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German anti-mask rally smaller than expected

Protesters opposed to mask wearing and other coronavirus measures gathered at a lakeside town in southern Germany on Saturday for rallies that turned out to be smaller than planned.

Published: 4 October 2020 11:38 CEST

German anti-mask rally smaller than expected

Archive photo from a Munich demonstration against coronavirus restrictions on September 12, 2020. Christof STACHE / AFP

The gathering in Konstanz on the border with Switzerland fell far short of the expected 15,000 people, with police saying roughly 1,000 had arrived in the area and all the events had passed off peacefully.

Similar events in August in Berlin — attended by a mix of the extreme left and right, anti-vaccination campaigners, conspiracy theorists and self-described free thinkers — had attracted roughly 20,000 people.

Germany enforces similar rules to many other European countries, obliging people to wear masks on public transport and keep 1.5 metres (five feet) apart where possible are among the most prominent.

But the country has consistently had a lower rate of infection than most of its neighbours and has managed to avoid the kind of restrictive blanket lockdowns seen in Spain and Italy.

In Konstanz, a group of protesters formed a human chain for half an hour, the centrepiece of the day of demonstrations.

“People need to think a bit more about this… and not be so afraid of nature because viruses and bacteria are part of nature,” said one participant, Ella, 51.

Police were out in force to patrol the rallies after one of the previous gatherings saw groups of protesters try to break into the parliament building in Berlin.

The rallies have also caused outrage after images showed some participants with Nazi insignia.

READ ALSO: Nearly a third of Germans 'believe in conspiracy theories': Study

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Could there be a new wave of Covid-19 in Germany this autumn?

More people donning face masks in supermarkets, friends cancelling plans last minute due to getting sick with Covid-19. We might have seen some of those familiar reminders recently that the coronavirus is still around, but could there really be a resurgence of the virus like we experienced during the pandemic years?

According to virologists, the answer seems to be ‘maybe’: since July, the number of people newly infected with Covid-19 has been slowly rising from a very low level.

According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), nine people per 100,000 inhabitants became newly infected in Germany last week. A year ago, there were only around 270 reported cases.

Various Corona variants are currently on the loose in the country. According to the RKI, the EG.5 (also called Eris) and XBB.1.16 lines were each detected in the week ending September 3rd with a share of just under 23 percent.

The highly mutated variant BA.2.86 (Pirola), which is currently under observation by the World Health Organisation (WHO), also arrived in the country this week, according to RKI.

High number of unreported case

The RKI epidemiologists also warned about a high number of unreported cases since hardly any testing is done. They pointed out that almost half of all registered sewage treatment plants report an increasing viral load in wastewater tests.

The number of hospital admissions has also increased slightly, but are still a far cry from the occupation rate amid the pandemic. Last week it was two per 100,000 inhabitants. In the intensive care units, only 1.2 percent of all beds are occupied by Covid-19 patients.

Still, a good three-quarters (76.4 percent) of people in Germany have been vaccinated at least twice and thus have basic immunity, reported RKI.

Since Monday, doctors’ offices have been vaccinating with the adapted vaccine from Biontech/Pfizer, available to anyone over 12 years old, with a vaccine for small children set to be released the following week and one for those between 5 and 11 to come out October 2nd.

But Health Minister Karl Lauterbach has so far only recommended that people over 60 and those with pre-existing conditions get vaccinated.

READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: Who should get a Covid jab this autumn in Germany?

“The pandemic is over, the virus remains,” he said. “We cannot predict the course of coming waves of corona, but it is clear that older people and people with pre-existing conditions remain at higher risk of becoming severely ill from Covid-19”

The RKI also recommended that people with a cold voluntarily wear a mask. Anyone exhibiting cough, cold, sore throat or other symptoms of a respiratory illness should voluntarily stay at home for three to five days and take regular corona self-tests.

However, further measures such as contact restrictions are not necessary, he said.

One of many diseases

As of this autumn, Covid-19 could be one of many respiratory diseases. As with influenza, there are no longer absolute infection figures for coronavirus.

Saarbrücken pharmacist Thorsten Lehr told German broadcaster ZDF that self-protection through vaccinations, wearing a mask and getting tested when symptoms appear are prerequisites for surviving the Covid autumn well.

Only a new, more aggressive mutation could completely turn the game around, he added.

On April 7th of this year, Germany removed the last of its over two-year long coronavirus restrictions, including mask-wearing in some public places.

READ ALSO: German doctors recommend Covid-19 self-tests amid new variant

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