Read news from:
Austria
SHARE
COPY LINK

COVID-19

Saxony state premier calls for Covid ‘circuit breaker’ lockdown

The state premier of Saxony Michael Kretschmer says he is considering sweeping closures of bars, clubs and other venues to slow down the Covid spread - but avoided using the word 'lockdown'.

Published: 18 November 2021 17:31 CET
Saxony state leader Michael Kretschmer on November 18th.
Saxony state leader Michael Kretschmer on November 18th. Photo: picture alliance/dpa/dpa-Zentralbild | Robert Michael

Shortly before the federal-state Covid summit on Thursday, Kretschmer called for a “hard breakwater” of two or three weeks in view of the rising Covid infections and hospitalisations. 

Kretschmer avoided using the word lockdown – but the proposal sounds like what has previously been called a ‘circuit-breaker’ type lockdown.

According to the Leipziger Volkszeitung, the plans for Saxony were discussed at a meeting of the CDU parliamentary party executive on Wednesday evening.

The report said Kretschmer wants to see the closure of bars and clubs, as well as a general ban on large events. Closures in the cultural and leisure sector are also being discussed. It is still unclear whether restaurants could remain open.

Details are to be decided by the cabinet on Friday, reported Tagesschau. 

Kretschmer said that it was also necessary to wait for the Bundestag and the Bundesrat to pass their resolutions on the Infection Protection Act. 

The Bundestag passed the law on Thursday, which is backed by the SPD, Greens and the FDP. On Friday, the Bundesrat will vote on it. 

READ MORE Political row snags German bid to tame Covid surge

Saxony reported a 7-day incidence of 761.4 Covid infections per 100,000 residents on Thursday – the highest infection rate nationwide, ahead of Bavaria (609.5) and Thuringia (565.0).

“This shows once again that urgent action is needed,” Kretschmer said.

Saxony also has the lowest vaccination rate in Germany with 57.6 percent of the population fully vaccinated against Covid. 

Nationwide, 67.8 percent of the German population is fully vaccinated. 

Saxony’s hospital coordinator Michael Albrecht called for a 14-day lockdown to slow the Covid spread down.

“My personal recommendation would be: do a total lockdown for 14 days now,” he said. “Let us catch our breath, let us see how the development of the case numbers then weaken.”

It comes as state leaders and Chancellor Angela Merkel discuss Covid restrictions for winter. 

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.

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

SHOW COMMENTS