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NEWSLETTER

German Health Minister expresses ‘delight’ at drop in Covid-19 infections among elderly

Health Minister Jens Spahn said on Friday he was "delighted" that the vaccine campaign among the elderly had reduced coronavirus infections among this age group. But he warned that more aggressive variants of the virus still posed a risk to public health.

Published: 26 February 2021 12:43 CET
German Health Minister expresses 'delight' at drop in Covid-19 infections among elderly
Jens Spahn and Lothar Wieler. Photo: DPA

Speaking at his weekly press conference with Robert Koch Institute (RKI) boss Lothar Wieler, Spahn said that “the risk of contracting corona has decreased for our elderly”.

“The incidence (number of cases per 100,000 people in seven days) in the higher age groups has dropped from 200 to 70 within a few weeks,” the CDU politician said. “The strategy of vaccinating the most vulnerable first is working.”

But he added that “mutations are making this path more arduous”.

Spahn confirmed that 4.4 percent of the population has now received at least one vaccination, and he pledged that 11 million doses will have been delivered to the federal states by the end of next week.

“Too many doses are sitting unused in fridges,” the Health Minister said, adding that he government was working on allowing all GPs to administer vaccines in their practises.

READ ALSO: Germany records rise in Covid-19 case amid talk of loosening restrictions

Wieler, meanwhile, expressed concern about the overall pandemic picture.

“Unfortunately, we have been seeing for a few days that overall case numbers are not continuing to decline, they are stagnating” he said. “Several hundred deaths are still reported to the Robert Koch Institute every day.”

The RKI president said that the infection rate had even increased slightly in recent days, warning that cases were once again rising among young people.

“This is the last spring of the pandemic – let’s use it wisely,” he added.

What’s the big picture?

German health authorities reported 9,997 new infections with the coronavirus to the RKI within one day on Friday. In addition, 394 further deaths were recorded within 24 hours.

A week ago, the RKI recorded 9,113 new infections and 508 new deaths within one day.

The seven-day incidence (number of cases per 100,000 residents) moved up to 63 on Friday morning from 62 on Thursday. A month ago the incidence was 94, while the all-time peak of 198 was reached on December 22nd 2020.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, the RKI has registered 2.4 million Covid-19 infections. The actual total is likely to be significantly higher, as many infections are never detected. The total number of people who have died with or from an infection with Sars-CoV-2 has risen to 69,519.

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HEALTH

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

It’s back again: amid sinking temperatures, the incidence of Covid-19 has been slowly rising in Germany. But is this enough to merit worrying about the virus?

Published: 20 September 2023 12:05 CEST
Updated: 20 September 2023 22:22 CEST
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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