Chancellor Angela Merkel would like to see insecure people in mind when opening the country. Many felt anxious when the space was cramped and crowded in places. But even these people should get a chance to be a part of public life. „We also have to pay attention to those who are not so tough and strong,” Merkel said in a video conference with citizen volunteers. Because even these people will have to.
Merkel also warned against burdening children with compensation for learning arrears caused by the Corona crisis. The federal government’s catch-up package, to which the federal states must also contribute financially, thus provides funds for social work as well as funds for learning progress surveys and tutoring. (26.05.2021)
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania reopens to federal tourists
Tourists from all over Germany will be able to vacation again in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania from 4 June. Today’s visitors can return to the country from June 11th. Holiday apartment owners can return on Friday (May 28), Prime Minister Manuela Schwartz said Wednesday after a summit on tourism with representatives of the state government and the tourism industry in Schwerin. (26.05.2021)
For the first time since October, the RKI reported an incidence of below 50 nationwide
The nationwide infection rate for seven days has fallen below the politically significant 50 for the first time since October of last year. According to data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), the number of new infections reported within seven days per 100,000 people nationwide on Wednesday was 46.8 (previous day: 58.4; previous week: 72.8). The seven-day injury in mid-February was briefly in the range of just over 50. But then came the third wave. The value was last below the 50 threshold in the fall: at 48.6 on October 20, 2020.
Health authorities in Germany have reported 2,626 new coronavirus cases to RKI within one day. This is evidenced by the numbers that reflect the condition of the RKI dashboard from Wednesday morning at 5.23 am. For comparison: a week ago the value was 11,040 hits. However, the effects of public holidays may skew the data.
The number of deaths on Wednesday changed only slightly from 284 to 270 compared to the same day the previous week. Since the start of the epidemic, 87,726 people have died in connection with SARS-CoV-2 infection in Germany. The total number of registered Corona cases reached 3656,177, but the actual number of cases is likely to be significantly higher, as many infections have not been identified. The nationwide seven-day R value was 0.78 (previous day: 0.84) according to the RKI Status report from Tuesday evening. The R value represents the incidence of infection eight to 16 days ago. If it is less than 1 for a longer period of time, the infection process subsides; If it is consistently higher, the number of cases increases.
Span insists on vaccination against Corona for young people
The Standing Committee on Vaccination (Stiko) currently tends not to make a general vaccination recommendation for children between the ages of 12 and 15 after the European Union approved the Biontech vaccine, which is expected in May, according to the German Liberation Network (RND).
Health Minister Jens Spahn continues to rely on Corona vaccines for older children and teens, if needed even without Stiko’s public recommendation. On NTV’s „Frühstart”, the CDU politician said: „In light of this recommendation, parents and their children, the doctors, can then make specific decisions about whether or not someone will be vaccinated.” This is an individual decision.
The manufacturer Biontech / Pfizer has applied to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for approval to prepare it from the age of twelve. A decision is expected by the end of May. However, Stiko reserves the right to clarify itself for a possible vaccination recommendation. Your member Rüdiger von Kries does not currently expect that there will be a general vaccination recommendation for all children.
It’s possible Stiko will only make a vaccination recommendation for children and teens with certain chronic illnesses, according to an RND report. One reason is the unsatisfactory state of the data, which does not allow a balance of the consequences of Corona disease for children and adolescents against the potential risks of vaccination.
If the EMA approves the Biontech vaccine from the age of twelve, then according to Spahn, it is also approved for the 12 to 15 age group. He said that before the summer holidays start, children and teenagers should be given the vaccination for the first time. „When consent is granted, we will gradually – not all at once – introduce children and adolescents over the age of 12 to vaccination.”
But the Minister of Health refused vaccination as a precondition for attending the classes: „I do not see that we will have a mandatory vaccination to enroll in school.” (26.05.2021)
Children spray less spray than adults
This is what a study by Charité and TU Berlin showed. “When they talk, primary school-age children release a number of particles in the same order of magnitude as adults when they breathe in, and when they sing, they emit particles as adults do when they speak,” says Dirk Morby, director of the Charité’s Hearing and Speech Clinic. The number of aerosols related to the transmission of the Coronavirus is highly dependent on the volume. The outcome could not only play a role in the decision to teach face-to-face in schools, but also in the work of children’s choirs.
According to Morby, this does not mean that school lessons or choir and concert rehearsals can be contagious and without restrictions. However, depending on external conditions such as room size, number and length of children’s stay, and ventilation concepts, more of what has been practiced so far can be achieved.
To date, studies on aerosol emissions have focused primarily on adults. Now, according to Morby, it was measured for the first time in elementary school students ages eight to ten with laser particle counters in a clean room. Specifically, about 15 girls and boys were from the state choir, Berlin Cathedral and girls ’choir at Sing-Akademie Berlin. There is no protection against vaccination for this age group at this time. In children, the emission levels for breathing while at rest, speaking, singing and shouting, among others, were determined and compared to the values of 15 adults. The results of the investigation have not been published in any specialist journal. But they must flock to the hygiene concept of the Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra in order to empower the children’s choir once again. (26.05.2021)
Drosten: „Vaccinate ASAP”
With vaccinations against Corona, Christian Drosten believes that Germany is on the right track after the initial difficulties. Berlin virologist Charitet said Tuesday in the NDR podcast „Coronavirus Update” that one should „take a different look at the threat situation at some point during the summer”. The country is currently in transition. Although open-air restaurant openings are not a big deal, Dorsten disagreed with assumptions that the number of infections was only dropping because of the now higher temperatures. One should not think that containment measures are now superfluous.
Regarding the Indian Corona variant B.1.617, Drosten emphasized: „You just have to get the vaccination ASAP. This is the best thing you can do.” A study recently showed that mRNA vaccines protect against disease with the Indian variant after two vaccines. However, there are many insurmountable issues about how it spreads. Experts suspect there is an infection up to 50 percent higher than the British variant. However, Drosten pointed to a number of potential distorting factors in the data from Great Britain. The current situation in the country differs from the end of 2020, when the B.1.1.7 mutant appeared. At that time, the winter wave had been building up, while the third wave had slowed down sharply and many people were enjoying vaccination protection. B.1.617 has also been recorded widely from India – unfortunately, vaccination progression has been known to be socially unbalanced.
Drosten sees himself confirmed by his assumptions about childhood infections. A study published about a year ago on the topic came under heavy criticism at the time. Meanwhile, the virologist and a team from Charité have greatly expanded, revised and published the study database in the well-known specialized journal. Science Chest. The impression that babies are just as infectious ability Like an adult, it has been solidified.
The study also supports the assumption that a relatively small proportion of infected people are responsible for a large number of infections. As Drosten described, there are people in all age groups, including children, infected with exceptionally high viral loads. In the study, this affected about nine percent of the cases examined. By and large, this may include people who may experience mild symptoms throughout the course of the illness. Among them, even people who did not show symptoms of the disease. Given the risk of infection from healthy people, scientists emphasized in their conclusion the importance of taking measures such as keeping your distance from wearing a mask. „The limit for virus secretion is one to three days before symptoms appear,” said Drosten. This is exactly why the virus is so difficult to control. (26.05.2021)
Turkish societies criticize Span
Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn (CDU) sparked criticism by saying that family visits to Turkey and the Balkans led to an increase in Corona numbers last summer. Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama and the Turkish community in Germany were outraged.
„It is a scandal that a German minister openly denounces the Balkans region and thus reduces the value of people of immigrant background,” said Prime Minister Rama Der. picture-Newspaper. „I will not allow Albania to be photographed as a risky area in vacation travel, and there are no numbers to prove that.” Spahn only wanted to defend „a distinctly bad record”.
The deputy head of the Turkish community, Serhat Ulusoy, said that Span „suspects entire sections of the population” and „opens the door to stigmatization.” He wants to „campaign at any cost and on the backs of the people.” „The second wave is homemade, and good management of the corona looks different.”
Span said in an interview that „trips abroad, and visits by relatives in Turkey and the Balkans often, caused about 50 percent of new infections sometimes.” This should be banned this year. Therefore, he wanted to conclude agreements with Turkey regarding entry and exit tests at an early stage. (25.05.2021)
