Corona rules remain in place
Scholz: “Now the first thing to do is stay the course”
01/24/2022 8:32 p.m
When it comes to pandemic policy, the Omicron wave in Germany is: Keep it up. The federal and state governments are not adjusting the course, Chancellor Scholz also swears to the citizens that easing is currently not possible. MPK boss Wüst warns that the country has to get better at the PCR tests.
In the fight against the ever-increasing spread of corona in Germany, far-reaching everyday requirements for millions of people are to remain in place for longer. However, the federal and state governments have not decided to tighten them for the time being. However, the development of the wave with the new virus variant Omicron should be observed. In view of the unprecedentedly high number of infections, more precise PCR laboratory tests and the tracing of infection chains should be focused more on sensitive areas. A new campaign is to promote vaccination.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz said after the deliberations that it was important to remain cautious. “The direction we have taken is helping,” he said of the existing access restrictions in the workplace, on buses, trains, restaurants and shops. These had contributed to the fact that high infection rates were reached later than elsewhere. It is not yet known “whether we have to expect a more drastic situation or whether we will get through it well”. The first thing to do now is to “stay on course”.
Berlin’s Governing Mayor Franziska Giffey emphasized that there was agreement “that easing the measures at the current time with the corresponding number of infections is not the method of choice”. The next federal-state round is scheduled for February 16. Health Minister Karl Lauterbach had previously made it clear that he expected the wave to peak in mid-February.
Lauterbach promises more tests
Scholz announced a new vaccination campaign with the motto “Vaccination helps”. It should help to get significantly more initial vaccinations and booster vaccinations (“boosters”) again, after the pace had recently slowed down. Radio spots and internet advertising should also address people who have not been reached before. Scholz admitted that the declared goal of another 30 million vaccinations from Christmas to the end of January can no longer be achieved. “You have to be realistic, we won’t achieve that on the day I would like it to be.” However, it is entirely possible to reach this number overall.
The Federal Ministry of Health justified plans to concentrate the use of PCR tests. In the future, they will primarily be used for people from corona risk groups and employees who care for and treat them – in clinics, nursing homes and facilities for people with disabilities. A ministry spokesman said the details should be set out in a regulation “promptly”. According to the currently applicable test regulation, for example, anyone with a positive rapid test is still entitled to a post-PCR test.
The chairman of the conference of prime ministers, Hendrik Wüst from North Rhine-Westphalia, also called for the PCR test capacities to be increased as quickly as possible. People also expected this with a view to neighboring countries, which had significantly larger capacities. “There is no help in assigning blame in one direction or the other,” said Wüst. “It is important that we work on the situation so that it gets better.” Lauterbach has promised to work on expanding the test capacities. Lauterbach explained that himself on RTL.