whether it will make a recommendation for everyone, according to the chairman of Ulm virologist Thomas Mertens on Tuesday (November 2, 2021).
Progress: The pill against Covid-19
The British Medicines Agency MHRA has approved a tablet for the treatment of Covid-19 for the first time. It’s an antiviral drug called Lagevrio, or better known as Molnupiravir. In a statement from the British government, it is said that the tablet will help reduce the risk of hospitalization and deaths in mild and moderate courses, according to the “Zeit”.
Molnupiravir is the world’s first approved antiviral against Covid-19. The drug was developed by the pharmaceutical companies Ridgeback Biotherapeutics and Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD). According to the information, the preparation disrupts the replication of the virus and thus ensures a mild course. Studies have shown that it is most effective when taken immediately after the first positive test – preferably in the first one to five days after infection.
Molnupiravier is currently not yet approved in Germany. However, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) announced at the end of October that it would examine its use. The US FDA has already initiated an approval process. The EMA is currently examining seven other possible corona funds. So far, only Remdesivir from the US company Gilead has been approved in the EU. It is given by infusion to certain seriously ill Covid patients.
November 4, 2021
36 infected people: Corona outbreak in the rehabilitation clinic in Wuppertal
With the fourth wave, health authorities from all over Germany are again reporting an increasing number of corona outbreaks with several infected people. This is also the case in the “Bergisch Land” rehabilitation clinic in Wuppertal-Ronsdorf. As the WDR reports, a total of 36 people tested positive – 23 patients, four accompanying persons and nine employees.
In coordination with the health department, the patients were transferred or discharged, if this was medically possible. Some oncological patients are currently recovering in the rehabilitation clinic – the current focus is on protecting them. According to the clinic, the vaccination rate for employees and patients is more than 90 percent.
After the first case became known, the clinic did not accept any more patients. It is currently unclear whether further infections will be added. In cooperation with the health department, serial tests will continue to be carried out. The rehabilitation clinic has a total of 206 beds and 160 employees. How many beds were occupied at the time of the outbreak and how many employees were on duty is currently unknown.
November 3, 2021
Corona vaccination approved by Biontech / Pfizer in the US for children aged five and over
The last hurdle has been cleared – the US disease authority CDC has officially approved the corona vaccination of children with the vaccine from Biontech / Pfizer. Five to eleven year olds can now get the vaccine in smaller doses, according to “Die Zeit”. The children should only be given a third of the usual amount of vaccine.
In doing so, the authority reacted to the recommendation of the advisory staff, who had recommended the use of the agent for this age group only a few hours earlier. The FDA drug regulatory agency granted the vaccine emergency approval for children on Friday (October 29, 2021).
President Joe Biden welcomed the move, describing it as a “turning point” in the fight against Covid-19. The US government had already sent millions of vaccine doses to doctors’ offices and pharmacies as a precaution.
November 2, 2021
The corona outbreaks in retirement homes are increasing
For months, the number of infections in old people’s and nursing homes remained consistently low. But that changes with the fourth wave. More and more homes are struggling with numerous corona infections and unfortunately are recording some deaths.
According to the current age distribution for the corona pandemic of the Robert Koch Institute, the seven-day incidence among people over 90 is 108.01 (as of October 28, 2021). For the 85-89 year olds it is 83.58 and for the 80 to 84 year olds it is 59.16. And that with a vaccination rate of over 85 percent for people over 60 years of age.
More and more retirement and senior citizens’ homes are reporting high numbers of infections among residents and carers. In the senior center “Am Tempelberg” in Bad Doberan, 98 corona cases are said to have been registered, but for many the numbers of the social authority are significantly lower. Six residents died as a result of the disease. Many of the nurses are not vaccinated. According to the NDR, there should be a total of six “outbreaks” in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.
In a home in Norderstedt near Hamburg, 90 people are infected with the corona virus, 68 of them residents, the Segeberg district announced on Monday, November 1st, 2021. There are already six deaths in total in connection with the virus.
At the Werbellinsee in Brandenburg, 42 residents and 15 employees fell ill with Covid-19. So far, eight of the residents have died of or with Corona. According to the health department of the Barnim district, only 50 percent of the employees in the home are vaccinated, according to “Der Tagesspiegel”.
These are just three of the numerous outbreaks in retirement homes across Germany.
November 1, 2021
As of today: No more compensation for unvaccinated people in quarantine
Anyone who has not yet been vaccinated will no longer receive compensation for the loss of earnings in the event of a quarantine order from November 1, 2021. This regulation was already decided by the federal and state governments at the end of September.
The reason: in the meantime every adult has received a vaccination offer. The fact that the state then pays for a loss of earnings can no longer be justified. Some federal states, such as Baden-Württemberg, Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia, had already implemented this regulation a few weeks beforehand.
However, this regulation does not apply to the more than one million civil servants in Germany. They will continue to receive their salaries even if they have to be quarantined due to an official order and have not yet been vaccinated. This is due to the fact that civil servants receive a salary from the state, so that you do not have to continue to pay. The possibility of canceling the salary would also be given, but the effort is correspondingly higher – the salary law would have to be changed for this.
There are also exceptions for medical reasons. Those who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons will continue to receive their wages even during quarantine at home. A corresponding certificate must then be submitted for this. The same applies to people who have not received a vaccination recommendation up to eight weeks before the quarantine. For example, with pregnant women, where the Stiko currently recommends a corona vaccination from the second trimester of pregnancy.
More news?
This is the news of the past few weeks.
Sources used: rnd.de, rki.de, statista.de, ndr.de, tagesspiegel.de, zeit.de, wdr.de, swr.de, ard.de