News that move us in December: Meta warns 50,000 users of government surveillance +++ No more testing requirement for boosters +++ Despite 2G-plus: 14 people infected with Corona after a dance event.
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 December for you.
December 17, 2021
Meta warns 50,000 users against state espionage of the accounts
First Apple, now Meta – the mega-corporation to which Facebook and Instagram belong, has warned around 50,000 users of social services from more than 100 countries against government surveillance in the past hours, according to “Die Zeit”. Meta has informed users by message when secret services or police authorities have tried to spy on their account.
Just recently, some Apple users received similar warnings, but the company had not published any specific data on how many people were actually affected.
Meta even goes a step further and mentions which companies are espionage in a 17-page report on the “order tracking industry”. The NSO Group, which sells the criticized espionage software Pegasus, is explicitly named.
The background to the explicit mention of the Israeli company NSO is the Pegasus affair. The program can be smuggled into all mobile phones worldwide without the owner or owners noticing anything. Once installed, the software reads out all data and collects information. Only states are allowed to purchase Pegasus. Many secret services and police authorities use the software – including Germany. Officially, it only serves to find terrorists and criminals.
A consortium of international media and journalists was able to prove, however, that the software is being misused by many countries such as Morocco or Hungary to keep an eye on journalists, political opponents, human rights activists or activists. In collaboration with Amnesty International, hundreds of such cases of abuse have been uncovered.
Meta wants to stop the activities of the companies named in the report on all networks in the future.
December 15, 2021
Despite the new virus variant and lack of vaccine: Compulsory testing should be omitted for boosted patients
The health ministers of the federal states have decided that the obligation to test for boosted patients should largely be dispensed with under a 2G-plus scheme, with the exception of hospitals and nursing homes. This decision is viewed rather critically in view of the new Omikron variant.
A look at other countries shows that the new variant can probably not be stopped by a third vaccination. In Denmark, Omikron is expected to become dominant later this week, in London it could be even sooner, and the whole of the UK will quickly follow suit. British Health Minister Sajid Javid said the virus variant was spreading at “phenomenal speed,” according to “Die Zeit”.
The recommendation that people boosted with a 2G-plus rule do not have to submit a further test is based on the assumption that the delta variant could be limited by the third vaccination – but this is no longer the case with Omikron. Although the vaccination can be expected to result in an easier course, breakthroughs in vaccination could become the rule instead of the exception, according to “Die Zeit”.
In addition, the inventory of the vaccines has now revealed a clear shortage of supplies. The result also surprised the new Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD). According to his own statements, he is already working on remedying the deficiency. The missing vaccine will make itself felt during the booster campaign in the first quarter of 2022. The chairman of the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians, Andreas Gassen, spoke of a fatal signal to all those who are fully committed to fighting the pandemic: “It cannot be explained to anyone that too little vaccine has been bought in the country where vaccines were developed.”
December 14, 2021
Despite the 2G-plus regulation: 14 people infected with Corona after a dance event
Despite the 2G-plus regulation, there are at least 14 people who have been infected with Corona after a dance festival lasting several days in North Rhine-Westphalia at the beginning of December. The responsible office for communication in the city of Münster has already reported three Omikron cases. According to the “German Press Agency”, however, it is still unclear whether these cases have already been confirmed by genome sequencing. On the evening of December 13, 2021, the office was no longer available for such inquiries.
Although only vaccinated and additionally tested people were allowed to participate in the event, the virus was able to spread. Why this series of infections came about and whether more people are affected is currently being determined. Only a few of the total of 134 participants came from Münster, as it was an international event. All participants have now been asked to have a PCR test carried out. So far it is known that only two of the 14 infected people also live in Münster.
According to experts, the transmission rate of the Omikron variant is three times as high as that of Delta. Data from Denmark and Great Britain already show that the number of Omikron infections doubles every three to four days. The problem: more and more people who have been vaccinated are infected with the new variant. At Delta one was even more protected with an immunization, Omikron breaks this barrier. The good news, however, is that those who have been vaccinated and especially those who have been boosted can expect a milder course even with the Omikron variant.
December 07, 2021
Abolition of spouse splitting
The amalgamation of tax classes 3 and 5 is to be abolished under the traffic light coalition (SPD, FDP, Greens). As a result, spouses and life partners with an unequal distribution of salaries would no longer benefit from being able to submit a joint tax return – which usually saves time and taxes.
Instead, family taxation should follow from the splitting of spouses – in favor of equality. Each: r partner: in only pays the wage tax portion that he: she earns. In the contract it says: “We want to develop family taxation in such a way that partnership responsibility and economic independence are strengthened with a view to all types of families.”
December 06, 2021
Karl Lauterbach becomes Minister of Health
It was puzzled for a long time, now it is official: SPD politician Karl Lauterbach becomes Minister of Health. Among other things, “Zeit Online” found out about this from SPD circles. Chancellor-designate Olaf Scholz wants to announce all SPD ministerial posts in the new Ampel coalition on Monday. He is aiming for a parity cabinet, according to which the SPD should fill five of the seven ministerial posts with women.
Prof. Dr. Lauterbach has been a member of the Bundestag since 2005 and is known as a health expert of the SPD, the politician has increasingly stepped onto the stage in the last two years as an important voice in the corona crisis.
December 01, 2021
Corona outbreak in the city council: politicians infected
A corona outbreak occurred in the Munich city council. After a general assembly in the Löwenbräukeller, several politicians are said to have tested positive for the corona virus, as reported by the “Süddeutsche Zeitung”, among others. How many people have become infected is still unclear.
After the meeting, several politicians are said to have received a red warning via the Corona app on Monday. Several PCR tests were then positive. Further suspected cases remain to be seen. Hygiene measures and the 3G rule applied at the event. In response to the Corona outbreak, it has now been decided to cancel all other meetings this year, with explicit exceptions.
November 30, 2021
After the federal-state conference: These corona measures are up for debate
The federal and state governments met on Tuesday to discuss the current corona situation. As reported by BILD.de and STERN.de, the following measures, among others, are up for debate
- Vaccinations in pharmacies
- Stricter 2G compliance at events and retail
- Mask requirement in schools
- Facility-related compulsory vaccination (a decision should also be made on a general vaccination requirement as soon as possible)
- Bundesliga without spectators
- More room for maneuver in corona measures for countries
A second conference is likely to take place on Thursday to take concrete decisions. Olaf Scholz has already spoken out in favor of a general compulsory vaccination.
November 30, 2021
Omicron variant detected in German – but he was never in South Africa!
The new omicron variant of the coronavirus has already been detected in several Germans. Now, however, for the first time without the person affected being in South Africa at all. This is where the mutant was discovered for the first time. “I have just received the confirmation for an omicron detection in the mutation analysis for a 39-year-old patient”, quoted the Bild-Zeitung, the head of the Leipzig health department, Regine Krause-Döring. The patient himself was not in South Africa. He also had no contact with travelers returning. How quickly the variant will spread in this country remains to be seen. Also how politicians are reacting now. On Tuesday there were already initial consultations between the federal and state governments.
More news?
That was the news in November 2021.
Sources used: welt.de, n-tv.de, rnd.de, dpa.de, zeit.de