Corona: the events of 6. To 12. December 2021

Information on developments and figures on coronavirus in Bavaria, Germany and the world from 6. to 12. December 2021.

Sunday, 12. December 2021

22.12 o’clock: South African president Ramaphosa infected with Coronavirus

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has been infected with Covid-19. The head of state, who has been vaccinated twice, has mild symptoms and is receiving medical care, his office announced Sunday. It was not initially known whether the 69-year-old had been infected with the omicron variant of the coronavirus first identified in South Africa.

Ramaphosa has gone into isolation after testing positive in Cape Town and is receiving medical care from the South African military’s health service, the statement said. Accordingly, he turned his duties over to his deputy, David Mabuza, for at least the next week.

Ramaphosa had visited four West African states last week. He and everyone in his delegation were tested in each of the four states. Some tested positive at the stop in Nigeria, but Ramaphosa and the rest all subsequently tested negative. He returned at 8. December back from the last stop in Senegal.

21.45 a.m.: Aggressive protests after dispersed Corona march in Saxony

In response to the dispersal of Corona protests involving attacks on police officers in Bennewitz, near Leipzig, Germany, another 350 opponents of Corona measures protested and rioted Sunday evening. In the process, two journalists were physically assaulted, according to police, a police spokesman said Sunday evening. The buildup had dispersed shortly after it began. From a part of the group had been taken personal data, after it came to disorderly conduct, insults, bodily injury and resistance to police officers. More details should follow later this evening.

21.8 p.m.: Johnson: Booster vaccinations for everyone 18 and older by end of December

Due to the spread of the new Omikron variant of the coronavirus, the British government plans to massively push booster vaccinations. Every Briton aged 18 and over should be offered a booster vaccination by the end of December, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced in a speech Sunday night. Cases of the highly contagious variant of the coronavirus would double every two to three days. "’An omicron tidal wave is coming our way’, he warned.

To vaccinate in this fast, there will be pop-up vaccination stations, vaccination centers and clinics will vaccinate seven days a week. Boosting British vaccination coverage is a "national mission", Johnson said.

One is facing an emergency in the face of the Omikron variant, so there is an urgent need to strengthen vaccination coverage, Johnson said. "Get boosted now!", Johnson said.

On Sunday, 1.239 more Omikron cases registered in the UK, bringing the total to 3.137 rose. Compared to the previous day, this was an increase of a whopping 65 percent.

21.00 a.m.: Police stop protest against Corona measures in Plauen, Germany

Police cracked down on unauthorized Corona protests in Plauen on Sunday night. According to a police spokesman, several hundred people were on the move in the city area. An elevator that had formed up and started to move was stopped after a few hundred meters. Police took the personal details of 137 participants. In several other places, people had also tried to gather, but were approached by emergency forces and then left individually. The incident remained peaceful overall, he said. Gatherings of more than ten people are not currently allowed in Saxony because of the Corona situation.

19.50: ECB vice chief tests positive for Corona

ECB vice chief Luis de Guindos goes into self-isolation after positive Corona test. He had started the isolation immediately after receiving the test result and informed all the people with whom he had last had contact, the ECB says. He has had no contact with ECB chief Christine Lagarde in the past week, he said. He said he had already been vaccinated twice and was feeling only mild symptoms. He would work at home. He said the matter would have no impact on the ECB’s monetary policy meeting in the new week.

19.25 p.m.: U.K. raises corona warning level due to omicron spread

Due to the spread of the new Omicron variant, the Corona warning level has been raised in the UK on Sunday. The emergence of the particularly contagious variant could put further strain on the health system, health commissioners for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland said. That’s why the warning level in the five-part scale should rise from 3 to 4, he said.

In Great Britain, it is expected that Omikron could replace Delta as the dominant variant within a few days already. For this reason, some of the corona restrictions that were lifted six months ago were recently reintroduced. Wearing masks indoors is again mandatory in many places and workers have been urged to work from home if possible. By end of January, government plans to offer booster vaccination to everyone 18 and over. Prime Minister Boris Johnson was yet to comment on the status of booster vaccinations on Sunday.

19.11 p.m.: Corona demo in Schweinfurt – unannounced

In Schweinfurt on Sunday evening, around 800 to 1.000 people through the downtown area, according to a police spokesman. The gathering reportedly proceeded peacefully. In some cases, however, the police had to intervene because people were not wearing masks and did not keep their distance from each other. In addition, the demonstration was not registered, which is why those responsible are still being investigated, according to the spokesperson.

19.20 clock: Corona chaos: German wheelchair basketball teams without European Championship medals

Under curious circumstances, the German national wheelchair basketball teams missed out on the medals they had hoped for at the European Championships in Madrid. While the women’s bronze medal dream was dashed by a 40:58 loss to host Spain, the men, together with their opponents Italy, decided not to play "out of concern for their health" on the game for third place.

Due to the chaotic Corona situation, only one of the four medal games was played. Although a British player tested positive on Sunday morning and a Spanish player had to be hospitalized with Corona, the world governing body IWBF continued the tournament. Men’s defending champion Great Britain did not show up for the final, so the Netherlands became European champion without a fight. After the decision of the Germans and the Italians not to participate, the IWBF decided not to award any bronze medals.

17.24 o’clock: threshold of 800.000 Corona deaths exceeded in USA

In the USA, more than 800.000 people have died with or from the Corona virus. That the threshold was exceeded, a Reuters count based on official data shows. This means that more people have died than the U.S. state of North Dakota has inhabitants. Since the beginning of this year, 450.000 people have died in connection with the virus, accounting for 57 percent of all deaths in the U.S. during the pandemic. According to a Reuters analysis, it took 111 days for the death toll to reach 600.000 to 700.000 had risen. The next threshold of 800.000 was achieved in only 73 days. According to health experts, mainly unvaccinated people died in 2021. Worldwide, the USA has the highest number of infections and deaths.

17.10 a.m.: Tschentscher considers further contact restriction for vaccinated people conceivable

Hamburg’s First Mayor Peter Tschentscher does not rule out renewed contact restrictions for vaccinated and recovered people over the turn of the year. Although it is still conceivable that the existing Corona rules are sufficient over the holidays, says the SPD politician of the "World". "However, if the situation worsens due to Omikron, we will have to act. Critical is actually the time after Christmas and New Year’s Eve, because experience shows that people have a lot of contacts during the holidays." He recommended following existing rules. "That means meeting only with vaccinated and recovered people, if possible. The problem is unvaccinated vulnerable people. There one should avoid visits, and these should also renounce contacts themselves.

17.04 a.m.: British government extends measures against Omikron

The British government is again expanding its measures against the Omikron variant of the coronavirus. Regulations for compulsory testing will be tightened in England from Tuesday, the Department of Health in London announced on Sunday. Fully vaccinated people who have had contact with someone who has tested positive for the coronavirus will have to take a rapid test every day for seven days.

If contact persons of positively tested persons are not vaccinated at least once, they must be quarantined for ten days in the future. In addition, booster vaccinations will be extended to citizens over the age of 30 starting Monday.

Health Minister Sajid Javid pointed to the rapid spread of the omicron variant in the UK as justification for the new measures. Omicron is expected to be the dominant form of coronavirus in the country by mid-December.

17.02 o’clock: 17.000 people demonstrate in Graz against Corona measures

In several places in Austria on Sunday, thousands of people again protested against the Corona measures imposed by the government. In Graz alone demonstrated about 17.000 people mainly against the vaccination requirement, police estimated, according to a report by the APA news agency. Also in Bregenz, St. Polten and Innsbruck people took to the streets against Corona rules.

The new demonstrations took place on the very day that a nationwide lockdown ended – but only for vaccinated people. Almost everything has been closed for the past three weeks, with only schools and stores for daily needs remaining open. However, the relaxation that has now taken place differed in the individual federal states.

16.41: Protests against Corona requirements in the Czech Republic

Thousands of people took to the streets in the center of Prague against the Corona requirements. On Sunday, about 4,000 demonstrators gathered in Prague’s Wenceslas Square, according to the CTK news agency. From there they wanted to move on to the seat of government. Protesters reportedly did not wear masks and did not keep the prescribed distance. When police asked them to comply with the Corona requirements, the officers were booed, according to the report. "We are not against voluntary vaccination, we just have something against compulsory vaccination, which the government wants to introduce in the country with the support of the parliament", organizers had previously stated.

In the Czech Republic, the 2G rule applies in many areas such as restaurants and hotels (access for vaccinated or recovered persons). Czech Republic hit hard by fourth Corona wave. Many hospitals are overloaded. Recently, however, the numbers of infections have decreased. The seven-day incidence was recently 871 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants. Since the pandemic began, there have been more than 34,000 deaths linked to Corona infection. Czech Republic has a population of 10.7 million.

14.24 o’clock: Medical experts from NRW call for strict Corona rules at Christmas

Medical experts from North Rhine-Westphalia advise more caution in the fight against the pandemic in view of the Christmas season. "We are almost in a worse situation than at the beginning of the pandemic. Large events outside are nationwide only justifiable with 2G, better with 2Gplus, i.e. tests also for vaccinated and recovered people", said Dr. Hans-Albert Gehle, president of the Westphalia-Lippe Medical Association, to the Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung (Monday editions).

Gehle warned: "If people would wear masks consistently, we would probably get through the winter with 2G or 2Gplus. Unfortunately, we see that in soccer stadiums, for example, hardly anyone respects the wearing of masks." Unfortunately, the willingness to wear masks is generally decreasing. If the number of infections continues to rise significantly, "we will have to talk about not holding large events at all.

14.6 p.m.: Injured at Corona protest in BennewitzAt a Corona protest in Bennewitz near Leipzig, police say there were attacks on emergency forces. Two police officers were slightly injured on Sunday morning. Two of the demonstrators also suffered minor injuries. According to the police, a total of about 25 people had gathered in the district of Schmolen. This is currently not allowed under the Corona emergency regulation. The police had then established the identities of the participants. "These behaved extremely uncooperative, did not follow the instructions and attacked the police officers.", announced spokesman Chris Graupner. Only through "a robust approach of the task forces, the situation could be brought under control. Three criminal charges had been filed.

14.12 o’clock: Free voters demand 2G exceptions for unvaccinated young people to extend

The free voters in Bavaria demand that unvaccinated young people remain exempt for the time being from the 2G rule in many areas of life in the coming year with school tests. The system with school tests is "proven and should be continued in the new year," the state executive and state parliamentary group of the party announced in Munich on Sunday. "Young people may not continue to be deprived of club, recreational and cultural opportunities, even if they have not yet been vaccinated."

So far, it is planned that the exception for 12- to 17-year-olds should expire at the end of the year. The state government wants to decide on a possible extension in the near future. "Parents, clubs and recreational groups are coming forward urging us to keep the tests in place to meet 2G status for certain areas such as sports training or drama group", said the state chairman of the Free Voters, Hubert Aiwanger.

13.48 o’clock: According to trade association 2G regulations spoil Christmas business

German trade association (HDE) says 2G regulations are spoiling important Christmas business for retailers. Stores with articles of the non-daily need are to be deplored sales collapses, criticized HDE managing director Stefan Genth on Sunday. According to a recent survey of 1100 retailers by the HDE, more than 70 percent of businesses were negative about the remaining days of the year. Many have already written off the Christmas business.

"What was supposed to be the positive highlight of the year is now often a hole without a bottom", said Genth. Retailers with 2G access restrictions lost nearly a third of their pre-crisis sales in the past week, according to the report. Doing well only in grocery retail as well as online, he said.

13.9 p.m.: Health ministry confirms consultations on simplification for triple-vaccinated people

In the coming week, the health ministers of the federal states want to discuss a nationwide abolition of the Corona test obligation for those vaccinated three times. German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) is preparing a proposal on this and will present it to the Conference of Health Ministers on Tuesday, said a spokesman for his ministry. The details should then be discussed. First the "Bild am Sonntag" had reports. The goal is to make a decision on whether there should be no testing requirement in the future for those vaccinated three times under 2G+ rules, meaning access for those vaccinated and recovered plus a negative test. In some states, people who have already received their booster vaccination already do not need additional proof of testing. A uniform federal regulation does not exist so far.

13.07 o’clock: A total of more than ten million cases of Corona in Russia

In Russia, the number of registered infections with the coronavirus now exceeded the threshold of ten million. This was announced by the government’s working group for the pandemic. There are 29.929 new infections have been recorded. Thus would have itself since outbreak of the Pandemie as can be prove 10.016.896 people infected with the virus in Russia.

13.27 o’clock: Football professional Kimmich wants to be vaccinated now nevertheless, research minister praises rethinking

National soccer player Joshua Kimmich now wants to be vaccinated against the virus after being infected with Corona, according to information from German broadcaster ZDF. The FC Bayern Munich pro told the broadcaster, according to a report Sunday, "In general, it was just difficult for me to deal with my fears and concerns, that’s why I was undecided for so long." Since his Covid 19 infection, Kimmich has suffered from persistent lung problems and will not be able to work for some time.

The new Federal Minister of Research Bettina Stark-Watzinger has praised the decision of Bayern professional Joshua Kimmich to have a Corona vaccination. "It is a good decision", the FDP politician wrote on Twitter on Sunday. "As a professional soccer player and national team member, he is a role model for many people. More vaccinations are the way out of the pandemic", added Stark-Watzinger. Kimmich, 26, had previously cited concerns about alleged long-term effects of vaccination as a reason for his hesitation. For weeks, he was therefore at the center of a social debate about vaccination.

11.55 a.m.: British Prime Minister Johnson suspected of lockdown rule-breaking

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is accused of breaking the lockdown rules. The occasion is a photo showing him together with employees playing a quiz game together. The Sunday Mirror Released recording shows Johnson and colleagues in his London seat of government taking an online quiz. This took place on 15. December 2020, when strict contact restrictions were in place in London. The opposition Labour Party accused Johnson of setting different rules for himself than for others. Johnson has faced allegations of lockdown parties at his seat of government for days.

10.52 h: Bavaria invests six million euros for Corona research

The Free State of Bavaria is investing a further six million euros to strengthen corona research at medical faculties and university hospitals. This was announced by Science Minister Bernd Sibler (CSU) in Munich on Sunday. According to him, research is a key building block in the fight against the Corona pandemic. Because new scientific findings would bring new possibilities to help people and to counter the pandemic.

The renewed funding program supports projects that investigate epidemiological questions about pandemic management, the development of new drugs and therapies, and questions about vaccines and long-term consequences of corona diseases, it says. In the process, medical schools could set their own priorities, support ongoing projects or initiate new ones. Cross-site research was also possible. Already at the beginning of the pandemic, the ministry said it had made 15 million euros available for this field area. Among other things, this will support the joint research cooperation of all Bavarian university hospitals in the Corona Vaccine Consortium 2021. The study is concerned with the effectiveness of vaccination in different groups of people and at risk and with an associated analysis of the course of infection in vaccinated people. Further would the study "COVID Kids Bavaria" and the "Prospective COVID-19 Cohort Munich" project promoted.

10.4 p.m.: Several smaller demonstrations in Germany on Saturday

People demonstrated in several German cities on Saturday against mandatory vaccination and the government’s Corona measures. In Hamburg, the police counted up to 8.000 participants. The slogan of the demonstration was "The measure is full – hands off our children". Incidents were not reported. Numerous people also took to the streets in Thuringia over the weekend. There it did not always remain peaceful.

Police said several unregistered demonstrations took place in Flensburg, Schleswig-Holstein, on Saturday afternoon. A total of around 100 anti-vaccination activists were involved. In parallel, about 100 people came to a counter-demonstration. According to the police, up to 760 people took part in the demonstration in downtown Schwerin. The conditions imposed had been respected, it said.

In Freiburg, Stuttgart and Reutlingen, groups protested against the Corona measures on Saturday. Violent clashes broke out between protesters and police in Reutlingen, Reutlingen police headquarters said. According to the study, up to 1.500 people showed up for a rally that had previously been canceled. Because the demonstrators did not name a rally leader and did not wear masks, the Office of Public Order had broken up the procession. Criminal proceedings had been initiated and about 100 expulsions had been issued for assault on police officers, insults and attempted bodily harm.

09.35 o’clock: Pediatrician Guthmann: Child vaccination sensible, but voluntary

According to medical expert Florian Guthmann, parents should be free to decide whether to vaccinate their five- to eleven-year-old children against Corona. "If someone would like to get the vaccination for their child, I have no problem administering it," the chief physician for general pediatrics and neonatology at the Auf der Bult Children’s Hospital in Hanover, Germany, told Evangelischer Pressedienst . "However, I would also never try to convince anyone who has doubts. No one who decides not to vaccinate their children need feel bad about it."

Guthmann justified his position on the basis of the facts. Although the incidence among children is indeed very high, the course of the disease is usually mild. "If we look at the pediatric intensive care unit, our beds are full of patients with RS virus respiratory infections, not with Corona patients", stressed the chief physician. From a medical perspective, Corona infection for children in the vast majority of cases just doesn’t mean a threat to life or long-term consequences. "At the same time, studies have shown that the vaccine is effective in children." Against this background, Guthmann expressly praised the limited vaccination recommendation of the Standing Commission on Vaccination (Stiko). She recommends vaccination for children who have a high probability of severe disease progression, such as obesity or asthma. Also children with contact to risk patients are considered. "This is clearly about the well-being of those affected and preventing deaths."

However, based on the current data, a general recommendation for children would be premature, the physician emphasized. "The risk of rare complications cannot yet be estimated." The Stiko must "still be able to act credibly after Corona", underlined the physician. It should therefore not be "harnessed to any political cart". Of course, it would be desirable if schools, for example, no longer had to cancel school trips without replacement if all children were vaccinated. "From a medical point of view, however, such considerations cannot be misused as an argument for vaccination or against those who refuse to be vaccinated."

• To the overview "Stiko recommendation to the child inoculation: You must know"

09.1 p.m.: Discarded masks serious environmental problem

Scientists at the University of Portsmouth have studied Corona measures in eleven countries, including Germany. According to the report, carelessly discarded corona masks pose a serious problem for the environment and animals. "It was no surprise that many discarded masks showed up, but what surprised us was seeing how much certain national Corona measures influenced the appearance of the masks", Lead researcher Keiron Roberts wrote. Scientists found that while the litter problem slowly increased during the stricter lockdown periods in the spring of 2020, it only became really big when more travel and social activities became possible again in the summer and fall, but masks were still mandatory. University of Portsmouth plastics expert Steve Fletcher warned: "Without better disposal, we face an environmental catastrophe." Most masks are made of durable plastic and can last in the environment for decades or even centuries. Microplastics could end up in soil or water, and animals could choke on the masks, it said.

08.10 a.m.: Austria ends nationwide lockdown

In Austria, a three-week Corona lockdown ended on Sunday for vaccinated people. In the individual provinces, however, the relaxations turn out differently: While in Burgenland, Tyrol and Vorarlberg, for example, visits to guesthouses and overnight stays in hotels are possible again, the restrictions will last a little longer in other parts of the country. Meanwhile, the mood in the country remains tense

• To the article "Corona lockdown in Austria comes to an end almost everywhere"

06.45: FDP politician expects fines for violations of mandatory vaccinations

The FDP health politician Andrew Ullmann assumes that vaccination refusers will be subject to severe fines after the introduction of a Corona vaccination obligation. "The framework is likely to be based on the measles vaccination breach", Ullmann tells Funke Media Group. Violations of mandatory measles vaccination for children could result in fines of up to 2.500 euros.

07.43 Watch: People make longer phone calls in Corona times

In Corona times, people in Germany talk on their cell phones for significantly longer than before, according to a mobile operator. In 2019, an average phone call on the O2 mobile network still took two and a half minutes. In 2020, that figure rose to about 2 minutes 50 seconds, and so far this year to about three minutes. The figure is expected to rise significantly by the end of the year, as the holiday season traditionally sees a lot of phone use. In Corona times, people are more at home than before the pandemic, and also have more time to make phone calls.

06.30 p.m.: Corona warning app could stay after pandemic

The Corona warning app developed to alert people after contact with infected people could possibly continue to be used after the end of the pandemic. "I advocate that the Corona warning app be continued and, at best, merged with the warning apps NINA and Katwarn as a central federal-state civil protection app.", said SPD interior politician Sebastian Hartmann to the Deutsche Presse-Agentur. The President of the Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (BBK), Armin Schuster, said in response to a question: "We are already dealing with the question of how we can usefully deal with the Corona warning app after the pandemic." The app now has more than 30 million users, he added. Together with the 10 million users of the NINA warning app, this is "an invaluable warning tool for a population protector for any crisis".

• To the article "Corona warning app warns red: what to do?"

05.35 o’clock: Family minister Spiegel promotes child vaccination offers

The new Federal Minister for Family Affairs, Anne Spiegel (Greens), has spoken out in favor of easily accessible Corona vaccination services for children from five to eleven years of age. Child-friendly vaccination services are needed throughout the country "in pediatrician’s offices, vaccination centers and with mobile vaccination teams", Spiegel told the newspapers of the Funke Mediengruppe. Spiegel called the start of childhood vaccinations this Monday a good signal. "For many five- to 11-year-old children and their families, this is a great relief", said the minister. "It is very important that families can be well informed and advised and then hopefully come to the conclusion to have their children vaccinated."

05.30: Australia shortens waiting period for booster vaccinations because of Omikron

Australia to shorten wait time for booster vaccination as more cases of Omicron variant reported in country. As Health Minister Greg Hunt confirmed in a statement, the time limit is to be shortened from six to five months after the second dose. "Data from Israel show that booster vaccinations reduce infection rates in eligible age groups, severe illness in those over 40 and deaths in those over 60", according to Hunt. Australia will use Pfizer and Biontech vaccines as well as Moderna in its booster program.

04.05 o’clock: RKI reports 32.646 new infections – incidence continues to fall to 390.9

The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) reports 32 within 24 hours.646 Corona new infections. That’s 9.409 fewer cases than a week ago Sunday. Nationwide seven-day incidence drops again to 390.9 from 402.9 the previous day. The value indicates how many people die per 100.000 residents have contracted the coronavirus in the past seven days. 132 more people died in connection with the virus. This brings the number of reported deaths within one day to 105.638. In total, more than 6.5 million corona tests have turned out positive in Germany so far.

• To the article "This is how the Corona figures are developing in Germany"

03.30 o’clock: Heil wants to win more Hartz IV recipients for Corona vaccination

Federal Minister of Labor Hubertus Heil (SPD) wants to increase Hartz IV recipients for Corona vaccinations. "I have asked the Federal Employment Agency and the states to write to adults receiving basic security benefits and inform them about vaccination offers on site", Heil tells the Funke Mediengruppe newspapers, according to an advance report. The letter-writing campaigns were just getting underway on the ground. Job centers should do all they can to help with vaccination campaign, Heil says.

01.46 o’clock: Booster of Pfizer probably protects against Omikron

Israeli researchers have found that a triple vaccination with Pfizer and Biontech’s vaccine offers significant protection against the new Omikron variant. "The good news is that protection increases a hundredfold with the booster dose", Gili Regev-Yochay, head of the infectious diseases department at Sheba Medical Center in Tel Aviv, tells reporters. The protection is still about four times lower than against the Delta variant, but the overall good effect of the vaccine makes the researchers optimistic, he said. So far, there are no findings on whether and when the booster effect will also diminish, the researcher explains. Sheba conducted the study in collaboration with the Ministry of Health’s Central Virology Laboratory.

01.00 o’clock: Minister of the Interior: Corona demo participants should distinguish themselves from right-wing extremists

The new Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser (SPD) calls on participants in protests against the Corona protection measures to distance themselves more strongly from right-wing extremists and so-called Reich citizens. "Right-wing extremists and Reich citizens are trying to impose the movement to pursue their own goals", Faeser told the Funke Mediengruppe newspapers, according to an advance report. Civic demonstrators would not distinguish themselves enough from these people. Efforts for social cohesion must be stepped up to overcome attempts by anti-democratic forces to divide, interior minister says. Faeser also warns of a further radicalization of the so-called lateral thinking movement, as its propensity for violence increases. The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution has therefore now once again significantly intensified the observation of all extremist parts of the movement.

00.30 o’clock: Sheet: State ministers advise on omission of "2G plus for those vaccinated three times

The health ministers of the states want to decide at their next meeting on Tuesday whether there should no longer be a nationwide testing requirement for those vaccinated three times in the future. "We countries need clarity quickly on whether and when the testing requirement can be waived for those vaccinated three times. The Federal Minister of Health has promised me that he will make a proposal to the Conference of Health Ministers as early as next Tuesday. This not only makes medical sense, but also provides an additional incentive to vaccinate", Klaus Holetschek (CSU), Chairman of the Conference of Health Ministers, tells the newspaper Bild am Sonntag according to a preliminary report.

Saturday, 11. December 2021

20.24 h: Around 44.000 people protest against Corona measures in Vienna

More than 40.000 Austrians protested on Saturday against the current Corona measures and the vaccination obligation announced by the government. In the capital Vienna went, according to police, about 44.000 people on the streets. Protests also took place in other cities in the Alpine republic. On Sunday, a three-week lockdown ends in Austria for vaccinated people, which had been imposed because of the sharp rise in infection cases.

The demonstrators in Vienna, who gathered from noon on Heldenplatz near the Hofburg Palace, carried placards reading "Stop Fascism", "No to compulsory vaccination" or "Hands off our children.

At the rally there, the head of the right-wing populist FPo, Herbert Kickl, railed against the government’s policies. He announced that the protests would continue until the government "goes to the dogs" go.

20.8 p.m.: Nagelsmann confirms: Musiala vaccinated in the meantime

After hesitating for a while, national soccer player Jamal Musiala has now been vaccinated against Corona. This was confirmed by coach Julian Nagelsmann after Bayern Munich’s 2:1 with matchwinner Musiala against FSV Mainz 05. "I’m glad he’s been vaccinated and hopefully we won’t have any more problems with it in the second half of the season.", said the coach and stressed: "I would like to see the same for the whole of society." Musiala had reportedly belonged to a circle of five Bayern professionals around Joshua Kimmich, who initially had not wanted to be vaccinated. However, Nagelsmann and national coach Hansi Flick had already let slip that Kimmich and Co. will soon follow suit.

18.30 o’clock: British researchers warn of Omikron wave in January

British government may need to introduce tighter corona restrictions to curb omicron variant, scientists say. Modeling published Saturday by London’s College of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine suggested Omicron was likely to cause a major wave of infections by January. In the next five months in England with 25.000 to 75.000 deaths to be expected if no further action is taken, the researchers said.

The most pessimistic scenario assumed that half a million people could be hospitalized with the virus by the end of April. The number of daily hospital admissions could then be twice as high as the previous peak in January 2021. The study by researchers advising the British government has not been scientifically reviewed. The number of infections will depend on the extent to which the Omikron variant escapes vaccine protection and the effectiveness of booster vaccinations in boosting immunity – both of which are still unclear.

18.00 o’clock: New Federal Minister of the Interior moves Coronaleugner scene in the focus

Germany’s new Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) wants to target more closely the activities of the maverick and corona denial scene. "It is currently enormously important that we set a very clear sign against those who, as so-called contrarians and corona deniers, are now threatening people by going to their houses with torch runs", said the Minister of the Interior.

"This is such a bad border crossing, an intimidation attempt that we can’t let pass like this – that’s why this is very much in focus", Faeser added. Nationwide for horror had recently caused a torchlight procession of opponents of the Corona policy in front of the private house of the Saxon Health Minister Petra Kopping (SPD).

17.35: Anti-vaccination demonstration in Aschaffenburg peaceful despite large number of participants

In Aschaffenburg today about 2.400 people answered the call of the initiative "Aschaffenburg stands up" followed to a demo. The initiative opposes mandatory vaccination and mask-wearing on its website.

The march through the city center was actually registered and approved for 300 participants. According to police, however, the demonstration was very peaceful despite the much larger number of participants. Spacing between participants, had also been observed, police spokesman Michael Denzinger said. The spokesman said there had been a complaint of insulting a public official and one case of incitement to hatred was being investigated because of the inscription on a poster.

17.25 o’clock: New Zealander gets vaccinated ten times for money

A man in New Zealand allegedly received a vaccination against the corona virus up to ten times in just one day in exchange for money. The man had presumably been paid by others to do it, the news portal Stuff reported on Saturday. Where exactly this fraud took place and how it was discovered was not known at first. In New Zealand, vaccinees do not have to show identification. The Ministry of Health expressed concern and has launched an investigation.

Doctors called the behavior of both the man and those who paid him to vaccinate "dangerous, stupid and selfish," according to Stuff. Especially because of the circulating delta variant of the virus, vaccination is important, it was said. A doctor added that on the first day after the vaccination the man might not have been very well. The Ministry of Health advised all people who received more doses than recommended to seek medical advice as soon as possible.

17.05 o’clock: Retail suffers in Christmas business under 2G rule

The first Advent weekend with 2G rule in retail has been disappointing, according to the Bavarian Trade Association. "Many stores have 40 to 60 percent fewer customers", said association spokesman Bernd Ohlmann on Saturday. "Christmas business bobs along saplessly and powerlessly." The retail sector in Bavaria is "light years away" from a festive mood, Instead, sales migrated to Internet commerce: "2G is a mega turbo accelerator." After all, the customers were "very disciplined" during the 2G checks had been, Ohlmann emphasized. To facilitate the controls, some cities wanted to rely on wristbands as in other states. However, this could not be implemented in all cases. While in Bamberg ribbons were handed out to customers, the project was stopped in Kempten at short notice. The Bavarian Ministry of Health has "evaluated the project as not permissible," the city management Kempten announced on Friday.

16.25 o’clock: General practitioners’ association expects fourth Corona vaccination from summer

German family doctors’ association estimates that another booster vaccination against coronavirus will be needed starting in summer 2022. "We expect that a fourth vaccination will be necessary in the summer, at the latest in the fall, said association boss Ulrich Weigeldt of the "picture"-Newspaper from Saturday. According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), the nationwide seven-day incidence of new infections fell slightly compared to the previous day – but the number of corona deaths rose. Weigeldt said he hoped that the fourth Corona vaccination "already in connection with the flu vaccination" could be administered "to make protection against corona a routine".

16.05 o’clock: For and against Corona rules: 500 people at demonstrations in Trier

Around 500 people took to the streets in Trier on Saturday over the Corona rules: More than 400 of them demonstrated against the rules and the limited vaccination requirement. The other 100 or so people had gathered for a counter-demonstration, police added. However, there were no major incidents. Critics of the Corona measures had to be sent away several times because they had not complied with police orders. In addition, according to police, three misdemeanor procedures.

15.40: Man arrested in Netherlands after offering corona viruses for sale

Dutch financial police have arrested a man who allegedly offered to supply coronaviruses for self-infection on the Internet. The suspect was linked to a corresponding homepage, which has since been shut down, the Finance Ministry’s Fraud Investigation Unit (FIOD) in The Hague reported. For 33.50 euros they were offered there the delivery of a so-called Coronakits by mail, reported the newspaper "De Telegraaf" Saturday. Allegedly it contained a tube with a viral liquid and a self-test. The providers promised that the viruses are not older than three months and buyers can "be sure that the latest mutations and variants are included". Potential buyers were promised, according to FIOD, that they could obtain a convalescent certificate from health authorities under the 2G rule after self-infection and overcoming the disease.

15.3 p.m.: Corona case stops Berlin visit of Sweden’s new head of government

The new Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson had to cancel a visit to the SPD party conference in Berlin at short notice. The reason for this is a positive Corona case in the Swedish delegation, as the Swedish State Chancellery said on Saturday in response to a request from the Deutsche Presse-Agentur. Social Democrat Andersson herself had tested negative for the coronavirus, but was of course following the current restrictions. For this reason, the planned commitments in Berlin would unfortunately be discontinued. The entire delegation would be tested again when they return to Sweden.

14.50 20.000 people at protests against Corona measures in Vienna

In Vienna on Saturday, thousands of people again demonstrated against the current Corona measures and the mandatory vaccination announced by the government. As reported by the Austrian news agency APA, citing police information, about 20.000 people at Heldenplatz in the capital. Afterwards, a protest march was planned. According to APA, a total of 32 demonstrations had been registered in Vienna, seven of which were banned. About 1.400 police officers were reportedly on duty to ensure the protests proceeded peacefully and in compliance with current Covid regulations.

14.3 p.m.: Peaceful demonstration in Schwerin against Corona measures

In Schwerin, several hundred people protested against the Corona measures at noon on Saturday. According to police, initially about 370 people gathered, but in the course of the demonstration the number of participants rose to 760. The registered event was peaceful and without riots, said a spokeswoman. Police had closed several streets for the demonstration and prepared for the protest march with a large force.

13.21 o’clock: Minister Schulze urges fair vaccine distribution

Ahead of her trip to the G7 foreign and development ministers’ meeting in Liverpool, German Development Minister Svenja Schulze (SPD) insists on fair global vaccine distribution. "The G7, as the richest nations on earth, have a special responsibility to address the Corona pandemic and climate change, and they must show global solidarity with the poorest.", Schulze said on Saturday in Berlin. Germany, which will assume the G7 presidency next year, will expand its commitment to global development, she said. Global climate protection is about "combining the transformation to climate neutrality with social balance", Schulze added. "In the transition away from coal, oil and gas, towards renewable energies and good work, we want to support the developing and emerging countries with combined forces." The focus of the talks in Liverpool is the implementation of the goals already agreed at the G7 summit in June for global action against the Corona pandemic, especially in developing and emerging countries.

• Regarding the article, "Mandatory vaccination in nursing facilities and clinics has been passed"

13.01 am: Schwesig: fight against Corona is most important task

Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania’s Minister President Manuela Schwesig (SPD) has described the fight against Corona as the most urgent task of politics at the moment. "This is now the most important task, that we lead this country out of the pandemic", Schwesig said on Saturday at the SPD party conference in Berlin. Referring to new SPD health minister Karl Lauterbach, Schwesig said not one person alone will be able to fight the pandemic. This can only be done together. In this context, a decisive stand against intimidation attempts by opponents of the Corona measures is also central. "It is a minority that wants to threaten this society, and we must not allow this threat to happen." Schwesig recalled that a few days ago, police stopped people who wanted to go to a torchlight procession in front of her own house. Only a few days earlier, such a procession in front of the residence of Saxony’s Health Minister Petra Kopping (SPD) had caused nationwide outrage.

12.49: More than a hundred Corona deaths registered in Peru within a day

In Peru, the country with the highest Covid 19 death rate in the world, more than a hundred new deaths have been recorded in a single day. The last time this threshold was exceeded in a single day was four months ago, the health ministry said Friday. In total, 123 deaths and 1.356 cases of infection have been recorded. At least 201 people have died in the Andean nation of 33 million since the pandemic began in March 2020.650 people after infection with the coronavirus. That is the highest rate in the world in relation to the number of inhabitants. A total of 2.2 million infections have been registered. Experts blame the country’s ailing health system, among other things, for the large number of infections and deaths. So far, 19.5 million people have received two doses of vaccine, or 70 percent of all citizens over the age of twelve.

• To the overview: "Current Corona figures for Bavaria and Germany"

12.24 o’clock: Ex-ski jumper and hotelier Weibflog criticizes Corona rules

Ex-ski jumper and hotelier Jens Weibflog (57) criticizes Saxony’s Corona restrictions on the hotel and restaurant industry. As an entrepreneur, he is increasingly losing his optimism, Weibflog said in an interview with the "Leipziger Volkszeitung". He has been running a hotel in the spa town of Oberwiesenthal for 25 years. He does not want to play down the dangers of Corona, Weibflog emphasized. "But what’s gained if all the lifts are closed here now, but the next ski area opens normally 1.5 kilometers away on the Czech side?? On 12. December accommodation in Austria to start again. Then the Saxons go over Christmas and New Year’s Eve just to the ski vacation in the Alps or to Bavaria – or they have booked from the outset at the Baltic Sea." Hotels in Oberwiesenthal lived 100 percent from tourism. Saxony’s Corona emergency ordinance, which is in effect until 9. January is extended, forbids however overnight accomodation for routistic purposes. "I don’t understand why my house with a maximum of 70 guests or the vacation apartments under 2G are not considered as safe as, for example, our restaurant or trade", said Weibflog. As an entrepreneur, he is "still holding out because of the savings from better times. In addition, he has taken out a loan. "But it can’t be the point of a business to lose so much money every month just because you belong to the wrong industry", said Weibflog. At least – and this was his ray of hope – the regular guests remained loyal to him and accepted without complaint when vacation dates were postponed again and again.

10.58 o’clock: Dutch ex-queen Beatrix recovered from Corona

The 83-year-old former queen of the Netherlands has survived a Corona infection well. Princess Beatrix has had mild cold symptoms and is now symptom-free, the royal family announced Saturday. The mother of King Willem-Alexander (54) had tested positive for Corona after returning from a working visit to the Dutch Caribbean island of Curacao last weekend and had subsequently placed herself in domestic isolation. The ex-queen had already been fully vaccinated before her trip to the tropics, including the booster vaccination, her son reported in a television broadcast. Therefore, she said, her cold symptoms initially thought of the air conditioners on Curacao. Due to the self-isolation, Princess Beatrix could not attend the 18. Birthday of her granddaughter Princess Amalia on 7. December only virtual celebration.

10.50 p.m.: UEFA finally cancels game between Tottenham and Rennes

The European Football Union (UEFA) has finally canceled the Europa Conference League group match between Tottenham Hotspur and Stade Rennes. This was announced by the federation with reference to the draw for the next round already scheduled for Monday. The match had to be temporarily withdrawn from the schedule on Thursday after eight players and five support staff from the traditional London club tested positive for the drug. Meanwhile, Spurs’ Premier League match at Brighton and Hove Albion on Sunday has also been postponed to a later date. Irrespective of the last remaining preliminary round match in Group G, the French had already been determined as the group winners and thus as participants in the intermediate round. Third-placed Tottenham could still have passed second-placed Vitesse Arnhem with a win. According to UEFA statutes, the match is expected to be scored 3-0 in favor of Rennes shortly. This would have eliminated the Spurs from the competition.

• To the article: "Where spectators are allowed at sporting events despite Corona"

10.28 o’clock: Tafel association demands Corona emergency aid for poor people

The chairman of the umbrella organization of the Tafeln in Germany, Jochen Bruhl, has called on the new German government to launch Corona emergency aid for needy people: "Immediately. Not sometime. There no 20 to 25 euro are sufficient, that must be at least 100 euro in the short term in the month ", he said to the "Neue Osnabrucker Zeitung". Poor people or those at risk of poverty are not only financially "and often psychologically" affected because of the pandemic at the limit, Bruhl stressed. At present the inflation comes aggravatingly in addition, which increases the price of many things of the daily life. "Inflation is a real threat to poor people." The ongoing Corona pandemic, he said, is also having an impact on the composition of Tafel’s customers. The proportion of short-time workers has "increased enormously", said Bruhl. "We can see who got insufficient or late help in the pandemic: Many more students, but also people from the gastro scene or from the cultural sector now come to the tables." Older people, on the other hand, stayed away from the facilities more often, lunch tables and senior cafes had to be cancelled due to Corona. There would now be many elderly people sitting alone at home without food and without social contacts. "The fourth Corona wave is also a wave of isolation", underlined the Tafel boss.

10.20 o’clock: China tightens Corona measures in border cities

Chinese government orders tighter controls in border cities. People leaving these communities for domestic travel must show a negative Corona test 48 hours before travel begins. Since mid-October, the number of locally transmitted infections has risen to more than 2,000. Several small towns in the north on the border with Russia or Mongolia have been comparatively more affected.

• To the overview: "This is how the Corona numbers are developing in Germany"

10.5 p.m.: About 1.000 participants in Corona protests in Saxony-Anhalt

In Saxony-Anhalt on Friday evening, a total of more than 1.000 people protested against Corona requirements. However, according to a Home Office spokesman, the five gatherings were mostly peaceful. In Stendal there was the largest protest with about 550 participants. After marching through the city area there, participants gathered for a final rally in the market square. According to police, the gathering had been previously announced.

There were further registered protests in Naumburg and Sangerhausen, each of which was attended by around 300 to 400 people. The gatherings in Blankenburg and Braunsbedra had not been registered. According to the police, between 150 and 250 participants gathered here. All five gatherings were accompanied by police.

Several hundred people gathered in Rathenow in western Brandenburg on Friday evening in an unannounced protest against the Corona measures. According to police, the procession, which began and ended at Markischer Platz, proceeded peacefully. However, when some participants wanted to continue their march on another street, some of them behaved aggressively towards the officers. One policeman was injured.

10.01 a.m.: Again over one million Corona vaccinations – 22.5 percent boosted

For the fourth day in a row, more than one million people in Germany received a vaccination against the coronavirus on Friday. A total of 1.055 million doses were administered the day before, according to figures released by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) on Saturday. 915.000 of these were reported to be booster vaccinations.

In total, about 18.7 million people have now received a so-called booster vaccination – this corresponds to about 22.5 percent of the population. The RKI assumes that among adults probably more people are vaccinated than the data suggest: a hundred percent coverage of vaccinations could not be achieved by the reporting system.

According to the RKI, at least 57.8 million people, or 69.5 percent of the population, have received the full basic protection with the second shot, which is usually necessary. At least 60.3 million people (72.5 percent) have had at least one vaccination so far.

Currently, according to RKI data, 22.8 million people are not vaccinated against the coronavirus, or 27.5 percent of the population. For 4 million of these people aged 0 to 4 years (4.8 percent), no licensed vaccine is available yet.

• To the overview: "Current background and information to the Corona vaccination"

09.37 o’clock: World Bank grants Ukraine 150 million dollar loan

World Bank approves $150 million loan for Ukraine. The country should thus accelerate the vaccination campaign. Ukraine would spend $120 million to buy 16.5 million vaccination units and the rest on infrastructure measures related to protecting the population from the pandemic. This year, Ukraine has already received a $155 million loan for the fight against coronavirus from the World Bank.

08.40 o’clock: Ski jumping world cups in Japan corona conditionally canceled

The Ski Jumping World Cups scheduled for January in Japan have been canceled, as they were last winter, because of the corona virus pandemic. Affected are the men’s competitions in Sapporo (22./23. January) and of the women in Sapporo (8./9. January) and Zao (14./15. January). The International Ski Federation FIS says it is trying to find alternative venues for the canceled competitions.

07.00 a.m.: Logistics association warns against mandatory vaccination due to driver shortage

Some truck drivers from Eastern Europe are not vaccinated – or only with vaccines that are not recognized in this country. This is already a problem for logistics. If mandatory vaccination comes, fears even greater consequences. The transport industry therefore warns against a hasty introduction of a general vaccination obligation in Germany. In case of doubt, this could lead to thousands of drivers coming from abroad being refused entry to Germany because they have been vaccinated with vaccines such as Sputnik, said Frank Huster, chief executive of the German Freight Forwarding and Logistics Association (DSLV). However, the substance is not recognized in the EU. Due to the acute driver shortage, freight space is too scarce anyway, he said. "Before making vaccination compulsory, we must clarify open questions in advance." This includes, for example, whether unvaccinated drivers from abroad could also be offered vaccination in Germany, in order to motivate them to vaccinate. There are currently talks between the industry and the relevant ministries. "We are not decidedly against compulsory vaccination", Huster emphasized in an interview with the Deutsche Presse-Agentur. "But the concern is that we will lose more staff." According to a survey conducted by the BGL among just over 10.000 participants, about 28 percent of drivers are not vaccinated or have received sputnik in their Eastern European home countries.

According to the German Road Haulage, Logistics and Disposal Association (BGL), Germany has a shortage of 60.000 to 80.000 truck drivers, annually growing the gap by 15.000. Not enough staff can be recruited from the eastern EU countries, because there are also tens of thousands of drivers missing, said board spokesman Dirk Engelhardt. Many drivers opt for better-paying jobs in industry, where work and family can be more easily combined than in long-distance driving jobs. The BGL speaks out in favor of compulsory vaccination by the state.

• To the article: "Vaccination obligation in nursing facilities and hospitals is decided"

05.31 Clock: Federal Labor Minister Heil expects stronger increase in short-time work in winter

Federal Labor Minister Hubertus Heil (SPD) expects a significant increase in short-time work this winter due to the recent Corona wave. "We are now experiencing a new stress test for the labor market", Heil told the newspapers of the Funke Mediengruppe. However, it is not expected to be as bad as in the first Corona wave with six million employees on short-time work. "We don’t have a crystal ball, but we are prepared for a stronger increase in short-time work in this fourth wave", said the minister. Sectors such as event management and trade show construction have long suffered from the pandemic. "There will also be a job or two lost", said Heil. "But overall, we can keep the labor market stable with the instruments we have." Short-time work has "secured millions of jobs".

04.10 p.m.: RKI: Nationwide seven-day incidence drops to 402.9

The nationwide seven-day incidence for new Corona infections has dropped again. According to data released Saturday morning by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), the figure was 402.9. The previous day it had been 413.7, a week ago 442.7. As the RKI further announced with reference to data of the health offices, within 24 hours 53.697 new infections recorded. Since the start of the pandemic, the health authorities have registered a total of 6.477.217 cases reported. The number of people in Germany who have recovered from an illness caused by the coronavirus is estimated by the Institute to be around 5 million.368.300. The total number of Corona deaths in Germany rose by 510 to 105.506. Seven-day incidence gives the number of new infections per 100.000 inhabitants within a week. Since the beginning of November, the figure has risen rapidly. As a result, new highs were registered daily. Since the beginning of the week, the incidence has fallen steadily.

02.31 o’clock: Report: Drosten and Streeck in the new Corona expert council of the Federal Government

According to a media report, the German government’s new Corona Expert Council will include virologists Christian Drosten and Hendrik Streeck, among others. The formation of the council was completed on Friday, reported the "Welt am Sonntag". Drosten, chief virologist at Berlin’s Charite hospital, and Streeck, head of the Virological Institute at Bonn University Hospital, had in the past expressed very different views on the measures needed to deal with the corona crisis. In addition to the two virologists, the report says the panel will include Thomas Mertens, head of the Standing Commission on Vaccination, Lothar Wieler, president of the Robert Koch Institute, virologist Melanie Brinkmann of the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, physicist Viola Priesemann of the Max Planck Institute and intensive care physician Christian Karagiannidis of the German Interdisciplinary Association for Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine. The expert council is scheduled to meet for the first time on Tuesday.

• To the article: "Drosten – Omikron "is our problem until the summer""

02.03 o’clock: Employers want to pay care bonus only to vaccinated persons

The employers’ association for nursing care (AGVP) demands that the once again planned nursing care bonus only be paid to vaccinated personnel. Managing Director Isabell Halletz told the "Rheinische Post" newspaper with regard to Corona: "Who does not want to be vaccinated and thus endangers those in need of care in the facilities, can not get a bonus for this." The forces in nursing homes, all the same in which range, would have a responsibility for the needy ones. "They and their families need to be confident that employees will live up to that responsibility," Halletz said. "This includes getting vaccinated, for their own protection and to reduce the risk of infection."

SPD, Greens and FDP have stated in their coalition agreement that there should be a corona bonus for care workers. The traffic light government wants to make one billion euros available for this purpose. The AGVP is one of several associations in the care industry.

• To the article: "Mandatory vaccination for health care professionals – praise and criticism"

02.00 o’clock: Ramelow hopes for Christmas without strict contact restrictions

According to a media report, Thuringia’s Prime Minister Bodo Ramelow (Left Party) pleads for a Christmas without even stricter contact restrictions beyond a 2G or 2G-plus rule. "I wish we could really get there with 2G or 2G plus, but without any restrictions beyond that or further restrictions", Ramelow told the "Rheinische Post" newspaper. New and binding rules on pandemic preparedness have just been adopted, he said. "We should try to have a Christmas without additional travel restrictions and without new contact requirements,", said the left-wing politician, who is currently also president of the Bundesrat.

Only on Friday, the Bundestag and Bundesrat had cleared the way for the use of stricter Corona rules in the federal states. Also for a vaccination obligation in certain ranges like the care there was from the parliament and the federal state chamber green light. In Thuringia, where Ramelow leads a red-red-green minority government, strict rules have already been in place for more than two weeks – including a nighttime curfew for people who are not vaccinated or recovering and a 10 p.m. curfew in the restaurant business.

01.22 o’clock: Intensive care physicians expect an increase of corona diseases in children – Infectiologists for faster booster vaccinations

With the threat of the Omikron variant spreading, intensivists expect an increase in Covid-19 disease in children. "The number of infected persons and thus also of children will increase dramatically", Florian Hoffmann, pediatric intensive care physician and secretary general of the German Interdisciplinary Association for Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine (Divi), told the newspapers of the Funke Mediengruppe. Infectiologists advocated shorter intervals between second and third vaccinations. At present, it is not possible to say whether Omikron will also lead to more severe courses of the disease, Hoffmann explained. But even with milder courses, the high number of infected people alone could lead to more children needing to be hospitalized in absolute numbers than is the case now. "So in any case, we have to expect that more children will become ill as a result of Omikron", said the Divi secretary general.

In the view of Bernd Salzberger, chairman of the German Society for Infectious Diseases, rapid booster vaccination is one of the most important and effective measures to contain the spread of Omikron. "To achieve this quickly, one must also think about a possible shortening of the interval to the second dose", Salzberger told the newspapers of the Funke Mediengruppe.

00.52: Switzerland approves Biontech/Pfizer’s Corona vaccine for five- to 11-year-olds

Swiss authorities have approved Biontech/Pfizer’s Corona vaccine for children between five and 11 years old. "Clinical trial results show vaccine is safe and effective in this age group", the Agency for Therapeutic Products Swissmedic announced. An approval study with more than 1.500 participants have shown that the vaccine provides "virtually complete protection" for children of this age against severe covid-19 disease, the statement continued. Side effects "tend to occur less frequently" than in adolescents or adults. This makes Switzerland the fifth country in Europe, after Portugal, Italy, Greece and Spain, to allow Corona vaccinations for children in this age group. In Germany, the Standing Committee on Vaccination (Stiko) recommends Corona vaccination for five- to 12-year-olds only in the case of certain pre-existing conditions, despite existing approval by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). Otherwise, it leaves this to the individual decision of parents.

00.05 a.m.: Family physician chief expects fourth Corona vaccination to be necessary

The current booster vaccinations will not be the last needed against Corona, according to Ulrich Weigeldt, head of the family doctors’ association. "We expect that in the summer, at the latest in the fall, a fourth vaccination will be necessary," he told the "Bild"-Newspaper.

He hopes that the fourth Corona vaccination will be given "in conjunction with the flu vaccination" could be administered "to make the protection against corona a routine matter".

There are already signs that vaccinations against the Omikron variant of the virus may become necessary. Manufacturers Biontech/Pfizer believe their vaccine will continue to protect against severe disease. By March, they want to provide a vaccine adapted to Omikron – subject to regulatory approval.

Friday, 10. December 2021

23.50 a.m.: UK records highest number of new Corona infections since January

The number of new corona infections in the UK has reached its highest level in eleven months. On Friday, authorities reported 58.194 new cases. A higher number was last reported on 9. January have been recorded, said the Minister of Housing and Local Government, Michael Gove. He spoke of a "deeply worrying situation". Omicron variant of coronavirus is currently spreading rapidly in the UK. In London, Gove said it is now detected in 30 percent of those with the disease. Scottish government leader Nicola Sturgeon warned of a "tsunami of infections" in the United Kingdom. UK health officials estimate Omikron could become the dominant coronavirus variant in the UK by mid-December.

23.25 o’clock: Worldwide about 268.43 million infections and over 5.58 million deaths

Some 268.43 million people worldwide have been confirmed to have contracted the corona virus so far. This is according to a Reuters survey based on official data. More than 5.58 million people died with or from the virus, first detected in December 2019 in Wuhan, China. The U.S. has the highest number of infections and deaths. India and Brazil follow in terms of contagions.

21.28 a.m.: Greek vaccination opponents kidnap school principal

In Greece, Corona vaccination opponents attacked the principal of a secondary school on Friday and forcibly took him to police. The nine men and two women said they had "arrested" the man, according to authorities. However, at the police station in Piera in the region of Central Macedonia, the attackers were arrested themselves.

The attackers had stormed into the Piera secondary school building, handcuffed the principal and dragged him to the police. They now face kidnapping charges. May also face charges of assaulting a public official, obstructing public services, and health code violations.

The Greek government wants to take legal action against the growing number of parents who refuse to send their children to school because of the Corona measures. Parents or guardians who fail to ensure that their children attend the mandatory nine grades will face up to two years in prison and a fine in the future.

20.39 o’clock: Omicron variant could soon dominate in Great Britain

The Omikron variant of coronavirus is spreading rapidly in the UK and could dominate the country’s infection pattern within days, according to authorities. The U.K. health agency said Friday that new data confirmed the variant was more transmissible than others. If current trends continue, the country will exceed one million Omikron infections by the end of December, it said.

Accordingly, the most recent data showed 568 confirmed or probable omicron infections through 8. December, while a week earlier there were only two. The agency underscored earlier warnings about the risks of the Omikron variant. However, it said the data should be treated with caution because the results were based on analysis of a small number of cases.

Scientists also do not yet know how effective the vaccines are in preventing serious illness, the health agency said. That protection is expected to be significantly higher, it said.

19.25 a.m.: Incomplete vaccination data among nursing home residents

The Bavarian state government still lacks reliable data on vaccination protection of very elderly nursing home residents. The Ministry of Health assumes that by the deadline of 1. November 87 percent of the estimated 127.000 Bavarian nursing home residents had been vaccinated twice against Corona. In addition, the state’s vaccination centers had until 3. December a total of 63.827 booster vaccinations reported for residents, according to the health ministry in Munich.

Doctors in private practice are also vaccinating in the homes – presumably on a large scale, but reliable data on this is not available. "However, it is not possible to give an exact rate, as the number of booster vaccinations by doctors is not known, as the capacity of nursing home residents is not recorded separately in vaccination documentation, and also, for the rest, there is no obligation for doctors or institutions to report so far", the ministry’s response said.

About two-thirds of Corona deaths are over 80; in the first phase of the pandemic, mass infections with numerous fatalities occurred repeatedly in homes nationwide before the vaccination campaign began. In recent months, as vaccination effectiveness has waned, there have been new outbreaks in homes nationwide, including in Bavaria.

• To the article: Vaccination of nursing home residents: Bavaria lacks important data

19.20 o’clock: Russia sends doctors and laboratory to South Africa because of Omikron

In the fight against the new coronavirus variant Omikron, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has sent a plane with doctors and medical equipment to South Africa. The Civil Defense Ministry’s Ilyushin Il-76 brought a mobile laboratory, epidemiologists and virologists, and health ministry experts to the country, authorities in Moscow said Friday. Civil defense experts are also on board, it said.

The Omikron variant was first discovered in South Africa and is spreading particularly rapidly. Putin had phoned his South African counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa twice within a week. It has been agreed to join forces in the fight against the pandemic, the Kremlin announced in Moscow.

According to authorities, Russia itself has so far vaccinated only two patients with the viral strain. They had entered from South Africa. Head of state Ramaphosa had suggested that scientists from the Brics organization of countries – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – should jointly study the new variant.

© dpa-photo-radio/Daniel Karmann
Image rights: dpa Bildfunk/Daniel Karmann

Currently, the 2G rule applies in principle to universities in Bavaria.

19.00 a.m.: CSU and Free Voters in favor of 3G for exams and internships at universities

The parliamentary groups of CSU and Freie Wahlern are in favor of easing exams at Bavaria’s universities. Students are to be able to take exams under 3G conditions – i.e. fully vaccinated, recovered or tested – from now until the end of the winter semester. As a test would then only a negative antigen rapid test and not as currently under 3G plus a PCR test required.

Also for practical training sections at the university should apply according to these plans 3G and not as now 2G. The university policy spokesman for the CSU parliamentary group, Robert Brannekamper, justifies this by saying that 2G would effectively exclude many international students. Because they had often been vaccinated with a vaccine not approved in Germany. They might therefore not be able to take part in internships and might even lose an entire semester as a result. "Also for those who have been vaccinated late, the 2G regulation means an unnecessary hardship", according to Brannekamper.

According to the parties, the joint motion for these facilitations has been introduced in the state parliament.

18.3 p.m.: Netherlands gives green light to Corona vaccination for children

The Dutch government on Friday cleared the way for the vaccination of children aged five to eleven against Corona. They are to be vaccinated with a lower dose of the Pfizer vaccine than adults and it is to be at the parents’ discretion whether they are vaccinated. The program is scheduled to begin in mid-January, according to the Ministry of Health.

Infection rate is highest in this age group in recent wave. The government stressed that most children infected with the corona virus developed only mild symptoms, but a small number could become seriously ill. The European Medicines Agency last month approved the vaccine for children ages five to 11.

16.55 Clock: 500 blank vaccination passports found with police-known Reichsburger in Memmingen

500 blank vaccination passports have been found on a Reichsburger known to the police in Memmingen, Swabia. Officials also discovered three forged stamps from vaccination centers in Baden-Wurttemberg, according to police on Friday. The 36-year-old man was known to authorities as a member of the Reichsburger scene since 2020, he said. During the arrest, he resisted and injured three officers.

The man was uncovered at the end of November through tips from employees of a mail distribution center. In a damaged package they had discovered blank vaccination passports and informed the police. During the subsequent search of the home, investigators found hundreds of blank vaccination passports as well as three other packages addressed to locations in Saxony, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Baden-Wuerttemberg. The packages also contained passports that already had fake batch stickers of Corona vaccines and signatures on them.

• To the article: 500 blank vaccination passports found with Reichsburger in Memmingen

16.50 o’clock: New York announces mask duty in public buildings

With corona infections on the rise this winter, New York Governor Kathy Hochul has announced a mask requirement for public buildings. The mask requirement applies to both visitors and staff and will be enforced from 13. Dec. 15. January would be in effect, after which a re-evaluation would be made. There would only be an exception if vaccination is mandatory in the company or event location.

The decision to impose a mask requirement was based on the state’s weekly seven-day case rate and increasing hospitalizations, Hochul, a Democrat, said in a press release. Several U.S. states already have mandatory masks, including New Mexico, Nevada and Hawaii.

16.45 o’clock: Lower Saxony orders "Christmas rest to

As the first and so far only federal state Lower Saxony orders for the protection against Corona a "Christmas rest" at. In the period from 24. December to 2. Among other things, discotheques are to remain closed on 1 January, announced Minister President Stephan Weil (SPD) in Hanover on Friday. dance events will be banned. Parties and celebrations on New Year’s Eve are to be limited to 25 vaccinated participants instead of 50.

Weil justified this with the beginning spread of the particularly infectious Omikron variant of the virus. The period between Christmas and New Year is a time of intense social contact, he said. Therefore, the warning level 3 with tightened contact restrictions will apply in Lower Saxony in the mentioned period – plus individual special regulations. Visits to restaurants or gyms should still be possible with the appropriate restrictions, however. Christmas services can also take place.

The "Christmas Truce Is already being enshrined in the new Corona ordinance, which was passed by the 12. December on. It applies regardless of the usual indicators for warning levels, Weil explained.

13.30 a.m.: Bundesrat also votes in favor of amendments to Infection Protection Act

After the Bundestag, the Bundesrat also unanimously approved the amended Infection Protection Act of the traffic light coalition of SPD, Greens and FDP in Berlin on Friday. This means that the changes can come into force shortly.

It provides for mandatory corona vaccination for the first time and expands states’ ability to ban events and close recreational facilities and restaurants to curb corona virus infections.

The vaccination obligation is to apply from mid-March 2022 for employees of facilities in which people particularly at risk from Covid-19 are treated or cared for. These include hospitals, doctors’ surgeries and nursing homes. To accelerate the pace of vaccination, veterinarians, dentists and pharmacists will also be able to vaccinate against Covid-19 in the future.

• To the article: Partial vaccination requirement sparks calls for general corona vaccination requirement

12.55 A.M.: 69.4 percent fully vaccinated – 1.1 million vaccinations within 24 hours

More than one million people in Germany have received a vaccination against the Corona virus within one day. A total of around 1.1 million doses have been administered since the previous day, according to figures released by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) on Friday. Just under 953.000 of these were booster vaccinations, according to the data. A little more than 77.000 were first-time vaccinations, about the same number were second-time vaccinations.

A total of about 17.7 million people have now received booster vaccinations – or about 21.3 percent of the population. The RKI assumes that among adults probably more people are vaccinated than the data suggest: A hundred percent coverage of vaccinations could not be achieved by the reporting system.

According to the RKI, at least 57.7 million people, or 69.4 percent of the population, have full basic protection with the usually necessary second shot. According to the RKI, 22.9 million people are currently not vaccinated against the corona virus, which corresponds to 27.6 percent of the population. For 4 million of these people aged 0 to 4 years (4.8 percent) is so far no approved vaccine available.

12.40 a.m.: Education ministers want to keep schools open despite Corona situation

Despite high Corona infection rates, especially among children and adolescents, state education ministers want to keep schools open. The Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Lander in the Federal Republic of Germany (KMK) continues to focus on face-to-face teaching, said KMK President and Brandenburg Education Minister Britta Ernst (SPD) on Friday in Potsdam after the KMK meeting: "We want to keep schools open."

The right to education must be guaranteed, he said. Universities also to teach in face-to-face classes. School lessons are being conducted under safe conditions with hygiene rules, ventilation measures and occasionally necessary school closures, Ernst said. The eastern and southern states are currently experiencing "dizzying incidences" of the disease would be, if one did not know around the high inoculation protection. The status of vaccinations has improved, the KMK president emphasized. The plan to keep schools open has been successfully implemented since the summer vacations, he said. The goal is to "keep it up. She sees no reason to develop other scenarios at this time, despite the emerging omicron variant of the coronavirus, Ernst said.

Previous school closures meant that many children had to be reintroduced to structured schooling after the summer vacations, said Hesse’s Education Minister Alexander Lorz (CDU). Even the best digital instruction can’t replace classroom instruction, he says. Distance learning should only be used in emergencies" to be implemented.

12.8 p.m.: Bundestag votes for changes to infection control law

The Bundestag has for the first time passed a Corona vaccination requirement for certain occupational groups. Parliament passed further amendments to the Infection Protection Act with the votes of the traffic light coalition of SPD, Greens and FDP, and the opposition Union parties.

In addition to compulsory vaccination in institutions such as nursing homes and clinics, the measures that the federal states can use to contain the pandemic are also being expanded again. These include bans on sporting and recreational events, as well as closures of clubs and discotheques, and even restaurants. The traffic light coalition thus followed agreements reached by the federal and state governments last week in light of the high infection figures.

The approval of the Bundesrat is considered certain. He wanted to meet in the early afternoon for a special session.

• To the article: Bundestag passes mandatory vaccination for nurses

12.3 p.m.: South Africa sees no signs of more severe disease progression in Omicron

In South Africa, government says scientists so far see no evidence of more severe disease progression from new Corona variant Omikron. While it is too early to draw definitive conclusions, signs of disease severity are positive, says Health Secretary Joe Phaahla. The number of Corona infections in most of the country’s nine provinces is rising sharply, but the number of deaths is not increasing as dramatically, and indicators such as the average length of hospital stays are also encouraging.

The heavily mutated Omikron variant was discovered for the first time at the end of November in South Africa, among other places. There are fears that it could not only be more contagious, but also that vaccines could be less effective against it.

12.12 o’clock: Paritatischer Wohlfahrtsverband for general vaccination obligation

The Association Council of the Paritatischer Gesamtverband has spoken out in its meeting on Friday for a general vaccination obligation to contain the Corona pandemic. Association council called on the federal government to get involved in preparations for this, as well as to clarify the related open questions of a constitutional, medical and operational nature. Only mandatory vaccination of all those who can be vaccinated can contain the pandemic, provide comprehensive protection for vulnerable groups and relieve the strain on the health care system, according to the justification.

12.10 a.m.: No Semper Opera Ball in 2022 either

Dresden’s Semper Opera Ball 2022 canceled for the second year in a row due to the Corona pandemic. "Because of the strong corona-related development, it would be a wrong signal to have a ball with about 2.500 guests to be held at Dresden’s Semper Opera House.", said the artistic director, Hans-Joachim Frey, in Dresden on Friday. A new prize at the ball was to be awarded to three personalities from the fields of art, sport and business. New date is now 3. March 2023.

12.00 a.m.: Czech Republic introduces mandatory Corona vaccination for everyone 60 years of age and older

The outgoing government in the Czech Republic has, as one of its last acts, passed a Corona vaccination requirement for all people aged 60 and older. It enters into force on 1. The new law will come into force on March 2022, according to a decree published Friday in the Official Gazette by the Ministry of Health in Prague. The vaccination will then also be mandatory for health and nursing staff, doctors and medical students, police officers, firefighters and soldiers.

Whether the prescription will hold remains to be seen. Representatives of the future coalition of five liberal and conservative parties have publicly opposed such an obligation.

08.48 o’clock: Biontech boss: Booster vaccination already after three months

Biontech co-founder Ugur Sahin has advocated a booster as early as three months after the second vaccination. With regard to the new Omikron variant of the coronavirus, "two doses are not yet a completed vaccination with sufficient protection", Sahin told the news magazine "Spiegel" according to Thursday’s announcement. "If Omikron continues to spread, as it looks like it will, it would make scientific sense to offer a booster after just three months."

Whether Biontech will produce a new vaccine specifically adapted to Omikron has not yet been decided, Der Spiegel reported. Booster with original vaccine could also be enough: "According to preliminary data, three doses significantly neutralize the virus and should protect those vaccinated." However, Sahin expects that a fourth dose will then have to follow at relatively short intervals: "The fourth vaccination could, however, also be a vaccine adapted to an Omikron variant." That is why Biontech is already in the process of increasing its production capacity to about four billion doses for next year," Sahin told the news magazine.

08.26 o’clock: Corona incidence in Bavaria sinks further

On Friday morning, the Robert Koch Institute reported a figure of 447.7 for the Free State of. This is the 14. Decrease in a row – on Thursday, the value was still at 471.2. Bavaria, however, remains slightly above the nationwide incidence of 413.7 on Friday.

In the meantime, no county or independent city in Bavaria is above the incidence threshold of 1000, above which stricter Corona measures are currently put into effect. The RKI reported 115 additional Corona-related deaths in Bavaria. There were now a total of 18,425. According to the report, the highest incidence values in Bavaria are found in the districts of Freyung-Grafenau with 930.4 and Passau with 788.3.

When evaluating the incidence of infection, however, it is important to keep in mind that experts currently believe there is a noticeable undercoverage. Health offices and clinics can no longer keep up with the reporting of cases, at least in some regions.

• Regarding the article "7-day incidence and more: corona numbers in Bavaria’s counties"

07.39 a.m.: Germans infect themselves with omicron despite booster

Seven Germans have been infected with the omicron variant of the coronavirus despite booster vaccination, according to an investigation in South Africa. "There are many breakthrough infections. What we didn’t know is that even booster vaccination with Biontech/Pfizer doesn’t prevent this", Wolfgang Preiser, a member of the research consortium that discovered the variant, told the "Tagesspiegel" newspaper. "Of course, one must not misunderstand that the vaccination does not help. On the contrary: This only shows that even the best possible vaccination is obviously not sufficient to prevent an infection – which we have already suspected." Thursday’s study by Preiser and colleagues has not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal.

None of the seven Germans between the ages of 25 and 39 had to deal with a severe course of the infection. The research team concludes that although the results underscore the need for vaccine adjustment, protection against severe disease is likely to remain intact after booster vaccination.

Biontech and Pfizer working on Omicron-adapted vaccine. However, it is not yet certain that it will actually be needed. Until an adapted vaccine is available, the booster vaccine is the only one that will help against Omikron, Preiser said. "But one must be aware that even this does not prevent an infection 100 percent of the time."

• To the article "Corona variant: what is known about Omikron so far"

6.25 Watch: 70 percent want to cut back on contacts this Christmas

In view of high Corona infection figures, a majority of the population wants to limit family contacts and visits. 70 percent of people over the age of 18 were in favor of such a restriction, according to the "Deutschlandtrend" survey for the ARD "Morgenmagazin revealed. One in four respondents (26 percent) does not want to do without private contacts and visits. A year ago, when very strict Corona measures were in place for the holidays, 83 percent had announced they would limit their private contacts at Christmas. Of the respondents who plan to limit their contacts this Christmas, 12 percent announced very severe restrictions, 27 percent severe and 31 percent less severe.

For the representative survey, the opinion research institute Infratest Dimap 1.266 eligible voters surveyed by telephone and online. The survey was conducted from Tuesday to Wednesday of this week.

06.00 a.m.: Australia plans vaccination for children 5 to 11 years old

Australia will be vaccinated from 10. January Corona vaccinations for children aged five to 11 years. "This is welcome news for millions of families across the country who want their children vaccinated", Prime Minister Scott Morrison says. After reviewing clinical data from Canada, the vaccination advisory group there recommended an eight-week interval between the two doses, which can be shortened to three weeks in the event of an outbreak. In the initial phase, Pfizer and BioNTech vaccines will be administered to. However, authorities are also currently assessing the suitability of the vaccine from Moderna.

05.28 a.m.: RKI reports 61.288 new infections

According to the RKI, citing data from public health authorities, within 24 hours 61.288 new infections recorded.

Nationwide seven-day incidence of new Corona infections has dropped slightly again. According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) on Friday morning, the figure was 413.7. The previous day it had stood at 422.3, a week ago at 442.1. The seven-day incidence gives the number of new infections per 100.000 population within one week. The figure has risen rapidly since the beginning of November. As a result, new highs were registered daily. Incidence has steadily declined since the beginning of the week.

Since the start of the pandemic, health authorities have issued a total of 6.423.520 cases reported. The institute put the number of people recovered from coronavirus disease in Germany at around 5.329.300. The total number of Corona deaths in Germany increased by 484 to 104.996.

As a key benchmark for tightening Corona measures, the federal and state governments had announced on 18. November set the so-called incidence of hospitalization. This value indicates how many people per 100.000 inhabitants hospitalized within seven days due to a Corona infection. Three and above, the 2G rule applies to events nationwide in a state – meaning only those vaccinated against coronavirus and recovered from Covid-19 are allowed in. As of Thursday, the incidence of hospitalization nationwide was 5.75, according to the RKI.

Thursday 9. December 2021

21.40 o’clock: Lauterbach wants to better equip vaccination commission

The new Federal Minister of Health, Karl Lauterbach, wants to better equip the Standing Commission on Vaccination (Stiko). The Stiko is scientifically free, and there the policy should not interfere, said the SPD politician on Thursday evening in the ARD. But he believes it could be faster if it had more staff. "I will make sure of that." The background to this is widespread criticism, including from politicians, that the independent committee, whose recommendations are followed by many doctors’ practices, is acting too slowly.

Lauterbach confirmed that the federal and state governments had intensively discussed the Omikron variant during the consultations on Thursday. Thank goodness it is not yet widespread in Germany and for the time being accounts for only 0.1 percent of cases. "We are ready to act quickly at any time if there is evidence of a rapid spread of the disease."

21.10 a.m.: Drosten: Everyone should get boostered immediately

Virologist Christian Drosten calls for rapid booster vaccinations in view of the rapid spread of the Omikron variant. "Everyone who can should get boostered right now", he says in the ARD. He points out that immunity of those vaccinated reacts much weaker with Omikron than with other variants.

Nevertheless, according to data from South Africa, the course of disease in vaccinated or recovered people is less dangerous than in the unvaccinated. He says there is a big problem with the vaccination rate, especially among the over-60s there is a big vaccination gap. He urges unvaccinated people to think again. They are particularly at risk. Data from several countries showed that the incidence of infection was doubling about every three days.

• To the article "Corona variant: what is known about Omikron so far"

20.55: No additional Corona restrictions for Christmas for now

Federal and state governments do not plan to impose additional Corona restrictions over the Christmas holidays for now, but will continue to monitor the situation. Next week, a planned council of experts will also meet for more detailed assessments of the new virus variant Omikron, as North Rhine-Westphalia’s Minister President Hendrik Wust (CDU) made clear after federal-state consultations on Thursday evening in Berlin. If necessary, should be acted with this knowledge gain then also.

20.40 a.m.: New federal expert council won’t replace state panels

According to Chancellor Olaf Scholz, the new Corona Expert Council at the federal level is not intended to replace the various scientific committees in the German states. The goal, he said, is rather to be able to assess mutations in the federal government, for example, and closely follow the respective developments in the pandemic, so as not to miss the necessary moment to act. NRW Minister President Hendrik Wust (CDU) also stressed that the states would retain their own scientific committees.

20.3 p.m.: NRW state chief hints at need for further measures

North Rhine-Westphalia’s Minister President Hendrik Wust has praised the traffic light factions’ improvements to the Infection Protection Act, which allows the states to take more corona measures. However, experts have expressed doubts as to whether the catalog of measures is sufficient. "We need to use the high beams and not just drive by sight", says the CDU politician.

20.10 a.m.: Scholz wants to speed up vaccination campaign

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced that the new Corona crisis team will meet for the first time next week with state representatives to further accelerate the vaccination campaign. Next week, the new expert council will also meet for the first time in the Chancellor’s Office. If there is an urgent need for action to combat the pandemic, measures will be taken quickly, says the SPD politician, referring to the rapid implementation of the new Infection Protection Act. Scholz again appeals to people to get vaccinated.

19.8 p.m.: State government further adjusts Corona rules for skiers

The state government has once again readjusted the Corona rules in ski resorts. Smaller gondolas now allowed to operate at up to 75 percent capacity. This was announced by Economics Minister Hubert Aiwanger (Free Voters) and Health Minister Klaus Holetschek (CSU) on Thursday. Originally, gondolas were only supposed to be occupied a quarter of the time. This now only applies to larger facilities with a capacity of more than ten people per unit. There will be no limits on cable cars and lifts where passengers are in the open air, such as surface lifts.

• To the overview "Skiing in Bavaria: Information on winter sports in Corona times"

18.45 p.m.: Federal and state governments target messenger services after Corona demonstrations

Federal and state leaders have sharply criticized threats to politicians by Corona deniers and are pushing for regulation of messenger services like Telegram.

"Communications services, which are effectively [ with the offer of public groups and channels. ] evolve into an open social network with mass communication, [require] appropriate and sufficiently differentiated regulation in the Network Enforcement Act", says a draft decision obtained by Reuters. The top-level roundtable with prime ministers met for the first time Thursday, led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD).

18.30 a.m.: U.S. agency approves biontech boosters for 16- and 17-year-olds

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved booster vaccinations with Biontech and Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine for 16- and 17-year-olds. Emergency approval allows adolescents to receive a third vaccination after at least six months from their second dose. Several scientists had concerns about booster vaccination for this age group because of the increased risk of heart muscle inflammation in young men associated with mRNA vaccines.

18.06 a.m.: 100 million vaccine doses administered in Italy – 80 percent vaccinated

Italy remains satisfied with the progress of its vaccination campaign against the corona virus. In the country, the figure of 100 million doses of vaccine administered has been reached, according to government figures. General Francesco Paolo Figliuolo, responsible for the distribution of the vaccine, spoke of an "extraordinary result". Overall, 80.1 percent of all residents in Italy have been vaccinated at least once and 77.3 percent at least twice, according to calculations by the independent Gimbe Foundation. 16.2 percent already have booster vaccinations. Among Italians over 12, nearly 88 percent have received at least one dose.

Vaccine will be available for 25 million Italians in the next few weeks, the government announced. Children between the ages of five and twelve will then also benefit from this, with the 16. December with the vaccination is begun.

18.00 o’clock: Great Britain "Partygate"-Investigation to be expanded

An investigation into an alleged lockdown party at the U.K. government’s headquarters at 10 Downing Street is being expanded to include other questionable meetings. Now on the test bench would be a meeting on 27. November 2020 at Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s official residence and a meeting at the Department of Education on 10. December, the government confirmed in a letter to MPs. The internal inquiry is being led by Cabinet Secretary Simon Case, who is also investigating the alleged Christmas party at Downing Street on 18. December 2020 to get to the bottom of the matter.

A corona-related ban on most social gatherings was in effect at the time – and yet government officials at Johnson’s official residence reportedly enjoyed wine and food together that day, according to media reports.

17.44 a.m.: Pharmacists’ association – one in two pharmacies ready for Corona vaccinations

The Federal Association of German Pharmacists (Abda) has expressed confidence that Corona vaccinations can start in pharmacies in the first quarter of the new year. "According to a recent survey, Covid 19 vaccinations would be given in every second pharmacy if the framework conditions were right", explained Abda president Gabriele Regina Overwiening. However, there should be no "unnecessary administrative barriers" are built.

Abda questioned according to own data between 3. and 7. December around 6.800 employees in pharmacies on their opinion of Corona vaccinations in pharmacies. Among the nearly 4.According to the study, 44.5 percent of the 000 pharmacy managers said they would offer Covid 19 vaccination if the conditions were right.

To move the Corona vaccination campaign forward quickly, the new federal government plans to make Corona vaccinations available in pharmacies and veterinary practices in the future. This is to be regulated in the course of the amendment to the Infection Protection Act, which the Bundestag and Bundesrat intend to pass on Friday.

17.35 p.m.: "Bremen band" Is intended to simplify 2G control in the Corona pandemic

Bremen wants to significantly simplify controls on access to stores under 2G rules. Starting next week, a free "Bremen tape" will be available for this purpose be issued, the Senate informed. In total, more than one million bands have been ordered in the first step, and delivery is already underway.

Already now to visitors of the Bremen Christmas market and the "Schlachte magic" are distributed wrist bands will be issued at the Weser to all those who have been fully vaccinated against Corona or who have recovered. You must provide proof of this with either a digital certificate or a vaccination card, each in conjunction with your ID card. Undamaged bands are valid indefinitely.

Next to the "Bremen band and the ribbon for the Christmas market, there is also a third ribbon in the Hanseatic city, which is issued by Bremen’s gastro community. To ensure safety, the issuing agencies are committed to checks on the 2G status, all bands are registered by a number and should be put on under supervision.

17.16 o’clock: Booster vaccination according to EMA already after three months possible

Booster vaccinations against Covid-19 could be as early as three months, according to the European Medicines Agency (EMA). Notwithstanding current recommendations to administer the booster after six months, "currently available data support a safe and effective booster dose as early as three months after completion of basic immunization", said EMA Director of Immunization Strategy Marco Cavaleri in Amsterdam. Such a short interval would be possible if "desirable from the point of view of public health".

Germany’s Standing Commission on Vaccination (Stiko) recommends that a booster vaccination should generally be given at six-month intervals from the last vaccine dose of basic immunization. According to Stiko, a reduction of the vaccination interval to five months "can be considered in individual cases or if sufficient capacities are available".

• To the article "What you need to know about the Corona booster vaccination"

16.49 o’clock: Kulmbach slaughterhouse closed due to several Corona infections

The slaughterhouse in Kulmbach is closed until after Christmas because of several Corona cases in the workforce. This was confirmed by a spokesman for the city of Kulmbach to BR. According to the report, on Friday of last week, the first employee of the slaughterhouse had tested positive for the corona virus. Over the weekend, there had been row tests of the other 14 employees. Here, another two employees tested positive for Covid-19, it said. In the meantime, there have been seven positive Corona cases among slaughterhouse personnel. Other employees are in quarantine.

The last slaughter for now in Kulmbach was carried out on Monday with the help of external personnel. Customers of the slaughterhouse were subsequently informed that no further slaughtering could take place in Kulmbach for the time being. Will now have to independently seek appointments at another slaughterhouse.

16.30 o’clock: Traffic light coalition wants to extend aid fund WSF – but clearly smaller

The traffic light coalition wants to phase out Corona economic aid in mid-2022. "We can not make these support systems permanent", said the FDP budget politician Otto Fricke in the Bundestag. The traffic light parties SPD, Greens and FDP would have to find a way out here. They want to extend the Economic Stabilization Fund (WSF) created at the outbreak of the pandemic by six months until the end of June 2022. "From then on, there will be no more new resolutions", according to Fricke.

Parallel to the extension, the volume is to be significantly reduced because businesses with liquidity problems have so far used much less aid than expected. So far, the WSF has been worth 600 billion euros. 100 billion of this was earmarked for equity injections into companies such as Lufthansa. However, after only just under nine billion euros have been used so far, the framework will be reduced to 50 billion here. 400 billion euros have so far been earmarked for guarantees for companies. In the future, only 100 billion euros will be available. 100 billion euros are earmarked for loans from the state development bank K. This volume is to remain unchanged.

Beyond the WSF, the state is helping companies with short-time allowance and numerous support programs, such as the bridging allowances, with which companies can have a large part of their fixed costs replaced.

16.12 o’clock: Administrative Court confirms ban on Christmas markets

The Bavarian Administrative Court has confirmed the provision banning Christmas markets in the current Infection Protection Measures Ordinance as probably lawful. The court rejected an urgent application by the operators of the Regensburg "Thurn und Taxis" Christmas market at. At the same time, it clarified that the provision only banned those Christmas markets that were to be classified as a recreational facility. Pure commodity markets are not affected.

Although the administrative court had not decided on the concrete individual case, the organizer of the popular Christmas market on castle Thurn and Taxis, Peter Kittel, drew the consequence: "We dismantle." The market’s 120 or so operators will now be forced to fight for their existence.

16.03 Clock: Lauterbach announces vaccine inventory

Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) wants to get an overview of the quantities of Corona vaccines in stock this week. "We have the basis for 30 million vaccinations by the end of the year", He told the news magazine "Der Spiegel": "On Friday, we will first take stock of all the departments in the company to see how many of these 30 million can actually be vaccinated."

Lauterbach further said that it would be examined which vaccine doses are stored where, which contracts for the purchase of further doses have already been concluded, how it looks with deliveries for January and which bilateral contracts are still possible.

A few days before taking office as chancellor, Olaf Scholz (SPD) had announced: "I want us to get up to 30 million vaccinations in the upper arms by Christmas." Shortly thereafter, the federal and state governments had agreed on 2. The government decided in December that vaccination should be made possible by Christmas for everyone who decides to be vaccinated for the first time or who needs a second or booster vaccination. This may require up to 30 million vaccinations.

15.51: Dobrindt – CDU/CSU to agree to amendment of Infection Protection Act

CSU state group leader Alexander Dobrindt has apparently recommended that the CDU/CSU parliamentary group approve the amendments to the Infection Protection Act, despite continued criticism. "We were right: It was a mistake on the part of the traffic light coalition to cut down the toolbox for pandemic control in this way.", said Dobrindt at the parliamentary group meeting, according to participants. Now it comes again to considerable improvements: "We should now understand this repair law of the traffic light government as such and agree, pointing out that the extension of the epidemic situation would still be the correct way."

The Bundestag intends to pass the amendments to the Infection Protection Act this Friday. It is planned that employees of clinics, nursing homes, doctors’ offices, ambulance services or even birthing centers will be paid from 15. March must present proof of corona vaccination or recovery, or a doctor’s certificate that they cannot be vaccinated. In addition, vaccinations should be able to be administered by dentists or pharmacists in the future. Countries will also be given the option to take tougher Corona measures in hotspots, such as restaurant closures.

15.32:00: Stiko to recommend childhood vaccination in case of previous illness

The Standing Commission on Vaccination (Stiko) wants to recommend the Corona vaccination to children aged five to eleven with pre-existing conditions and contact with high-risk patients. But healthy children should also be able to be vaccinated if they individually wish to do so and after receiving medical advice, according to a statement by the expert panel on a draft decision.

It is not yet a final Stiko recommendation, there is now a process of consultation with specialist societies and countries underway. Changes are still possible.

• Go to article Stiko recommendation on childhood vaccination: what you need to know

15.05 o’clock: Insider – EU states want to limit vaccination passport to nine months

According to insiders, EU countries want to limit the validity of Corona vaccination certificates for travel to nine months. A commission representative and an EU diplomat told Reuters news agency that EU governments were expected to agree on this as early as this Friday. However, some countries with lower vaccination rates are still concerned about the impact this could have on travel, a third EU diplomat said.

The EU Commission is pushing for a uniform approach by all member states, otherwise it fears negative consequences for travel due to different restrictions. "Our main goal is to avoid divergent measures in the EU", said Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders. Therefore, a standard validity period of nine months has been proposed for vaccination certificates issued after completion of the first vaccination series.

Different rules currently apply in EU countries. France, for example, has set a time limit of seven months. It should be available from 15. January apply, while the commission had proposed a start on 10. January has proposed. The certificate is also to be valid for seven months in Cyprus, while in Greece it would expire after six months for older people.

14.33 Clock: WHO sees "ominous picture" for Christmas in Africa

The World Health Organization (WHO) sees an "ominous picture" in the face of an intensified Corona situation for Christmas in Africa. Vaccine shortage, rising number of cases and new Omikron variant contribute to this. "We know that uneven distribution of vaccines creates the ideal environment in which Covid 19 variants can occur and spread explosively", said WHO Regional Director Matshidiso Moeti. Countries with little access to vaccines suffer most from impact of Corona mutations, it says.

According to WHO, new daily infections in Africa recorded a 93 percent increase last week compared to the previous week. He said there is hope in the fact that fewer people appear to be in need of hospital treatment than before. Nevertheless, the WHO’s low vaccination rate is a cause for concern: so far, less than eight percent of the African population has been fully vaccinated.

14.24 o’clock: Slovakia wants to pay fully vaccinated up to 300 euros

The Slovak parliament has approved a plan to pay up to 300 euros to people over 60 who have been vaccinated against the coronavirus. The incentive, dreamed up by Finance Minister Igor Matovic, is designed to boost vaccinations in the country, which has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the EU, and help its health system, which is struggling with a record rise in new infections.

In the bill, deputies agreed that those who have been vaccinated by 15. January have received at least one vaccine dose, will receive 200 euros in cash. All those who have received a booster vaccination by then will receive 300 euros. So far, only 46.5 percent of the 5.5 million inhabitants are fully vaccinated.

Slovakia is one of the most affected countries by Corona in the world. Since 25. November, the country will be under lockdown, with citizens allowed to leave their homes only for specific reasons. Those who are not vaccinated or recovered must get tested before they are allowed to go to work. Only stores selling essential goods are open for business. On Friday, the lockdown for vaccinated and recently recovered people should be lifted.

14.08 a.m.: French clinics increasingly in emergency mode

As Corona situation continues to deteriorate, clinics in France are increasingly switching to emergency mode. This now also applies in the country’s largest metropolitan area, the Paris region. The seven-day incidence is now 446 and has more than quadrupled in three weeks, according to the Capital Region Health Administration (ARS).

Clinics can now free up extra beds for Covid patients and transfer sick people between clinics in the region. Other health care should not be affected and staff heavily burdened in the pandemic should be able to take planned leave, it said. As in Germany, the majority of Corona patients are unvaccinated, the health administration reported. However, because of the high vaccination rate – across France, 88.5 percent of those eligible for vaccination are fully vaccinated – the current Corona wave is placing a less dramatic burden on hospitals than previous ones, they said.

To contain the fifth Corona wave by French count, more protective measures take effect Friday. Discos close for four weeks, extended masking requirement at elementary school and companies to allow more home offices. Booster vaccinations are also being pushed forward.

13.36 o’clock: Austria plans general vaccination obligation starting from 14 years

Austria’s conservative-green government has finalized details for its planned mandatory vaccination program. From 1. February 2022, Corona vaccination will be mandatory for everyone over 14 with a primary or secondary residence in Austria, says Health Minister Wolfgang Muckstein (Greens). Pregnant women, people who cannot be vaccinated for health reasons and those recovering up to 180 days after infection are excluded.

According to the bill, all unvaccinated people should be vaccinated on 15. February 2022 get mail from health minister asking to go vaccinate. As of 15. March, the first fines would then be sent out by the district administrative authority. Those who refuse vaccination will be fined up to 600 euros. If this is not paid, administrative penalties of up to 3.600 euros possible. The use of coercion to enforce mandatory vaccination is explicitly excluded in this draft version.

• To the article "Forced to inject? What mandatory vaccination would mean"

13.26: Bavaria’s spas also call for 2G regulation instead of 2G plus

After the state government defused the Corona rules for ski resorts, the Bavarian Spas Association (BHV) is calling for a 2G rule for spa facilities as well. In these currently applies 2G plus. "We take the current relief of the Bavarian state government for the ropeway enterprises and welcome these expressly", said BHV chairman Peter Berek. Spas and hot springs are not pandemic drivers, but serve health and prevention purposes, he said.

BHV managing director Thomas Jahn referred to an expert opinion of the Federal Office for the Environment, according to which the risk of contracting the disease in spas and baths with treated water is extremely low: "Also, the evaluation of the Luca App has shown that only 0.6 percent of the contact reports can be attributed to spas or baths."

The state government had eased the Corona regulations on skiing after massive protests from the tourism industry. Vaccinated and convalescents to be allowed to use gondolas and elevators without corona testing. Originally, the state government had wanted to prescribe 2G plus for skiing, but now, as in Austria, only 2G applies.

13.2 p.m.: Nursing Council – Nursing staff should also be able to administer vaccinations

The chairwoman of the German Nursing Council, Christine Vogler, has called for nurses to also be allowed to administer Corona vaccinations.

Vogler told rbb’s Inforadio: "In order for us to cope with the vaccination situation in Germany, nurses must be empowered to carry out vaccinations, both in nursing homes and in outpatient settings, and to do so immediately. We are with the 4.2 million people in need of care every day. Which veterinarian is active in outpatient care??"

Vogler criticized the decision of the traffic light coalition to include veterinarians and pharmacists in the vaccination campaign. From the traffic light coalition it demanded "measures, which give hope to the carers, who are still there, that things can really change massively. (. ) There are premium payments breadcrumbs, which are thrown to us. We want to be properly rewarded for the hard work that is done." The Nursing Council has long called for a payroll tax exemption for caregivers "that’s very easy to implement and practice".

• Regarding the article "Corona vaccination: who can not get vaccinated against covid?"

12.58 o’clock: More than 100.000 known Corona cases among schoolchildren in Germany

About one in 40 students in Germany was directly or indirectly affected by Corona in the past week, either through their own infection or through quarantine measures. According to figures from the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Lander in the Federal Republic of Germany (KMK), the number of known infections among school students in the week of 29. November to 5. December at 103.000. That was about 10.000 more than the previous week. Slight decrease to about 150.000 is the number of students who were also in quarantine.

The KMK presents figures on a weekly basis. Basis are feedbacks from the Lands of the Federal Republic from more than 28.000 general and vocational schools with about 10 million students. In total, there are about 11 million students in Germany and about 40.000 schools and vocational schools. At around 1.500 schools there were restrictions on attendance last week (unchanged from the week before). 86 schools were closed (previous week 140).

The statistics also show 7.700 Corona cases among faculty out (previous week 7.300) and an additional 4.000 quarantine cases. This is based on data for about 885.000 teachers.

12.47 Watch: No impact of pandemic on suicide rate in 2020

The Corona crisis did not cause a noticeable increase in suicides last year. In 2020, 9.206 people in Germany lost their lives through suicide, which was the second-lowest number since 1980, the Federal Statistical Office in Wiesbaden said. So far, the figure was only lower in 2019, at 9.041 cases have been.

"Suicides as a percentage of all causes of death in 2020 was 0.93 percent, lower than in 2016 to 2019", said Karin Bohm, head of the health and social affairs group at the statistics office. Before Corona, suicides as a percentage of causes of death had fallen from 1.08 percent in 2016 to 0.96 percent in 2019. Thus, the downward trend continued in 2020 despite the mental stress of people in the Corona pandemic.

Last week, the National Suicide Prevention Program for Germany, the German Academy for Suicide Prevention and the German Society for Suicide Prevention had already announced that there was no evidence of an influence of the pandemic on the suicide rate.

12.40 O’clock: Associations – do not exclude young people by 2G

The introduction of the 2G rule also in children and youth work will lead to massive restrictions for many young people in the Free State, according to estimates by associations. "Minors in some cases cannot decide for themselves whether to be vaccinated", explained the Education Policy Forum in Munich. However, unvaccinated children will no longer have access to extracurricular educational and leisure activities such as adult education centers or swimming pools from next year onwards.

The 2G rule therefore hits exactly the wrong people, the forum stressed. "As a society, we must now prioritize the needs of young people politically. They need this time in school and out-of-school settings for their mental and social development", explained the chairwoman Simone Fleischmann.

Unvaccinated 12- to 17-year-olds who are regularly tested at school will still be allowed to participate in sports, music or drama activities until the end of December, despite the new 2G rules, even if they are not vaccinated or recovered.

12.25 o’clock: Intensive medical experts demand preparation for Omikron spreading

Intensive care physician Christian Karagiannidis calls on politicians to prepare quickly for a possible strong spread of the new coronavirus variant Omikron. "We still don’t know how dangerous omicron is. So we have to be prepared for everything", said Karagiannidis the "mirror". He heads the registry of intensive care capacities in Germany maintained by the German Interdisciplinary Association for Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine (Divi).

If the first studies confirm that the vaccines do not work as well against Omikron as against previous variants, the policy must be able to act quickly, Karagiannidis demanded. If Omikron becomes the dominant option, case numbers are sure to increase yet again, it said.

However, the intensive care units are already at their limits, Karagiannidis warned: "We urgently need to bring the incidence rates down a good bit so that we have room for Omikron." Germany needs a seven-day incidence of less than 200 to keep its intensive care units operational. According to the Robert Koch Institute, the incidence value on Thursday was 422.3 – more than double the.

• On the overview "Corona variant: what is known about Omikron so far"

12.12 p.m.: 69.3 percent fully vaccinated – just under one million more boosters

Nearly one million more people in Germany have received a booster vaccination against the coronavirus within a single day. 992.000 doses were administered Wednesday as so-called booster vaccinations, according to figures from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI). A total of 16.6 million people have now received the booster – equivalent to 20 percent of the population. On Wednesday, a total of 1.1 million doses of vaccine against Corona were administered – including about 80.500 initial vaccinations.

At least 57.6 million people, or 69.3 percent of the population, have full basic protection with the usually necessary second injection. At least 60.1 million people (72.3 percent) have had at least one vaccination to date.

12.03 a.m.: Human Rights Institute – Do not discriminate against the unvaccinated in triage

In light of current developments in the Corona pandemic, the German Institute for Human Rights (DIMR) believes that a legal regulation on so-called triage is overdue. The vaccination status should "not play a role in the question of who receives intensive medical treatment in the event of a possible overload of the health system", emphasized DIMR Director Beate Rudolf in Berlin. Even a person who is "unreasonable or lacking in solidarity" is not allowed to be a "patient" has a right to health, he said.

In its current annual report, the institute warns with regard to possible bottlenecks in the hospitals: "Germany needs principles based on human and constitutional rights as a basis for prioritization decisions by the medical profession." A legal regulation would have to define aspects that should not play a role in the selection of patients – for example, expected lifespan, quality of life, benefits to society or age. The legislator cannot wait for a pending ruling by the Federal Constitutional Court.

The German Interdisciplinary Association for Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine (DIVI) criteria for selecting those to receive intensive care when resources are scarce constituted "indirect discrimination" against the elderly and people with disabilities represents. For example, people who need help in everyday life would be disadvantaged here.

• Regarding the article "This is how triage would work in a Bavarian university clinic"

11.58 h: Omicron variant spreads in Africa

The new coronavirus variant Omikron is spreading beyond southern Africa and has already been detected in 11 countries on the continent, including Tunisia, Senegal and Nigeria. "We will see an uptick in omicron cases on the continent, I have no doubt about that", John Nkengasong of the African Union Health Organization (Africa CDC) said. End-of-year celebrations in particular could be a driver in infection numbers. Data so far on new variant would give cause for concern, but not panic.

Across Africa last week, 98.000 new corona infections counted – an 88 percent increase from the previous week. However, South Africa accounted for 79 percent of those. With Cape State now entering its fourth wave of infection, twelve countries are in this phase so far – Mauritius is entering its fifth, according to the Africa CDC. The continent has now procured 431 million vaccine doses, but only 7.4 percent of the population in Africa is fully vaccinated against the coronavirus. Tests rose 14 percent last week to just under one million.

11.38 a.m.: Corona leads to excess mortality in Germany

Corona pandemic leads to excess mortality in Germany, according to Federal Statistical Office. "From March 2020 to mid-November 2021, more people died in Germany than would have been expected, taking demographic trends into account", says Christoph Unger, vice president of the agency known as Destatis. In total, there were 985 nationwide in 2020.600 people died, five percent or 46.000 more than the year before. Due to the aging of the population alone, the number of deaths would increase by only two percent, or about 20.000 cases could have been expected.

• To the article "Mortality figures in Bavaria also slightly increased in October"

11.32 o’clock: RKI registers 70.611 new corona infections – incidence at 422.3

The nationwide 7-day incidence again fell slightly to. The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) announced the number of new infections per 100.000 inhabitants and week with 422.3 an. The previous day the figure had been 427, and a week ago 439.2. Public health offices in Germany reported 70.611 new corona infections. That’s according to figures showing the RKI dashboard’s count of 7.55 p.m. replay. Exactly one week ago, there were 73.209 infections.

Across Germany, 465 deaths were recorded within 24 hours, according to the new data. A week ago, there were 388 deaths. The RKI counted since the beginning of the pandemic 6.362.232 detected infections with Sars-CoV-2. The actual total is likely to be much higher, as many infections are not detected.

The number of corona patients admitted to hospitals per 100.000 inhabitants within seven days was given by the RKI on Wednesday as 5.79 (Tuesday: 5.45). The number of people recovered on Thursday was 5.278.300. The number of people who have died from or involving confirmed infection with Sars-CoV-2 has risen to 104.512.

11.10 o’clock: Incidences in Bavaria according to RKI everywhere under 1.000

In Bavaria, the incidence dropped from 493.2 yesterday to 471.2 now, according to data from the Robert Koch Institute. The highest values are still recorded in the districts of Freyung-Grafenau with 945.7 and Weilheim-Schongau with 864.6. But it also means that for the first time in about a month, all Bavarian cities and counties are again below the 1.000 lie. However, the hotspot rules in Freyung-Grafenau and Weilheim-Schongau will not be lifted until the value is below 1 for five consecutive days.000.

10.44 Clock: Theologian Lutz: Vaccination is a Christian duty

According to physician and theologian Manfred Lutz, Christians have a duty to be vaccinated against Corona. The best-selling author writes in the Catholic weekly newspaper "Die Tagespost" that this not only protects his own health, but also that of others. Christians are obliged to do both. Of course, he said, "Catholics who see it differently because they are misinformed or "have fallen into psychological traps.", treat each other with respect, he added.

10.34 a.m.: Education spending up six percent in Corona year 2020

Public spending on education in Germany rose again last year to just under 160 billion euros. That was about nine billion euros, or six percent, more than in 2019, as the Federal Statistical Office announced in Wiesbaden on Thursday. 76.8 billion, just under half of the expenditure went to schools. 36.2 billion euros were spent on daycare centers and 33.2 billion euros on universities. Education spending had already grown by 6.3 percent a year earlier.

"In education, too, 2020 was strongly marked by the Corona pandemic", explained the statisticians. Among other things, digitalization, hygiene concepts and additional care services would have caused higher costs.

10.00 o’clock: Each eighth care worker comes from the foreign country

According to research, the health and care system in Germany can no longer manage without immigration of skilled workers from other countries. Every eighth caregiver comes from abroad, according to a paper published Thursday by the media service Integration, which relies primarily on data from the Federal Employment Agency. Around 208.000 foreign nursing staff were working in Germany in March 2021, according to the study. About 120.000 of them come from countries outside the EU, and around 15.000 from asylum countries.

Foreign nursing staff are reported to account for 13.5 percent of the industry’s workforce. Only in the case of care for the elderly is the proportion as high as 16 percent. In addition, according to the research, one in seven doctors in Germany does not have German citizenship. The largest group, he said, are medics from Syria. Without immigrant doctors, the shortage of medical professionals in many regions would have long been dramatic, the paper says.

09.00: NRW Minister President Wust advises against Christmas travel

The chairman of the Conference of Minister Presidents, North Rhine-Westphalia’s Minister President Hendrik Wust (CDU), has advised against long trips during the Christmas season. "I advise all people to hold back even on dissolute travel and covering long distances", said Wust on Thursday in the ARD "Morgenmagazin". Currently, no trips are forbidden. "Not everything that is allowed is also wise", said Wust.

Referring to Thursday’s consultations between the state premiers and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) and the call by Lower Saxony’s Minister President Stephan Weil (SPD) for a Christmas truce, Wust said he did not want to rule out anything in possible measures to combat the pandemic. However, he said, it would have to be looked at carefully what Weil’s proposal could mean. "I am open to the conversation."

08.35 o’clock: Questions about vaccinations and tests most frequently googled

Questions about Corona numbers and the cost of vaccinations and testing were among the most common pandemic-related Google searches this year. This is the result of a data analysis by Google Germany, as reported by the newspapers of the Funke Media Group. The most common so-called W-questions that users have entered as search queries in connection with the search term Corona since January have been taken into account.

In addition to questions about vaccination, quarantine and infection control rules, a striking number of search queries revolved around the costs citizens could face, according to the report. In the "Who"-Questions, for example, included "who pays for corona vaccination?" and "who pays for corona test" ranked first and third. In the "What"-questions, the most frequently asked question was "how much does a corona test cost?.

At the "where"-questions, the top three were "where can you get a corona test?, "where can i get vaccinated" and "where to buy corona quick test", as it was further said. Many Google users also would have been interested in why Corona numbers are rising, why people should get vaccinated against the virus in the first place, and why Covid 19 case numbers are rising or falling right now. Billions of search queries went into the evaluation, according to the report. The rankings would have come from what are known as Google Trends, the highest-rising search queries of the year.

08.3 p.m.: Dispute escalates over mandatory masks for refueling

A dispute over mandatory masks escalated Thursday night at a gas station and rest stop near Regensburg, Germany. In the course of the confrontation, the gas station attendant was only able to save himself from the approaching car of a mask-refuser by jumping onto the hood of the car, according to the police.

08.00 – Dahmen: Enforce applicable Corona measures as well

Before further Corona rules are also established for the unvaccinated, in the view of Green politician Janosch Dahmen, existing requirements should be better controlled. This is what the health expert said on Thursday in the ARD morning news program. "The main problem we have right now is that we have to enforce the measures that are in principle valid and possible", he emphasized. "The best rules are useless if they are not applied in practice." Wherever 2G – i.e. access only for vaccinated and recovered people – applies, it must also be checked. Today, Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) is consulting with the state premiers.

07.00: What mobile air purifiers bring to the classroom

Since the summer, medical technology professor Christian Schwarzbauer has been on the road in Bavarian schools, installing many small sensor boxes in classrooms. They very accurately measure the level of carbon dioxide, or CO2 for short – an indicator of how good the air quality is. Now the data are available from a total of 162 classrooms and from over 7.000 teaching days ago.

• To the article "Study: What mobile air purifiers in the classroom bring"

06.30 o’clock: BR broadcast answers questions about vaccination

The phones rang, the e-mails came in and the comment columns were well filled – for the BR special broadcast "Together against Corona" the audience had asked many questions. A team of experts tried to answer all. The virologist Ulrike Protzer, the Munich general practitioner Katharina Jager, the infectiologist and pediatrician Johannes Hubner and the physician and television presenter Eckart von Hirschhausen formed the expert team, which answered, classified and set right.

06.00: Fact check refutes disinformation on Corona vaccination

Again and again, BR receives allegations and rumors about allegedly conspicuously high death rates and the Corona vaccination. The fact fox had the three most frequent ones checked by experts.

• To the #Faktenfuchs "Vaccinations: Neither ineffective nor reason for excess mortality"

05.50 a.m.: U.S. approves drug with artificial corona antibodies

U.S. health authorities have approved the use of a drug containing synthetic antibodies to protect people against corona infection. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday granted emergency approval for Evusheld, a drug developed by Astrazeneca. The authority warned however, the medicine is "no replacement" for people for whom vaccination is recommended.

The drug should only be used in people with weakened immune systems or those who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons such as a severe allergic reaction to vaccines, he said. In these limited cases, the drug can be administered to sufferers aged 12 and older.

05.40 o’clock: Holetschek assures mask investigation committee support

Bavaria’s Health Minister Klaus Holetschek (CSU) has assured the investigative committee on the mask affair of his full support in clarifying the matter. Top priority continues to be the consistent fight against the Corona pandemic, said Holetschek on the occasion of the constituent meeting of the committee planned for Thursday in the state parliament. "Of course, at the same time, we will support the committee as best we can – to the extent that our capacity allows, given the ongoing pandemic situation and the very broad scope of the investigation.", he emphasized.

The goal of the committee is to clarify mask transactions by the state government in the Corona pandemic, possible involvement of members of parliament and in some cases high commission payments to parliamentarians. The Ministry of Health has repeatedly stressed that in no case have commissions been paid by the ministry to elected officials.

"With this committee, there is now the opportunity to also clear the groundless accusations of the opposition against the Bavarian Ministry of Health out of the world", said Holetschek. "This of course makes sense." He also argued that the greatest possible transparency had already been ensured in the past.

05.25 h – Unicef: 100 million more children in poverty

The Corona pandemic has plunged an additional 100 million children into poverty worldwide, according to a study by the UN children’s agency Unicef. That’s up ten percent in less than two years since 2019, the organization reported Thursday. Even before the pandemic, one billion children worldwide had not had adequate access to education, health care, shelter, nutrition, sanitation or clean water. There had never been such a crisis in the 75 years since Unicef was founded.

"While the number of children going hungry, out of school, abused, living in poverty, or forcibly married is rising, the number of children who have access to health care, vaccines, adequate food, and essential services is falling", Unicef chief Henrietta Fore announced. In the best case, he said, it would take seven to eight years to make up for setbacks in many areas.

03.00 a.m. – Intensivists: Omikron will hurt

According to intensive care physician Christian Karagiannidis, the number of vacant intensive care and ventilation beds in Germany has fallen to the lowest level ever recorded. This worries him, especially with regard to the Omikron variant, the scientific director of the Divi Intensive Care Registry told the German Press Agency on the status of Wednesday. He added that the new Corona variant would gain acceptance at high speed.

• To review: Corona variant: what is known about Omikron so far

Wednesday, the 8. December 2021

23.25 o’clock: Worldwide about 267.21 million infections and over 5.57 million deaths

Worldwide, around 267.21 million people have so far been proven to be infected with the coronavirus. This is according to a Reuters survey based on official data. More than 5.57 million people died with or from the virus, which was first detected in December 2019 in Wuhan, China. The USA has the highest number of infections and deaths. India and Brazil follow in terms of contagions.

22.50 clock – Lauterbach: Need three doses of vaccine against Omikron

The new Federal Minister of Health, Karl Lauterbach, has emphasized the importance of booster vaccinations in the fight against the new Corona variant Omikron. "Vaccination is only complete when you have been vaccinated three times", said the SPD politician on Wednesday in "heute journal" of the ZDF. That, he said, is the new reality for being reasonably protected from Omikron. In all likelihood, however, two vaccinations will already mitigate the disease "and three vaccinations are likely to protect very well against severe disease".

He said it was necessary to ensure that Omikron reached Germany as late as possible. If the Omikron variant were to reach Germany nationwide, Lauterbach said that could affect who is considered fully vaccinated. "If we actually had the Omikron wave here in Germany, then 2G would be reached when you have the third vaccination, so to speak", said Lauterbach. He said that with two vaccinations then one could not assume to be fully protected.

22.25 p.m.: Conference League game against Rennes canceled

The vaccination scheduled for Thursday (21.00 a.m.) scheduled Conference League group game between Tottenham Hotspur and Stade Rennes has been canceled due to a major Corona outbreak. This was announced by Spurs on Wednesday evening. Eight players and five support staff at English soccer’s top club have tested positive, according to team manager Antonio Conte.

21.55: Negative test: Kimmich’s quarantine ends on Thursday

Soccer international Joshua Kimmich is likely to return to the squad of Bayern Munich on Thursday after a long Corona break. "Joshua has tested free, his quarantine ends tonight. Then we will make again investigations and see further", Bayern sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic said ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League match against FC Barcelona on DAZN.

However, the German record-holder does not want to rush into anything. "We know our Jo, of course, he will do everything he can to bounce back quickly. But we have to decide together what is best and be reasonable", Salihamidzic said. Kimmich had caused heated debate in recent weeks because he has not been vaccinated against the virus. The 26-year-old has now been absent for nearly four weeks.

21.45 a.m.: U.S. FDA approves AstraZeneca’s Corona drug

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted emergency approval to British-Swedish company AstraZeneca’s Corona drug Evusheld. This is what the FDA announces. The antibody cocktail is designed to prevent a severe course in people at increased risk of corona.

21.25 a.m.: More than 200 million U.S. citizens fully vaccinated

In the U.S., more than 200 million people have been fully vaccinated so far. This was announced by the CDC. In total, more than 475 million doses have been administered, he said. More than 237 million people have been vaccinated at least once, he said. There are about 328 million people living in the U.S. A booster vaccination has been given to around 49 million people.

20.40: Boris Johnson announces tightening of Corona rules

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced a tightening of Corona measures in England. "It has become increasingly clear that Omikron is spreading much faster than the Delta variant", The Conservative government leader said Wednesday at a press conference called at short notice in Downing Street, London. In the UK, 568 Omicron cases have already been confirmed through genome sequencing so far, according to Johnson. The true figure, however, is probably much higher and is currently doubling every two to three days, the premier continued. Government experts say Omicron could be responsible for majority of new infections in UK in just a few weeks. The measures include requiring people to work from home, making masks mandatory for theaters and other indoor venues, and requiring people to show proof of immunity or a negative test result when entering large events and nightclubs. The regulations are expected to come into force gradually over the next seven days.

20.25 a.m.: New rules for British sporting events

Spectators at major sporting events in the U.K. will have to show proof of vaccination or a negative Corona test to be allowed to attend live on site starting next week. Due to the spread of the omicron variant of the coronavirus, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced stricter measures in the fight against the pandemic on Wednesday evening.

The new rule applies to all outdoor events with more than 4.000 spectators, where there is no fixed seating, and for all events with more than 10.000 spectators. This means that stadium visitors at English Premier League soccer matches will also have to be double vaccinated or tested negative in the future. In the long term, a third vaccination might even be necessary.

20.05 a.m.: Denmark sends students home early before Christmas

Due to worryingly high Corona numbers, school children in Denmark are being sent home early before Christmas. For students from preschool through tenth grade, he said, that means "extended Christmas vacation" from 15. December to 4. January, said Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen on Wednesday evening at a press conference in Copenhagen. According to the Ritzau news agency, emergency care will be provided; as much as possible, children will also receive online instruction. Frederiksen added that discos and similar nightlife establishments will also have to close as of Friday. Concerts with more than 50 standing patrons indoors will also be banned from then on. Even if restrictions were put in place, it would not be a lockdown, Frederiksen emphasized. He added that they still believe it is possible to keep large sections of the society open. People are being urged to work from home offices and also to cancel Christmas parties.

19.50: Ile-de-France region around Paris puts hospital emergency plans into effect

France’s largest region Ile-de-France with the capital Paris puts its emergency plans for all hospitals into force. Among other things, this will allow the number of intensive care beds to be increased and certain treatments to be postponed to create capacity to treat covid patients. More than twelve million people live in the region.

19.8 p.m.: Scholz calls for new push in vaccination campaign

The new German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, has called for an acceleration of the vaccination campaign. "This needs new push in", he says on ZDF. Not as many people have been vaccinated as needed, the SPD politician adds when asked why politicians are now overturning their rejection of mandatory vaccination.

18.35 p.m.: South Africa records highest level of infection since Omikron wave began

South Africa records almost 20.000 new infections, the highest number since the emergence of Omikron. How many of those cases are due to the new variant is unclear, as only a fraction of virus samples are being sequenced. The National Institute of Epidemics NICD also reports 36 more deaths. Omicron was first detected in South Africa.

18.25 a.m.: WHO chief: Omicron could have major impact on pandemic

The new coronavirus variant Omikron has already spread to 57 countries, according to the World Health Organization. Omicron will advance beyond that and could have a major impact on the overall course of the Corona pandemic, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned in Geneva on Wednesday. Data from South Africa suggested there was an increased risk of reinfection with Omikron.In addition, Tedros spoke of some evidence that infection with Omikron could cause milder Covid disease than the Delta variant. However, he said it was too early to make any conclusive statements about Omikron.

18.10 a.m.: Lauterbach: Ending Corona pandemic most important task

Germany’s new health minister, Karl Lauterbach, has announced a decisive fight against the corona crisis. "The most important task for the house is to end the pandemic for Germany", The SPD politician said Wednesday as he took office in Berlin. Every effort should be made to deal with the new virus variant Omikron, he said. Booster vaccinations should be continued as soon as possible in the area. "We will continue to boost and vaccinate until we bring the pandemic to an end", Lauterbach said. This can be done together.

17.55 o’clock: 13.799 spectators admitted for Revierderby Bochum vs. BVB

For the Revierderby next Saturday (15.30 clock/Sky) between VfL Bochum and Borussia Dortmund, 13 799 spectators are admitted. As the promoted German soccer league announced on Wednesday, this decision was made "after very intensive exchanges with local authorities". Due to this initial situation, VfL Bochum 1848 will refrain from the announced raffle of individual tickets for season ticket holders, the club announced. Accordingly, all seat season tickets remain valid. As standing room is prohibited due to the new Corona protection regulation, standing room season ticket holders will be given advance purchase rights for personal one-way tickets for the remaining ticket contingent of seats.

17.40 o’clock: Department store chain Woolworth sues against 2G rule

The Woolworth department store chain has filed a complaint with the Higher Administrative Court for the State of North Rhine-Westphalia against the 2G regulation in the retail sector. A spokesman for the court said in Munster on Wednesday that the company wanted to use summary proceedings to obtain the provisional suspension of the regulation in Germany’s most populous state. Woolworth sees in the 2G rule an unreasonable interference with the constitutionally guaranteed freedom of occupation and the guarantee of property, as well as a violation of the principle of equality, said the court spokesman. Woolworth argues that the introduction of the 2G rule is disproportionate and unreasonable. Because it was doubtful whether significant infection risks emanated from the retail trade at all in view of the existing protective measures, such as the mask obligation.

17.25 o’clock: EU health authority ECDC is strengthened

In the fight against communicable diseases, the EU health authority ECDC is being given a greater role. The EU states confirmed on Wednesday a corresponding agreement with the European Parliament, as the Slovenian presidency announced on Twitter. This would mean better precautions and faster response in case of cross-border health hazards. The Copenhagen-based agency is now to be given a stronger mandate, for example in monitoring disease outbreaks. It is also to make more of its knowledge available in the development of pension plans. It has also been tasked with developing digital platforms for epidemiological surveillance and is expected to work more closely with the World Health Organization.

17.10 a.m.: Vienna Opera Ball canceled again because of Corona

Vienna Opera Ball 2022 will not take place. The Opera Ball, with its thousands of guests, would send the wrong signal in the current Corona situation, said State Secretary for the Arts and Culture Andrea Mayer (Greens) to the Austrian news agency APA on Wednesday. Instead of continuing to plan for the event, which is considered a social highlight, the State Opera now has the opportunity to "put together a nice program for young and old" in the days freed up by the cancellation. The ball should be held on 24. February. To the always sold out opera ball come approximately 5.300 guests. In addition, work about 2.000 people in front of and behind the scenes. The Opera Ball had already been canceled in 2021 due to the pandemic,

16.55: Number of new Corona infections in Europe declines slightly

In Europe, the number of new Corona infections and deaths has declined slightly, according to the World Health Organization. WHO said Tuesday evening that in the 53 countries in the European Region, new infections had fallen by two percent in the previous seven days. He said most of the more than 2.6 million new cases were registered in Germany and the United Kingdom.

Previously, the number of cases in Europe had been rising steadily since mid-October. The WHO also pointed out that as of Monday, all 212 confirmed infections with the omicron variant in 18 EU countries had so far been asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic. WHO said its understanding of the Omicron variant would evolve as more data on its impact became available.

16.45 a.m.: Tottenham coach Conte confirms 13 Corona cases at club

Coach Antonio Conte has confirmed several corona cases at Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur. As Conte announced on Wednesday, eight Spurs players and five employees tested positive for the coronavirus. It was not disclosed who the cases were. The match in the Conference League against Stades Rennes is still to take place as planned on Thursday. According to BBC information, it was initially not certain that the Premier League match in Brighton on Sunday would also take place. Conte expressed incomprehension that play continues for the time being. "The situation upsets me a bit because the situation is serious. Every day we have more positive test results. Everyone is a little scared. People have families. Why do we have to take the risk?"

16.35 p.m.: NRW offers from 17.December Corona vaccination for children on

In North Rhine-Westphalia, children aged five to eleven can be vaccinated against Corona from 17. December to be vaccinated against Corona. The focus will be in the practices of pediatricians and adolescents and will be supplemented by the services offered by family doctors, the state health ministry says. Corona vaccination is a sensitive issue for many parents, says NRW health minister Karl-Josef Laumann. Therefore, there will be sufficient consultation opportunities. Only BioNTech pediatric vaccine would be used.

16.8 p.m.: British PM has party in his official residence investigated

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has ordered an investigation into a Christmas party at his seat of government during last year’s Corona Lockdown. Johnson said Wednesday he understands the anger over a video in which employees made jokes about the lockdown and their own behavior. Previously, the government had claimed for days that there was no such party. Then British media released footage of government employees talking about the party. As a result, Allegra Stratton, who is considered a confidante of Johnson’s wife Carrie Johnson and was most recently the British government’s spokesperson for the UN climate conferences, has resigned. "My comments seemed to make light of the Corona rules – rules that people tried to abide by at all costs", Stratton said Wednesday through tears. "That was never my intention. I will regret these remarks for the rest of my life and sincerely apologize to all of you at home for them." The former journalist was the main character in a video released Tuesday night that caused outrage across the country. In it, Stratton and other staffers appear to be considering how to justify a Christmas party at Downing Street during the Corona lockdown a year ago.

16.05 Clock: Federal Social Court improves accident protection in the home office

The Federal Social Court (BSG) has improved the statutory accident insurance protection for employees in the home office. After that, the way from the bedroom to the home office can be accident insured, ruled on Wednesday the Kassel judges in the case of an area sales manager in the sales force. (AZ: B 2 U 4/21 R) In the individual case, it depends on whether the distance traveled in the employee’s home is "directly useful to the company Is.

• To the article "Court: Away from the bedroom to the home office is insured"

15.49 a.m.: Bavarian trade association expects up to 50 percent drop in sales due to 2G

As of today, Wednesday, only vaccinated and recovered persons are allowed to shop in parts of the Bavarian retail trade. Bernd Ohlmann, spokesman for the Bavarian Trade Association, predicts a considerable impact: "In the worst case, retailers affected by 2G would have to reckon with a 50 percent drop in sales. This is an announcement", said Ohlmann to BR. It’s a matter of survival for many retailers, so the 2G measures are a bitter pill, they said. A great deal of uncertainty is noticeable in many areas, he said.

On the other hand, Ohlmann suspects that because the 2G rules are now clear, more vaccinated and recovered people will come into stores. He hopes that they will buy their Christmas shopping not only on the Internet but also in stationary retail stores.

Stores for daily needs, such as supermarkets, pharmacies, gas stations, drugstores, baby specialty stores or hardware stores, are exempt from the 2G rule.

• To the article "2G in retail: What to watch out for?"

15.00 a.m.: Booster vaccination may offer protection against Omikron, according to Biontech

A booster vaccination with Pfizer’s and Biontech’s Corona vaccine can protect against the new Omikron variant, according to the U.S. pharmaceutical manufacturer. Pfizer said Wednesday the first two doses appeared to be significantly less effective based on initial studies.

• To the overview: "Questions and answers about the Corona vaccination"

A booster dose increases the level of so-called neutralizing antibodies against Omikron by 25-fold, Pfizer and Biontech said. This is what laboratory tests have shown. Pfizer announced the preliminary lab data in a press release, saying the results have not yet been scientifically verified. Companies are already working to develop an Omicron-specific vaccine, should it be needed.

14.8 p.m.: Lockdown in Austria ends for vaccinated and recovered people

The lockdown in Austria ends next Sunday night only for the vaccinated and recovered. This is what the federal government and the states decided on Wednesday. Unvaccinated must continue to comply with exit restrictions. The opening will be accompanied by a "minimum standard of protective measures", to prevent a renewed increase in Corona infections, said Chancellor Karl Nehammer (oVP).

This means that FFP2 masks are mandatory indoors. Retailers and hairdressers nationwide may be on 13. December reopen. The gastronomy would have to observe a closing time of 23 hours.00 o’clock note. Night catering and après-ski venues will remain closed, according to Health Minister Wolfgang Muckstein (Greens). The states are free to adopt stricter rules, it said.

12.30 o’clock: Constitutional Court leaves new Bavarian Corona rules in force

The Bavarian Corona regulations, which were tightened again significantly in December, will remain in force unchanged. In a decision published Wednesday, the Bavarian Constitutional Court declined to suspend individual provisions of the Bavarian Corona Ordinance by temporary injunction. It is also "not anticipated that the popular lawsuit will be successful on the merits with respect to the regulations currently in place.", the court announced.

Among other things, the petitioner had complained about unequal treatment of vaccinated and non-vaccinated people and wanted to have the Corona rules suspended in rows: for example, the ban on Christmas markets, the contact restrictions for unvaccinated and non-vaccinated people, the 2G and 2G-plus regulations, the curfew in restaurants, the blanket closure of clubs and pubs, and the even stricter restrictions in regional Corona hotspots.

Bavaria’s highest court rejected all claims, saying it was not evident that the state government had exceeded the leeway in the federal Infection Control Act or acted in violation of fundamental rights under the Bavarian constitution. The judges referred to the aggravated Corona situation in Bavaria.

11.45: World’s largest Corona vaccine maker cuts production in half

India-based Serum Institute, the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer, plans to cut its Astrazeneca production by at least half. The reason is that the Indian government has not placed any new orders, company CEO Adar Poonawalla told an Indian TV station. At the same time, orders from the international vaccine initiative Covax would come in slowly. Currently, he said, his company produces 250 million doses per month of Astrazeneca, which is sold in India under the name Covishield.

• To the overview: "Current news and background on the topic of Corona vaccination

11.00 p.m.: About 40 percent of vaccines unused in Africa

Production bottlenecks and vaccine hoarding by richer countries have severely limited vaccine supplies to countries in Africa until recently. Now, much-needed Covid 19 vaccines are increasingly arriving – but whether they make it into people’s arms is not always certain. There is a lack of infrastructure, medical personnel, money and the right information policy. Around 40 percent of the vaccines that have arrived in Africa so far have not been used, according to an evaluation by the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change. But experts say a successful vaccination campaign in Africa is critical to drawing a global line under the pandemic. That’s because low vaccination rates on the continent favor mutations like the Omikron variant, which is causing uncertainty worldwide. To date, only 102 million people in Africa, or 7.5 percent of the population, have been fully vaccinated, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

• To the overview: "Questions and answers about the Corona vaccination"

10.8 p.m.: Lab tests: Vaccines produce weaker immune response against omicron

Initial laboratory studies of the effect of Corona vaccines against Omikron indicate a weaker immune response against the new variant. Virologist Sandra Ciesek of Frankfurt University Hospital published initial results on Twitter Wednesday showing a significantly reduced antibody response to the new variant. "Data reinforce that developing a vaccine adapted to Omikron makes sense", Ciesek wrote in this regard. The previous day, South African experts had presented similar data, showing that the antibody response in vaccinated people against Omicron is weaker.

• Regarding the article: "Drosten – Omikron "is our problem until the summer""

10.10 a.m.: Federal government organizes additional Biontech vaccine doses

The federal government has organized three million additional doses of Biontech vaccine to accelerate Corona vaccination, which other EU countries do not currently need. They are to be made available to the states for vaccination centers this week and at the beginning of next week, according to a report issued Wednesday by outgoing Health Minister Jens Spahn (CDU) to his state colleagues. According to the report, more Biontech doses are also to go to practices via wholesalers. Overall, the federal government is expected to use it in the week of 13. Delivered eight million doses of Biontech and more than ten million doses of Moderna for booster vaccinations in December. Many physicians and other vaccination agencies have protested the federal government’s recent imposition of order caps for Biontech’s most widely used vaccine, which threatened to deplete stocks too quickly.

• To the article: "Moderna booster to Astrazeneca/Biontech – what experts say"

09.45: Tax deferrals still possible

Because of the ongoing Corona pandemic, companies and other taxpayers can still apply for a deferral, meaning they can pay their taxes later. A corresponding exemption has been extended, the Ministry of Finance announced on Wednesday. Taxes, which are actually levied on the 31. If the first shot were due by January, this would mean that by 31. The vaccination fee can be deferred until March if an "immediate and not insignificant" number of economically affected by the crisis. Also installment payments up to 30. June are possible, according to the letter. The reason given for the extension is the continued considerable economic damage caused by the coronavirus. The deferrals should be "undue hardship help avoid.

09.40 a.m.: 15.6 million people boosted in Germany

In Germany, 15.6 million people have now received an additional booster vaccination against coronavirus. This corresponds to 18.7 percent of the total population, according to figures released by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) on Wednesday. Accordingly, on Tuesday alone 833.000 booster vaccinations against the corona virus have been administered. In total, there were 973 on Tuesday.000 vaccinations against the virus.

57.5 million people (69.2 percent of the total population) have full basic protection with the usually necessary second shot. At least one initial vaccination has been given to 60.0 million people (72.2 percent of the total population). The RKI believes that among adults, more people are probably vaccinated than the data suggest.

• To the overview: "Questions and answers to the Corona vaccination"

09.30 a.m.: Reuters count: about 5.6 million Corona deaths worldwide

Since the first recorded cases of Corona in China about two years ago, about 5.6 million people worldwide have died in connection with the virus, according to calculations by Reuters news agency. According to the report, the number of corona cases confirmed since then is 266.67 million. The United States accounts for the most illnesses (about 49.5 million) and deaths (more than 794.000) are counted. The figures from the United States include the latest increase of at least 111.194 infections and 1856 deaths.

08.50 o’clock: Further sinking Corona numbers in Bavaria

The number of new Corona infections in Bavaria has continued to fall, according to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI). As of Wednesday morning, the seven-day incidence was 493.2 (as of 3.50 h). The previous day, the figure was 520.6 newly infected per 10.000 inhabitants within a week. According to the RKI, the highest numbers were in the districts of Weilheim-Schongau (1062.2) and Freyung-Grafenau (1001.9). It is unclear, however, whether the numbers reflect the actual situation. Experts assume under-reporting, as health offices and clinics in part do not keep up with the reporting of cases.

1.053 adult patients were undergoing intensive medical treatment in Bavaria on Wednesday, according to the nationwide intensive care registry (as of 8.3 p.m.), the previous day it was 1067. 621 of them need invasive ventilation. Slightly less than 10 percent of intensive care beds in the Free State were still free.

06.00 a.m.: Deutsche Bahn tightens 3G controls in local traffic

Starting this Wednesday, Deutsche Bahn is tightening up so-called 3G checks on regional trains. From now on, so-called customer service agents, i.e. conductors, are also to check whether passengers have been vaccinated, recovered or tested (3G) when checking tickets. Until now, it had been mainly security staff in local transport who had been responsible for this. However, random checks will remain, the railroad said. 3G proof is only asked for when inspectors are accompanied by security staff. Two employees will be deployed at all times to ensure the highest possible level of safety for customer service staff on local transport, it said.

05.00 o’clock: Dehoga: Pandemic has hospitality industry 100.000 employees cost

The Corona crisis could once again significantly exacerbate staff shortages in the hospitality sector, according to Dehoga. "Around 100.000 workers the hospitality industry has lost to the pandemic through September 2021", said the head of the hotel and restaurant association Dehoga, Ingrid Hartges, on Wednesday the newspapers of the Funke-Mediengruppe. "If the Covid 19 pandemic is not successfully addressed as soon as possible, I fear worse", said Hartges.

04.45 a.m.: RKI registers 69.601 new corona infections, incidence at 427

The number of Corona deaths reported within a day has reached its highest level since February. Health offices transmitted 527 cases of people who died from or with Corona to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) within 24 hours, according to RKI figures released Wednesday morning. At the moment, the number of Corona deaths transmitted daily is still significantly smaller than at the peak of the second Corona wave at the end of last year – and this despite the fact that there are currently many more contagions than at that time.

The RKI gave the 7-day incidence as 427. For comparison: the previous day, the value had been 432.2 – however, there were technical difficulties in the transmission of the figures from Saxony in the process.

04.00: Terrorism researcher warns of violent tendencies among lateral thinkers

Among Corona deniers and so-called contrarians, the propensity for violence is currently on the rise, according to terrorism researcher Peter Neumann. "When such a movement starts to come up with arguments to justify violence, that’s a clear warning signal – and that’s exactly what we’ve been experiencing for a few months now.", Neumann told the "Augsburger Allgemeine". There is a general disinhibition, the norms of coexistence in a democratic society are no longer respected by many people, explained the professor working at King's College in London. "If mandatory vaccination is actually implemented now, the situation could escalate further." At the same time, right-wing extremists tried to hijack this movement. This is highly dangerous.

• To the article: Researcher sees radicalization among Corona deniers

Tuesday, the 7. December 2021

23.30 p.m.: Doubts about Biontech/Pfizer efficacy against Omicron

BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine appears to offer only partial protection against omicron. This was announced by laboratory director Alex Sigal of the Africa Health Research Institute in South Africa on the short message service Twitter, based on preliminary results. He said there is a very large drop in the neutralization of the omicron variety.

22.25: Slovakia closes schools, opens stores to vaccinated people

Slovakia’s ruling parties have agreed on a mix of relaxations and tightenings of the valid Corona measures. As conservative Health Minister Vladimir Lengvarsky told journalists in Bratislava on Tuesday, the vaccines, which have been available since 25. November closed stores to reopen from Friday. However, those who have neither been vaccinated against nor recovered from Covid-19 are only allowed to go to stores that sell essential products such as groceries. For the time being, catering establishments remain closed to all. In exchange for opening the stores, however, all schools except the first four grades must switch to online instruction starting next Monday. Prime Minister Eduard Heger called this compromise a "victory of respect and determination". Before that, the four coalition parties had publicly argued for days about how to proceed.

21.8 p.m.: U.S. judge blocks mandatory vaccinations for federal contractors

A U.S. federal judge in Georgia has blocked the federal coronavirus vaccination requirement for contractors ordered by President Joe Biden’s administration. The injunction issued by District Judge Stan Baker in Augusta on Tuesday applies nationwide, in all states of the U.S. It’s another victory for Republican-ruled states against government-mandated vaccination rules in Washington’s fight against the Corona pandemic.

21.05 a.m.: Consequence of the mask affair: new rules in the state parliament on transparency and sideline activities

As a consequence of the affair concerning the mediation of mask purchases of the state government by CSU politicians, stricter rules for members of parliament will apply in Bavaria in the future. The state parliament approved a corresponding bill with a large majority on Tuesday evening. Side activities are not generally forbidden in the future according to this. However, paid lobbying activities for third parties with the state government, the state parliament and other authorities are prohibited for the state parliament members. Also, the sale and brokerage of real estate, goods and services for third parties at the institutions and authorities of the Free State and the companies that are majority-owned by the Free State are prohibited in the future for parliamentarians. In addition, MPs must in future publish income from secondary employment in principle from the first euro.

• To the article: "New rules in the state parliament: "As glassy as Snow White’s coffin""

19.55 o’clock: Norway tightens Corona screws over Christmas

Faced with a worrying Corona situation with the emergence of the Omikron variant, Norway is tightening the measures in place in the country. The infection situation is now so serious that new measures must be taken to keep control of the pandemic, said Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. New measures include a few old familiar ones, including rule to keep one meter distance. Where this is not possible, for example, in stores or restaurants, you have to wear mask. Alcohol may only be served to seated patrons, and only up to a maximum of 24.00 h. For sports and cultural events for adults, the maximum permitted group size will be reduced to 20. For Christmas and New Year’s Eve, it is recommended to meet with a maximum of 20 people. In general, you should not otherwise gather with more than ten guests outside your own household. Attendance caps reintroduced at certain events like funerals. All this is to apply from Thursday and provisionally for four weeks.

19.35 o’clock: Finnish head of government because of party night after Corona contact in the criticism

Finland’s head of government Sanna Marin has come under fire for a night of partying just hours after her foreign minister tested positive for the coronavirus. According to a survey published on Tuesday, two-thirds of Finns consider the Prime Minister’s behavior a "serious mistake". The 36-year-old had previously apologized publicly. A gossip magazine had published photos of the head of government in a discotheque in Helsinki on Monday. According to the report, Marin had gone out on Saturday night and had been dancing until the early hours of the morning. On the same day, Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto tested positive for the vaccine.

19.3 p.m.: Possible EU approval for Covid vaccine drives Novavax

The prospect of an early EU approval for Novavax’s coronavirus vaccine is boosting the biotech company’s shares. They are up nearly 25 percent on Wall Street. According to the head of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), her institution could give the Novavax vaccine the green light in the near future. The titles received additional support from research showing that cross-vaccination with Novavax’s active ingredient and that of other manufacturers was more effective than two doses of the same vaccine.

• To the article: Corona vaccination: wait now for inactivated vaccines?

19.05 a.m. Drosten sees Omikron variant as a problem until summer

The chief virologist at Berlin’s Charite hospital, Christian Drosten, expects problems with the coronavirus in Germany by next summer because of the newly emerged Omikron variant. "’Delta virus is our problem into January, omicron virus is our problem into summer’, Drosten said on Tuesday in the NDR program "The coronavirus update". Drosten said that Omikron would probably become a problem in Germany as of January. In any case, it cannot be said at the moment that the issue of the corona virus will be over by Easter. Drosten was particularly concerned by the high rate of spread of Omikron. It showed a doubling of cases in South Africa or England about every three to four days.

• To the article: Drosten: Omikron "is our problem until summer"

18.55 p.m.: Omicron variant has spread throughout Denmark

Omicron variant of coronavirus has spread throughout Denmark. Larger outbreaks have been registered in the east and west of the country, says the director of the Danish Patient Safety Authority, Anette Lykke Petri. Scandinavian country reports a total of 398 infections with variant first discovered in South Africa.

• To the article: Corona variant: what is known about Omikron so far

18.45 a.m.: Shelf life of hundreds of thousands of vaccines expired in Nigeria

In Nigeria, the shelf life of up to one million unused vaccine doses expired last month, according to insiders. The unused vaccines had been supplied from Europe as part of the international Covax initiative for vaccine equity, two people familiar with the events told Reuters. A third person said some of the vaccines arrived four to six weeks before the expiration date and could not be used in time despite efforts by health officials. WHO confirms some doses have expired but declines to give an exact number. In Africa’s most populous country, less than four percent of adults have been fully vaccinated to date, according to WHO data.

18.25 a.m.: Corona vaccine from Canada said to be effective

Canadian drugmaker Medicago says it will soon apply for approval of a plant-based Corona vaccine in Canada and other states. The vaccine, which is administered in two doses, was 71 percent effective in preventing Corona infections in an advanced stage of a large study that included several viral variants, including the Delta variant, he said. The Quebec City-based company said it will immediately seek approval in Canada and has begun filing documents with regulatory agencies in the U.S., U.K. and other countries. The company said it was also preparing to send the data to the World Health Organization as well.

18.10 a.m.: Heil wants to increase extended short-time benefits

German Labor Minister Hubertus Heil (SPD) wants to allow an increase in the short-time allowance extended until the end of March during the Corona pandemic. The traffic light coalition factions of SPD, Greens and FDP want to bring a corresponding amendment with the Corona Vaccination Prevention Act on the way, as it was said on Tuesday from the Ministry of Labor. The "Rheinische Post" first reported on this. According to the plan, 70 percent of the net difference in pay is to be paid from the fourth month of entitlement onwards. If a child lives in the household, the rate should be 77 percent. From the seventh month of reference, 80 percent are planned and with child 87 percent. This is said to apply to workers who were vaccinated by 31. March 2021 were entitled to short-time working benefits during the pandemic. In addition, employees who first went on reduced hours since April 2021 are to be eligible for the increased benefit rates for the period from January to March 2022.

17.50 p.m.: Anti-Corona demonstrators wanted to protest in front of Schwesig’s house

In an unannounced protest against the Corona measures of the state and federal governments, several hundred participants tried on Monday evening to get in front of the home of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern’s Minister President Manuela Schwesig in downtown Schwerin. As an amateur video distributed by Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR) shows, many of them moved through the narrow street where the SPD politician lives with the switched-on flashlights of their smartphones in their hands. The train was stopped a hundred meters from Schwesig’s home by police officers, it was said.

Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania’s Interior Minister Christian Pegel (SPD) described the move as an attempt to "bring about Saxon conditions". Last week, demonstrators in Saxony marched with torches in front of the home of the state health minister Petra Kopping (SPD).

17.35 o’clock: Fauci: Omikron "almost safe" not worse than delta variant

The new Omikron variant of the coronavirus is apparently no worse than other variants of the pathogen, according to U.S. expert Anthony Fauci. "It is almost certain that it is no worse than Delta", said the top medical adviser to U.S. President Joe Biden on Tuesday the news agency AFP.

There are some indications that Omikron could even be less severe. In South Africa it has been observed that "the relationship between the number of infections and the number of hospitalizations is probably lower than in Delta". Completely secured realizations are to be expected however only in some weeks.

17.25 o’clock: State parliament of Rhineland-Palatinate makes further Corona protection measures possible

The Rhineland-Palatinate state parliament has expanded the state government’s scope for protective measures to combat the Corona pandemic. In a special session, the parliament voted on Tuesday with the votes of all factions except the AfD for a corresponding request of the traffic light government. According to the federal government’s new Infection Protection Act, such a decision by the state parliament is required. Minister President Malu Dreyer already announced plans to temporarily close clubs and discos because of the high risk of infection. For operators, there is support through operational assistance, he said. Other restrictions on access to facilities and events in sports, culture and recreation are also now possible.

17.15 o’clock: Saxony closes gastronomy in hotspots

Saxony tightens Corona rules again. Catering establishments in hotspots with an incidence above 1.500 new infections per 100.000 residents within a week are to have to close, as the state social ministry announced in Dresden on Tuesday after a cabinet meeting. The new regulation is expected to be passed on Friday.

In the Free State, strict Corona measures have been in place for some time, such as 2G – i.e. access only for vaccinated and recovered persons – and shortened opening hours in the catering trade. Saxony, which is particularly hard hit by Corona infections and has the lowest vaccination rate nationwide, also became the first state to introduce the 2G rule in the retail sector.

17.10 a.m.: AfD lawsuit over Berlin 2G rule for hotels unsuccessful

Several AfD members of the Bundestag have failed with a constitutional complaint against Berlin’s 2G regulation for hotels. The plaintiffs had "not sufficiently demonstrated" a violation of fundamental rights, announced the Federal Constitutional Court in Karlsruhe on Tuesday. In addition, they had to first turn to the competent administrative courts in Berlin with their urgent application.

Berlin’s new Corona ordinance stipulates that overnight stays in hotels can only be offered under the 2G condition. The eleven unvaccinated members of parliament had argued that they lived "far away from the Bundestag outside Berlin" and had to rely on overnight stays in the capital during weeks of sessions. Thus, they would not have the opportunity to participate in the election of the Federal Chancellor scheduled for Wednesday. The tightening of the regulation is a disproportionate encroachment on the mandate of members of the Bundestag, which is protected by constitutional law.

17.00 o’clock: Sweden presents plan for renewed Corona measures

Despite relatively low corona numbers, Sweden gears up for a period of tighter healthcare with new action plan. As early as Wednesday, travelers should wear mouth-nose protection on public transport, Health Minister Lena Hallengren said Tuesday at a press conference in Stockholm. Employers should also allow employees to work from home offices, keep adults at a distance from each other in public spaces and restaurants to avoid crowds.

Use of the Corona vaccine detection system, introduced a week ago, will be expanded in a timely manner, Hallengren announced. If the infection situation and the burden on the health care system nevertheless continued to deteriorate, further measures could follow in two steps.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, Sweden has relied on a special path with comparatively lax corona measures. In the wake of this, the country has long had to contend with very high corona figures compared to the rest of Scandinavia and also to Germany. Currently, however, these numbers are lower in the Scandinavian country than in most other EU countries.

16.12 p.m.: EMA allows different vaccines for boosters than for first vaccination

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has approved the use of different Corona vaccines for initial vaccination and booster vaccination. Different vaccines in the initial immunization and booster could also protect against Covid-19, the EMA said Tuesday. According to available data, the body’s immune response after booster is then either as good or even better than when the same vaccine is always used.

Administering different agents allows countries greater flexibility in their vaccination campaign, the EMA and the European Disease Control Agency said. They had investigated so-called mRNA vaccines such as the one from Pfizer and Biontech as well as vector vaccines such as the one from Johnson& Johnson. The use of deviant vaccines in boosters is already approved in the U.S. and U.K.

• To the article: Moderna boosters to Astrazeneca/Biontech: what experts say

15.47 p.m.: Number of alcohol deaths in U.K. to rise to record in 2020

More people in the UK have died from alcohol-related causes than ever before in the Corona year 2020. The death of 8.974 people could be linked to alcohol nationwide, the U.K. Office for National Statistics (ONS) announced Tuesday. That’s an increase of nearly one-fifth (18.6 percent) compared with 2019. Data from England, according to the report, indicate that more people drank more alcohol during Corona lockdowns with curfews and contact restrictions. Experts blame stress, loneliness and lack of access to support services for the increase.

15.33 a.m.: Alcohol consumption ban in Munich’s pedestrian zone

Starting tomorrow, a ban on alcohol consumption between eleven a.m. and 11 p.m. will once again be in effect in Munich’s pedestrian zone and on the Viktualienmarkt market. This has now been decided by the staff for extraordinary events under the leadership of Lord Mayor Dieter Reiter (SPD). "It would be absolutely incomprehensible to cancel the Christkindlmarkt with its mulled wine stands because of Corona on the one hand, but at the same time continue to allow alcohol consumption in the heavily frequented areas in the city center", OB stressed. The city is using the guidelines of the Bavarian Ordinance on Measures for Protection against Infection.

• To the article: Munich: From Wednesday ban on alcohol consumption in pedestrian zone

15.10 a.m.: Institute: omicron likely to be dominant in Norway by January at latest

Norwegian health experts expect the omicron variant of the coronavirus to be prevalent in their country shortly after the turn of the year. "It is likely that the Omikron variant has a greater ability to spread than the Delta variant and will have become dominant in Norway by January 2022 at the latest," the government health institute FHI wrote in an updated risk assessment released Tuesday.

South African scientists had also pointed last Friday to initial findings, not yet scientifically substantiated, that the new variant of corona, Omikron, could be highly contagious but relatively mild in its course.

15.05 a.m.: Roche drug Roactemra receives EU approval in Covid-19

One day after the European Medicines Agency’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) recommended the drug, pharmaceutical company Roche has received EU approval for its drug Roactemra in Covid-19. Tocilizumab-containing drug may also be used to treat Covid 19 patients in the future, Roche announced Tuesday. Roactemra is the fourth Covid drug approved in the EU. Specifically, it concerns patients with a severe course who receive systemic treatment with certain hormones (corticosteroids) and require supplemental oxygen or mechanical ventilation.

15.00: Poland tightens Corona restrictions

Poland tightens its Corona restrictions again due to persistently high infection rates. As of 15. December, a 30 percent occupancy limit will apply in hotels, restaurants, cinemas and theaters, Health Minister Adam Niedzielski said Tuesday in Warsaw. Previously, the limit was 50 percent. In addition, the vaccine will be available in Poland from 1. March to mandatory vaccination for doctors, teachers and security guards.

14.40 p.m.: Belgian judiciary investigates fraud in purchase of millions of masks

The Belgian government is suspected of having been defrauded in the purchase of millions of protective masks, according to judicial findings. The prosecutor’s office in Brussels confirmed that four people are suspected of forgery, fraud and money laundering in connection with a large order of face masks, according to the newspaper "De Tijd" reported on Tuesday. Specifically, 15 million masks ordered by the government in the spring of 2020 for 32 million euros.

The government bought the masks from the Luxembourg company Avrox to distribute them to citizens free of charge. According to "De Tijd However, according to later findings by the Sciensano health authority, the masks contained potentially toxic particles. As a result, the agency advised against its use in February.

14.10 a.m.: Vaccination for five to eleven-year-olds approved in Spain

In Spain, the competent commission approved the vaccination of five- to 11-year-olds against Covid-19. This was announced by the Ministry of Health in Madrid on Tuesday. This will enable the country to further increase its vaccination rate, which is currently around 80 percent, compared with other European countries. Nearly 90 percent of all citizens older than twelve are already fully vaccinated. According to estimates, around three million children can now be vaccinated in Spain. The European Medicines Agency Ema had given the green light at the end of November for the approval of the Corona vaccine of the manufacturers Pfizer/Biontech for children over five years in Europe.

14.05 a.m.: Bavarian cabinet: More clinics and staff for corona care

In order to relieve acute hospitals and to create additional intensive care capacity, specialist clinics and similar institutions in Bavaria are to be involved in the care of Corona patients with immediate effect. The relevant hospitals will be asked to admit suitable patients – alternatively, they are to provide nursing staff for particularly burdened hospitals. This was decided by the Bavarian cabinet in Munich on Tuesday.

The hospitals are to receive financial compensation for this, and the nursing staff are to be compensated for the additional workload. Caregivers from rehab facilities are also believed to be assisting. The Free State is providing a total of 66 million euros to secure and expand the capacity to treat intensive care patients with these and other measures

13.52 a.m.: NRW State Criminal Police Office – More than 1.000 forged vaccination documents

According to the North Rhine-Westphalian State Criminal Police Office (LKA), forged vaccination documents are currently in high demand and are jeopardizing measures to contain the pandemic. From 1. April until 23. November of this year, nationwide 1.041 cases registered in which people had falsified their vaccination certificates or their test and recovery documents, according to the state criminal office.

"Those who falsify vaccination cards are behaving in a socially harmful and humanly dangerous way. This is a criminal act, in my opinion a morally quite evil one", said the head of the LKA, Ingo Wunsch. Due to a change in the legal situation, the number of cases of forgery in connection with vaccination, convalescence and test documentation has increased since the 24. November in a new statistics collected. By 1. December in this connection further 195 offences were seized.

Since last weekend, the 2G rule has been in effect in many areas of public life in North Rhine-Westphalia. By showing fake vaccination cards, unvaccinated people want to circumvent these measures. LKA expects case numbers to continue to rise as a result of stricter 2G rules.

13.46 o’clock: Protestant Kitas criticize test obligation

The Evangelical Kita Association of Bavaria (evKita) is appalled by the design of the Corona test obligation for Kita children from one year in Bavaria. "That does not function in such a way", said the evKita executive director for education and social affairs, Christiane Munderlein, in Nuremberg: "Not much is known yet – but we fear that this regulation will bring conflicts into the Kitas."

With the announcement of a Kita test obligation Prime Minister Soder (CSU) had aroused large expectations on past Friday. "The associations have been calling for this mandatory test for months", said Munderlein: "I consider the current solution to be very incomplete." She said she was particularly disappointed that the Ministry of Social Affairs had not consulted with the associations.

State Chancellery head Florian Herrmann (CSU) had announced on Tuesday after the cabinet meeting that from 10. January for children over one year of age to be subject to mandatory corona testing. In the future, a negative Corona test would then have to be proven three times a week in order to be allowed to visit the daycare center. The concrete implementation is still open.

It is unclear, for example, whether daycare providers will be able to stipulate a mandatory form of testing. "At least if a provider decides to use PCR pool tests with lollipop smears, this should be mandatory for all", emphasized Munderlein. However, as Herrmann, head of the state chancellery, said after the cabinet meeting, it is likely to be difficult for daycare providers to find laboratories with free capacities for PCR lollipop pool tests at present.

• To the article: Broad criticism of Kita test obligation

13.34 o’clock: Traffic light parties defend in the Bundestag facility-referred vaccination obligation

In the Bundestag, the traffic light parties defended their plans to introduce Germany’s first compulsory corona vaccination. The SPD health politician Sabine Dittmar said that the so-called facility-based vaccination obligation was a matter of weighing up the interests of the various parties. She pointed out that people in need of help could not choose who they were treated by. A high vaccination rate is indispensable in nursing care.

Sharp criticism came from the CDU/CSU and AfD. CSU health politician Stephan Stracke said the traffic light’s approach was not an efficient way to combat the pandemic. The measures would come too late: "You are trying to close gaps that you are opening up yourself." AfD parliamentary group leader Alice Weidel accused the traffic light parties of electoral fraud. The law is an "unheard-of border crossing".

The Bundestag debated the plans of the SPD, the Greens and the FDP in the first reading. It is planned that employees of clinics, nursing homes, doctors’ surgeries, ambulance services or even birthing centers will be vaccinated from 15. March must present a corona vaccination or convalescence certificate. In addition, vaccinations should also be able to be carried out by dentists or pharmacists. The states are also to be given the option of taking tougher Corona measures in hotspots, such as restaurant closures. The changes are to be decided still this week.

13.25 o’clock: Prime Minister Weil criticizes late Stiko recommendations

Recommendations of the Standing Commission on Vaccination (Stiko) in the Corona pandemic often come too late, according to Lower Saxony’s Minister President Stephan Weil. With regard to Corona vaccinations for children between five and twelve years, he hopes for a quick and clear recommendation, said the SPD politician in the state parliament.

Germany has always started vaccinating later than other countries because of relatively late recommendations from the Stiko, the head of government criticized: "This must not happen to us again in this situation."

At the end of November, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) had given the green light for the approval of the Corona vaccine from the manufacturers Pfizer/Biontech for children aged five years and older in Europe. However, there is so far no corresponding recommendation of the Stiko.

13.00 o’clock: Austria’s new chancellor holds to lockdown end for vaccinated people

Austria’s Chancellor Karl Nehammer (oVP) wants to end the lockdown as planned next weekend. The question is no longer whether to end the lockdown, but how and with what protective measures, the conservative politician said Tuesday at his first press conference in Vienna. The 49-year-old former interior minister was sworn in as chancellor at the beginning of the week following the resignation of his predecessor Alexander Schallenberg. For the unvaccinated, however, the exit restrictions would remain in place, Nehammer said. The conservative-green federal government plans to decide on the details of the opening at a federal-state summit on Wednesday.

12.55 a.m.: Corona tests starting at 10. January also in Kitas obligation

Infants will also be subject to Corona testing requirements when attending daycare centers in the new year. This is what the Bavarian cabinet decided on Tuesday. Children older than one year would only be allowed to attend daycare after the Christmas vacations if they are tested three times a week. A test done at the facility or credible assurances of a rapid test done by the patient himself would be accepted, he said. PCR pool tests are also possible, if the providers offer them, said Florian Herrmann (CSU), head of the state chancellery. The draft of the Ministry of Social Affairs would be further elaborated. There had been criticism from parents, including that laboratory capacity for testing may be insufficient.

12.50 o’clock: Skiing in Bavaria with 2G

Bavaria relies on 2G regulations in current ski season. Athletes must be vaccinated or recovered if they want to use a lift, says Economics Minister Hubert Aiwanger after a meeting of the Council of Ministers. "We refrain from testing while skiing because otherwise there would have been an exodus to neighboring countries."

• To the article: "Bavaria’s ski resorts can hope for 2G rule"

12.45 o’clock: WHO: Each tenth European has already experienced Corona infection

One in ten Europeans will have had a confirmed corona infection by the end of this week, according to the European office of the World Health Organization (WHO). WHO Regional Director Hans Kluge said at an online press conference broadcast from Copenhagen on Tuesday. He said new infections and deaths had more than doubled in the past two months. At the same time, the number of deaths remains well below previous highs, Kluge stressed. Without Covid-19 vaccinations, mortality would have been significantly worse.

WHO counts 53 countries in the Europe region, including countries further east such as Russia, Ukraine and Turkey, in addition to the EU. According to the latest WHO figures, nearly 90 million infections have been detected in the region, and there have been nearly 1.6 million related dea.

11.30 a.m.: Joint vaccination appeal by church and government in Croatia

In Croatia, the government and the Catholic Church have joined forces to call on the population to vaccinate against Corona and to comply with pandemic protection measures. Out of concern for people and society, appeal to all citizens and believers to contribute to overcoming the health and social crisis, says a joint statement by head of government Andrej Plenkovic and members of the Permanent Council of the Croatian Bishops’ Conference after a meeting in Zagreb on Monday. The overriding factor, he said, was the willingness to be vaccinated and to behave responsibly and comply with epidemiological regulations to protect people’s health and lives.

11.21 o’clock: Vaccination obligation must "absolutely last means" be

The World Health Organization (WHO) has called for mandatory corona vaccination to be considered only as a last resort in the fight against the pandemic. Mandatory vaccination regulations "are an absolute last resort and only to be used when all other feasible options to improve vaccination activity have been exhausted", WHO Regional Director for Europe Hans Kluge said in Copenhagen on Tuesday. Germany is also currently discussing a general vaccination requirement in light of a fierce fourth wave of corona.

11.10 a.m.: 14.6 million people "boosted" against coronavirus

In Germany, 14.6 million people have now received a booster vaccination against the coronavirus. This corresponds to 17.5 percent of the total population, according to figures released by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) on Tuesday. Accordingly, on Monday alone 523.000 booster vaccinations against the coronavirus have been administered. "No country in the world has vaccinated more people than Germany in recent days. 523.000 boosters is also a new Monday record", tweeted Jens Spahn (CDU), Germany’s caretaker health minister.

11.00 a.m.: Frankfurt trade fair increases losses in Corona crisis

The Frankfurt-based trade fair company will also end its second corona-ridden financial year with a three-digit million loss. According to preliminary calculations, the group’s earnings will continue to decline in 2021, Messe Frankfurt CEO Wolfgang Marzin reported Tuesday in Frankfurt. In the first Corona year 2020, the fair had reported a loss of 122 million euros, which is now exceeded. The company with about 2.300 Employees is 60 percent owned by the city of Frankfurt and 40 percent by the state of Hesse. The German trade show company, which has been profitable for a long time and has the highest sales, suffered again this year from numerous cancellations and travel restrictions as a result of the Corona pandemic. According to Marzin, sales shrank to about 140 million euros, which is just under a fifth of the revenue from the pre-crisis year 2019. 2020 sales had been 257 million euros after a sharp drop in business in the spring

10.57 clock: Promille accidents in lockdown year at lowest level since 1975

Crashes are less frequent on empty roads: corona lockdown and home office have had an impact not only on traffic volumes but also on accident figures in 2020. Thus, the number of accidents with fatalities and injuries that occurred under the influence of alcohol also fell to the lowest value since the beginning of these statistics in 1975, as reported by the Federal Statistical Office on Tuesday. According to the authority, there were 13.003 Accidents with personal injury in which at least one road user was under the influence of alcohol. That was a 6.8 percent drop from 2019, it said.

10.55 a.m.: Corona incidence in Saxony sags, but strong doubts over figures

The seven-day incidence in the Corona hotspot of Saxony has dropped significantly, according to statistics published Tuesday by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI). According to the report, the number of new infections per week was 100.000 inhabitants on Tuesday was 1082.1, after standing at 1234.4 on Monday. However, there are strong doubts about the figures because apparently not all data from the Free State could be transmitted to the RKI. The reason is as yet unknown, the Ministry of Social Affairs in Dresden said in response to a query. There had been no error message in the transmission. The data had been sent to the RKI again by mail on Tuesday morning.

Saxony’s Social Affairs Minister Petra Kopping (SPD) had repeatedly made it clear that it might not be possible to report all infection figures on time due to overloading of the offices. The Zwickau district office admitted on Tuesday that it had a "backlog" of cases in the health department be.

10.52 o’clock: Corona brakes Wurzburg carnival procession again

The fifth season has barely begun – but it is already coming to an abrupt end in Wurzburg, Germany. As in the previous year, there will be no hours of swaying and clapping at the traditional carnival procession on the Sunday before Rose Monday: The largest carnival parade in southern Germany "right of the Rhine", According to the self-promotion, also falls out in 2022. That said the 1. Society president of 1. Carnival society Elferrat Wurzburg, Georg Goebel, on Tuesday. Also the large Gala Prunksitzung and the prince ball would not take place. Previously, the "Main-Post" had had reported about the corona-related cancellation of the popular events. Normally look up to 100.000 humans to the foolish driving with the carnival procession to.

10.48:00: Austria’s chancellor: lockdown for vaccinated people ends as planned

In Austria, the lockdown will end as planned next weekend, according to new Chancellor Karl Nehammer (oVP). "The crucial question is how and with what protective measures", Conservative politician says ahead of federal-state summit planned for Wednesday. For the unvaccinated, however, the lockdown will continue, Nehammer says. In addition, the states would have the option to adopt stricter measures.

10.39 a.m.: Spahn: Entry restrictions important in face of Omikron

Entry restrictions to EU to remain in place over Omicron variant, according to outgoing German Health Minister Jens Spahn. Until more is known about the variant, it is important to be cautious, says Spahn before the meeting of EU health ministers in Brussels. Therefore, travel restrictions are important to limit entries into the EU and Germany.

10.05 Uhr: Survey: Seven out of ten cities plan higher levies due to Corona crisis

Due to the Corona pandemic, many municipalities have to save again and increase taxes, according to a survey. The percentage of cities expected to increase municipal taxes and fees rose six percentage points to 70 percent compared to last year, according to a survey published Tuesday by the accounting firm Ernst& Young shows. The survey involved 300 local authorities with at least 20.000 inhabitants. As a result of the tight budget situation and in order to generate new revenues, many municipalities are planning unpopular measures. Water and waste disposal to become more expensive in 40 percent of municipalities each, property tax to rise in one in three cities (32 percent). Business tax to be raised in 29 percent of municipalities, street cleaning could become more expensive in 28 percent of cities and towns. Cemetery and parking fees to be raised in 18

09.57 o’clock: First Omikron infections in the South Pacific island state Fiji proven

The new coronavirus variant Omikron has now been detected in about 40 countries. The South Pacific island nation of Fiji reported its first cases on Monday evening. Two Fijian citizens who had been fully vaccinated against Corona and who died on 25 September. The two people who had entered the country from Nigeria via Hong Kong on November 11 were infected with the Omikron variant. Fiji’s Ministry of Health highlighted that because the two infected people had been housed in a quarantine facility since their arrival, the new variant was unlikely to have been carried into the country. The quarantine was ordered because Fiji classifies Nigeria as a high-risk area.

09.36 o’clock: Expert: Omikron in Great Britain will become dominant within weeks

The Omikron variant of the coronavirus will become dominant in the UK within weeks, according to an expert. Jeffrey Barrett of the Wellcome-Sanger Institute told BBC Radio on Tuesday. "I think we can now say that the variant is spreading faster in the UK than the Delta variant and that wasn’t clear until very recently", Barrett said, adding: "I’m pretty sure it will probably become dominant within weeks." According to the British government, 336 Omicron cases have been registered in the country so far. None of those affected have had to be hospitalized so far, Health Minister Sajid Javid told Parliament on Monday evening.

09.30 o’clock: Kellner (Greens) for general vaccination obligation

Green Party federal executive Michael Kellner speaks out in favor of a general vaccination requirement. "Personally, I have changed my mind, and I would vote for a general vaccination requirement if it came to a vote in the German Bundestag.", says Kellner at RTL/ntv early start. When the situation changes – in this case the virus – it is part of responsible politics to question one’s own opinions and positions, he said. "We have seen that holding on to positions does not lead anywhere either."

09.04: Luca users can share vaccination status with health departments

Luca app users will be able to voluntarily share their own vaccination status with their local health department. A new version of the application will also include an encrypted chat function that will allow personalized direct messages to be exchanged between health authorities and users. This function "Luca Connect" is to be activated before the end of December, announced Patrick Hennig, managing director of Culture4Life GmbH, in Berlin on Tuesday. For the chat function, the Luca makers rely on the encryption technology that is also used by the Signal messenger service. The Luca app aims to replace the paperwork that comes with analog recording of visits to restaurants, exhibitions and other events.

09.00: Escaping the 2G-plus test obligation with boosters?

Health ministers from the federal and state governments discussed a possible nationwide elimination of mandatory testing for people with booster vaccinations in 2G-plus rules on Monday evening. From day 15 after boosters – that is, the first Corona booster vaccination – Karl Lauterbach (SPD), Germany’s health minister designate, thinks the elimination of mandatory testing is well justifiable. The prime minister of Rhineland-Palatinate, Malu Dreyer (SPD), expressed a similar opinion.

Following the meeting of the Conference of Health Ministers (GMK) of the federal and state governments, which Lauterbach attended for the first time, Bavarian Health Minister and current GMK chairman Klaus Holetschek (CSU) said that the majority of ministers believe that two weeks after booster vaccination there is "excellent protection". Therefore the test obligation for this group of persons could be omitted in all countries. Bavaria is also currently examining this option.

08.04: Union: test concept for Kitas comes too late

The Union for Education and Science (GEW) is skeptical ahead of the state government’s consultation on a Corona testing concept for daycare centers. "We’ve been calling for lollipop tests for daycare centers since May, and mandatory for staff and children since November. Now it is December, the wave overtakes us and the state government reacts as usual belatedly", criticized the deputy chairman of the state Gerd Schnellinger. "All this could have been saved, if they had used the summer."

07.7 p.m.: Veterinarians call for legal certainty for participation in Corona vaccination campaign

Vets have called for legal safeguards in light of their planned involvement in the Corona vaccination campaign. "If we’re also asked to vaccinate in the future, we’ll be happy to do so within reason as a contribution to the Corona fight", said the president of the Federal Association of practicing veterinarians, Siegfried Moder, the Dusseldorf "Rheinische Post". "But I am surprised that no one has approached us so far." Before veterinarians could vaccinate, numerous questions had to be clarified, explained the head of the association. "This ranges from liability, ordering vaccines, spatial requirements to compensation."

06.58 o’clock: RKI registers 36.059 new corona infections – incidence at 432.2

Nationwide seven-day incidence has dropped slightly. The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) announced the number of new infections per 100.000 inhabitants and week on Tuesday morning with 432.2 an. For comparison, the previous day had been 441.9, and a week ago 452.2 (previous month: 191.5). Health offices in Germany reported 36 cases to the RKI within one day.059 Corona new infections. That’s according to figures showing the state of the RKI dashboard from 06.51 Play back. Exactly one week ago, there were 45.753 infections. When assessing the incidence of infections, it should be borne in mind that experts currently assume that there is a noticeable under-reporting. Health authorities and clinics can no longer keep up with the reporting of cases, at least in some regions.

Across Germany, 399 deaths were recorded within 24 hours, according to the new data. A week ago, there were 388 deaths.

06.3 p.m.: Commuters face more traffic jams again

Corona respite for commuters is over. Those who drive to work again lose significantly more time in traffic jams. An analysis by traffic data provider Inrix found an extrapolated 40 hours of time lost for typical car commuters in the German cities studied in 2021. That’s 14 hours more than in 2020, the company said Tuesday. Last year, Corona had slowed commuter flows, but now traffic has picked up and time lost is back to almost pre-pandemic levels.

In 2019 it was an average of 46 hours. By far the worst hit are the commuters driving in Munich: On average, they lost 79 hours over the year due to traffic jams on the way to work – more than three days. However, this is still seven hours less than before Corona.

05.37 o’clock: Protests against Corona measures in Saxony and Thuringia

In several cities in Saxony and Thuringia on Monday evening, hundreds of people protested against the policy to contain the Corona pandemic. In Freiberg, Saxony, police said they stopped an unauthorized march and initiated misdemeanor proceedings against a total of 451 people. The number of participants in the elevator had been in the upper three digits. In Erfurt, the capital of Thuringia, up to 1.000 people on the street .

As the Saxon police announced late in the evening, there were also protests in Bautzen, Chemnitz, Zwonitz, Hainichen, Mittweida, Schneeberg, as well as other places. More than 700 misdemeanor cases and more than a dozen criminal cases had been opened at all deployment sites in the Free State, including for resisting law enforcement officers and insulting people, they said. In Thuringia, several hundred people gathered in each of Erfurt, Bad Salzungen, Jena, Sommerda, Zeulenroda and Altenburg, among other cities, according to a statement from the state’s Interior Ministry.

05.35: Interior ministers warn of escalation in Corona protests

Several state interior ministers express concern about a possible increase in protests over the introduction of mandatory vaccinations. Bavaria’s Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann (CSU) pleads for clear consequences after the flare-up in front of the house of Saxony’s Health Minister Petra Kopping (SPD) and warns against a radicalization of "lateral thinkers"-Scene.

"This is an attack on our democracy. Such threatening developments must be nipped in the bud", Herrmann says the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland according to an advance report. Brandenburg’s Interior Minister Michael Stubgen (CDU) also believes that the introduction of mandatory vaccination is likely to further escalate protests against Corona measures. The same applies to the Minister of the Interior from Saxony-Anhalt, Tamara Zieschang (CDU): "We are also noticing this here in Saxony-Anhalt. Also taking part in the demonstrations are Reich citizens, right-wing extremists and the so-called lateral thinker scene, whose representatives have repeatedly attracted attention with radical-aggressive language and hostility in social media." The developments were closely monitored by the security authorities in the country.

The head of Brandenburg’s Office for the Protection of the Constitution, Jorg Muller, expresses concern about the increased number of demonstrations against Corona measures. Known right-wing extremists would use or organize these demos to make their issues connectable and bring concerned people to the streets to oppose democracy.

05.00: Survey: unvaccinated more willing to break Corona rules at Christmas

Unvaccinated are especially willing to defy any contact restrictions on the upcoming Christmas holiday, according to a survey. In the annual Christmas survey by the University of the German Armed Forces in Munich, two-thirds (66 percent) of unvaccinated respondents said they would disregard Corona-related bans, at least in part. Of those who were fully vaccinated, only 43 percent showed an openness to breaking the rules, study leader Professor Philipp Rauschnabel told Deutsche Presse-Agentur. On average, 47 percent of the men and women had declared a willingness to break the rules. "The openness to break the rules remains alarmingly high", said Rauschnabel. "These figures should give us pause for thought."

05.00 o’clock: Because of Omikron variant: Great Britain tightens entry rules

Travelers to the U.K. must be prepared from this Tuesday (5.00 CET) must have a negative Corona test before entering the country. The regulation applies to all adults as well as children and adolescents aged twelve and over. PCR or antigen test must be no more than 48 hours old. The measure is intended to slow the spread of the Omikron variant of the coronavirus, according to the UK Department of Health.

05.01 a.m.: Bundestag debates mandatory vaccination for staff in clinics or homes

Bundestag debates planned Corona vaccination requirement for staff in clinics or nursing homes for first time today. The plans of the traffic light parties also stipulate that in future vaccinations can also be carried out by dentists or pharmacists. The states are also to be given the option to take tougher corona measures in hotspots, such as restaurant closures. The Infection Protection Act will be amended once again for the new regulations. The goal is a decision this week.

05.00: France closes all discos for four weeks because of Corona

In the fight against the fifth wave of Corona in France, the government has ordered the closure of discotheques. The measure is to be in place for four weeks from Friday, said Prime Minister Jean Castex. According to the Ministry of Economy, 1200 discos are affected. They should receive support from the state. Castex announced further protective measures, but far less stringent than earlier in the pandemic – despite a seven-day incidence in the country of more than 400.

04.14 o’clock: WHO advises against treatment of Covid patients with the blood of convalescents predominantly

The World Health Organization (WHO) has advised against treating covid patients with plasma from recovered blood in most cases. In a report published Tuesday in the British Medical Journal In an article published today, the WHO stated that treatment for people with mild or moderate corona disease is "based on current evidence" Neither "improved survival" nor reduce the need for artificial respiration. It is also "costly and time-consuming". WHO recommended that even in patients with severe and critical illnesses, treatment should only be given as part of a clinical trial.

03.30 a.m.: Cabinet discusses daycare testing and intensive care beds

The Bavarian cabinet will meet again Tuesday to discuss the Corona situation in the state. Among other things, a proposal from the Ministry of Social Affairs is to be discussed, which includes a testing concept for children in daycare centers. Furthermore, the ministers, led by Prime Minister Markus Soder (CSU), also want to discuss the possibility of increasing the number of intensive care beds in Bavaria’s hospitals. Capacity had shrunk by 20 percent compared to last year because there are no longer enough nursing staff to run the beds.

02.40 o’clock: Railroad involves conductors in 3G controls in local traffic

As of Wednesday, Deutsche Bahn conductors are also to carry out random checks on 3G proofs of service. Passengers without proof of testing, vaccination or recovery (3G) should be "discreet and polite" are asked to get off at the next junction station, the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland reported in advance, citing an internal DB Regio instruction. In case of refusals, the federal police should be called in. According to a spokeswoman for Deutsche Bahn, checks have been taking place since the introduction of the 3G rule, but they have not yet been carried out by conductors. "In local transport, we have agreed with the works councils to also involve customer service agents in the 3G test on RE and RB trains. Security personnel will support train staff", said the spokeswoman.

01.10 a.m.: VdK demands better organization from Lauterbach for booster vaccinations

The social association VdK calls on the designated health minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) to ensure better organization of booster vaccinations. "We finally need a uniform federal procedure", VdK President Verena Bentele told the Funke Mediengruppe newspapers, according to an advance report. In some federal states, elderly people and high-risk patients waited in vain for appointments and could not get through to doctors or centers by phone. There are also problems with the delivery of vaccine in many places, he said. "It is frightening that after almost two years of the pandemic there is still no central information, coordination and control", according to Bentele "this must now be changed as quickly as possible."

00.01 am: Herrmann concerned about torch march by opponents of Corona policy

Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann sees danger of increasing radicalization of Corona protests. Commenting on the torch-lit march of opponents of the Corona policy in front of the house of Saxony’s Health Minister Petra Kopping (SPD), the CSU politician told Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland: "I am very concerned about the current incidents in Grimma." This is "an attack on our democracy. "Such threatening developments must be nipped in the bud." About 30 opponents of the Corona policy had demonstrated last Friday shouting loudly in front of Kopping’s residence in Grimma. They carried flares and placards in the process.

Monday, the 6. December 2021

23.3 p.m.: Corona protests in almost all districts of Thuringia

In Thuringia, there were protests against the Corona measures in almost all districts on Monday evening. In total, there were 24 assembly points, said a spokesman for the police on Monday evening. In most cases, the number of participants had been higher than currently permitted. Only stationary rallies with a maximum of 35 people are allowed in Thuringia. Officials had therefore tried not to allow any processions and to track down those responsible in the unregistered demos. It had been difficult, however, to be everywhere with a sufficient number of emergency personnel, it was further said.

According to police estimates, the largest protests took place in Erfurt with about 1000, in Altenburg with about 800 and in Zeulenroda with 600 participants. According to the police, the organizers of the Erfurt demonstration will have to pay a fine of about 1500 euros because of the size of the gathering. There had also been demonstrations in Eisenach, Nordhausen, Arnstadt, Jena, Saalfeld, Sommerda and other cities.

22.45: Investors shake off Omikron worries for now

Investors piled in on U.S. stock markets Monday, apparently shaking off worries about the impact of the coronavirus variant Omikron. Took a hit mainly in standard stocks in the Dow Jones Industrial, which rose 1.87 percent to 35.gained 227.03 points. The benchmark index has since recovered much of the slide since the variant became known. Since the interim slide to 34.000 points it has gained 3.6 percent.

21.05 o’clock: France closes all discos

In the fight against the fifth wave of Corona rampant in France, the government has ordered the closure of discotheques. The measure is to be in place for four weeks from Friday, Prime Minister Jean Castex said at a press conference Monday evening. According to the Ministry of Economy, 1200 discos are affected. They are to receive support from the state.

Castex announced further protective measures, but far less stringent than earlier in the pandemic – despite a seven-day incidence in the country of more than 400. "It’s not the time for visitor caps, curfews or lockdowns. That would be disproportionate", said the prime minister.

19.40 o’clock: South Africa demands lifting of travel restrictions because of Omikron

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has condemned travel restrictions against African countries over the Omicron variant of the coronavirus as hypocritical and scientifically untenable. Speaking at the International Forum for Peace and Security in the Senegalese capital Dakar, Ramaphosa said the restrictions punished governments that had helped inform the world about the new variant.

"When South African scientists discovered Omicron (. ) they immediately took responsibility for informing the world that a new variant was circulating. And what is the result?", the president asked and immediately gave the answer himself: a punishment. The countries that imposed travel restrictions would not have invoked science, but their own interests. "We say that these bans must be lifted with immediate effect", he said.

19.3 p.m.: Policewoman alleged to have falsified vaccination cards

A policewoman from Saarland is suspected of having forged vaccination cards and sold them together with her partner. The apartment and offices of the 32-year-old civil servant employed in Neunkirchen were searched, a spokesman for the Saarbrucken public prosecutor’s office announced Monday. Blank vaccination cards, a fake vaccination card and electronic devices had been seized, he.

Fake passports reportedly sold by the pair at a single price of 100 euros. The service "Special Investigations and Corruption" of the state police headquarters is now conducting investigations under the direction of the Saarbrucken public prosecutor’s office on suspicion of document forgery. Police said civil service and disciplinary action was being considered. The 32-year-old has not been on duty since Friday, he said.

18.35: Compulsory test exemption after booster could set a precedent

Exemption from mandatory Corona tests for people with booster vaccinations may be extended from three states so far to others. Bavaria’s head of department Klaus Holetschek (CSU) announced after a conference of health ministers on Monday that the Free State would examine this possibility. The designated Federal Minister of Health, Karl Lauterbach (SPD), had also given a corresponding hint at the conference.

18.30 o’clock: EU has donated more than 350 million vaccine doses

EU countries have donated more than 350 million doses of Corona vaccine to other countries so far. The confederation is thus the largest donor worldwide, said EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen on Monday. A large part – around 300 million doses – went to the UN initiative Covax. Covax is now distributing them to low- and middle-income countries. Together with the UN initiative, the manufacturers, the donors and the recipients, they are working to increase the pace of deliveries, he said.

Von der Leyen also made clear that more efforts are needed. So far, 44 percent of the world’s population has been vaccinated, they said. Support for Africa is to be expanded because the vaccination rate there is lower than in other parts of the world. Von der Leyen reiterated goal of 70 percent of world’s population vaccinated by middle of next year.

17.30 a.m.: Many Corona cases after clinic staff Christmas party

In Spain, 68 employees of an intensive care unit tested positive after a Christmas party. Nurses and doctors at the University Regional Hospital in Malaga would have found on 1. December participated in the party with a total of 173 people, informs the regional government of Andalusia. All those sickened were reportedly tested or vaccinated three times before the celebration. It is possible that the contagion also occurred at a large meal for hospital employees, he said. Those infected reportedly show mild symptoms.

16.30: EMA approves Roche drug for severe covid 19

European Medicines Agency (EMA) gives green light for use of Roche’s RoActemra to treat severe Covid 19 disease in adults. Accordingly, the drug can be used in patients who require supplemental oxygen or ventilation, among other things. The Roche drug is already approved in the EU for the treatment of inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. In a study, the drug had reduced the risk of death from severe covid disease, shortened recovery time and reduced the need for ventilators.

16.00 a.m.: Possible forgery workshop with more than 800 vaccination cards unearthed

Police have seized more than 800 vaccination cards from a suspected forgery workshop in Kassel, Germany. Electricity meter readers had discovered large quantities of vaccination cards in the building used for catering last week, the Kassel public prosecutor’s office and the North Hesse police headquarters announced on Monday. During the search, police recovered stickers of different Corona vaccines, each with batch numbers, in almost equal numbers, in addition to the real blank vaccination cards. In addition, investigators reportedly found eight stamps from different authorities. Stickers of vaccinations had already been pasted into about 250 of the vaccination cards. In addition, official stamps and signatures were already found in about 40 of the ID cards, so that these could have served as proof of complete vaccination protection against the coronavirus. A 47-year-old tenant of the premises in the Bad Wilhelmshohe district is being investigated on suspicion of forgery, among other charges, according to police. Further investigations into possible purchasers and sources of supply were ongoing, it said.

15.30 o’clock: Timely treatment of stroke patients endangered

The German Stroke Society (DSG) warns of massively limited treatment options due to the tense corona situation in hospitals. Even severely ill stroke patients could sometimes not be treated adequately because of this, the DSG said. In some cases, even beds in special stroke units would be made available to treat Covid 19 patients. Necessary stroke therapies could sometimes not be carried out quickly enough. However, in the case of an acute stroke, every minute counts, because the sooner a stroke patient is treated, the better his or her chances of survival and recovery.

15.00 a.m.: Lockdown in Slovakia to be extended

In Slovakia, the lockdown to contain coronavirus is to be extended by one week until 16. December be extended. The Ministry of Health announced that it would ask the Cabinet to approve the plans. In view of strongly rising infection numbers was on 25. November, a lockdown initially planned for two weeks had been imposed. Situation should be reviewed after ten days.

14.30 a.m.: Bundestag to pass amendments to Infection Protection Act on Friday

According to the Green Party, the Bundestag is expected to pass new amendments to the Infection Protection Act on Friday. "This is necessary", said Katrin Goring-Eckardt, head of the Green Party’s parliamentary group, who is still in office, referring to the continuing very high numbers of Corona infections. There will be a quick but also thorough procedure this week, he said. The changes expand the group of people who are allowed to vaccinate in Germany. In addition, closures of gastronomy become possible again. There are also plans to make vaccination compulsory for certain institutions, such as nursing homes and homes for the elderly.

14.10 a.m.: Criticism of state government – Vocational school teachers’ association wants to be allowed to do distance learning as well

Bavaria’s vocational school teachers want to be able to decide locally which form of instruction is best in the respective Corona situation. State government’s decision to impose blanket attendance classes at schools until 23. December irrespective of the special features at the vocational schools "to prescribe, is not appropriate to the current situation in the view of the Association of Teachers at Vocational Schools (VLB). During the crisis, the teachers proved that the students learned enough and graduated well even in distance learning, she added. Schools needed flexibility on the ground right now to make the right decisions for a functioning school in line with the pandemic situation, state chairman Pankraz Mannlein says, according to a press release.

According to the association, students at vocational schools generally come from different counties or districts – and sometimes from other states as well. Thus a clearly higher infection and illness risk exists at the schools.

The VLB demands that political decision-makers be allowed to decide for themselves whether they want to offer face-to-face or distance learning classes.

13.41 o’clock: Merkel – torch march of Grimma "attack on democracy"

Outgoing German Chancellor Angela Merkel has strongly condemned the torchlight march by opponents of the Corona policy in front of the residence of Saxony’s Health Minister Petra Kopping in Grimma. Government spokesman Steffen Seibert described the incident in Berlin on Monday as an "attack on democracy". What happened in front of Kopping’s house was "deeply outrageous". It had been about intimidation. "Protesters want nothing more than to scare", said Seibert. "And there can be no place for that in the democratic debate about the right way forward in this pandemic."

According to the police, about 30 people had taken part in a gathering in front of the SPD politician’s house with drums, torches, whistles and posters on Friday evening. They had tried to flee when the police arrived. 15 cars were reportedly stopped and the identities of 25 people were established. In addition, a complaint for violation of the Assembly Act had been filed. It was also investigated whether there were violations of the Corona requirements and other violations of the law

13.1 p.m.: Unrepentant passenger without ticket, mask and 3-G proof gets 4 months in jail

On Saturday, the Federal Police arrested a Hungarian at the train station in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The man, who had previously traveled on an ICE train without a ticket, will have to spend four months behind bars. The notorious "fare dodger" with a criminal record he also vehemently refused to put on a mouth-to-nose covering. And he had drugs with him, too, but no 3-G certificate.

The 36-year-old was put off the train at the Garmisch-Partenkirchen station. Even then, he refused to follow the hygiene rules as well as the corona protection measures. It also emerged that the Augsburg District Court had issued a penalty order against him in June – he was to pay around 1.900 euros to pay into the judicial treasury. As an alternative, the court had provided for a 120-day prison sentence.

13.05 o’clock: Soder considers Lauterbach a "good choice

Bavaria’s Prime Minister Markus Soder congratulates SPD politician Karl Lauterbach on his nomination as federal health minister. "This is a good choice", writes Soder on Twitter. "Looking forward to good cooperation in serious times." With a "P.S." the CSU leader adds: "It is a pity that there is not a single Bavarian federal minister in the entire federal government."

12.45: Wust thinks small family celebrations at Christmas possible

Family celebrations on a smaller scale at Christmas will be possible, according to North Rhine-Westphalian Prime Minister Hendrik Wust. "What we have arranged so far allows family celebrations in a small room, with the restrictions decided", Wust says during a visit to a vaccination center in Dusseldorf. "And I think that one should then also make." Asked whether further tightening of regulations to contain the pandemic was necessary, the CDU politician said it was necessary to wait and see how the current rules proved their worth and how people reacted to them "before you keep turning the dial".

12.25 o’clock: Poland faces further Corona measures because of Omikron

Poland faces more Corona restrictions. In view of the new virus variant Omikron, the government will announce new measures this week, says Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki. Rules for Christmas would also be up for debate.

• To the article: Corona variant: what is known about Omikron so far

11.52 o’clock: Restrictions for unvaccinated Italians during Christmas time

Italy makes life more uncomfortable for unvaccinated people just before the holidays: they are barred from visiting restaurants, theaters and museums indoors to curb the spread of the coronavirus. At the same time, vaccine skeptics should be encouraged to get vaccinated. Until the 15. January, police can check whether patrons in restaurants or bars have a green super-health passport certifying that they have either been vaccinated or recently recovered. Smartphone apps that check health passport status are updated.

11.46 o’clock: Boosting despite omicron? – Experts continue to advise booster vaccinations

The head of U.S. vaccine manufacturer Moderna, Stephane Bancel, expressed pessimism at the end of November, saying he expected a "significant decrease" in the number of vaccinations of the protective effect, he told the Financial Times. Finally, 32 of the 50 mutations in Omikron would affect the spike protein that the coronavirus uses to enter cells.

Biontech co-founder Ugur Sahin does not rule out the possibility that Omikron could cause more infections in vaccinated people. Very likely, the current vaccinations, however, continue to protect against severe courses. "Our message is: don’t panic, the plan remains the same. Speed up the administration of the third dose."

Further information about Omikron will be provided by laboratory tests, the results of which should be available in two to three weeks. But lower efficacy of existing omicron vaccines does not mean they have no effect at all, experts stress. "All people who get vaccinated are not starting from scratch when they encounter a new variant", said, for example, the president of the Robert Koch Institute, Lothar Wieler, at the end of November.

• To the article: Moderna booster to Astrazeneca/Biontech: what experts say

11.36: Africa to produce about 60 percent of its vaccines by 2040

Africa wants to rapidly expand its vaccine production from the current level of less than one percent. "Omikron is there a wake-up call", John Nkengasong of the African Centre for Infectious Diseases (Africa CDC) warned Monday at a technical conference in Rwanda’s capital Kigali. By 2040, the African Union aims to have 60 percent of its production on the continent. Establishment of continental vaccine production is necessary not only in the fight against the Corona pandemic, but also against other diseases such as malaria or Ebola, he said.

11.34 o’clock: Greenland tightens Corona rules

Greenland has introduced nationwide regulations for publicly accessible facilities such as hospitality and cultural venues in the fight against the spread of corona virus. Since Monday and until provisionally 6. March 2022, people will only be allowed to visit many facilities on the world’s largest island if they can present a complete Corona vaccination or a negative test that is no more than 48 hours old. As the Greenlandic government announced on Sunday evening (local time), this applies, for example, to restaurants, cafes, cinemas and museums, but also to swimming pools, gyms and visits to the hairdresser.

11.29 o’clock: Open letter: Freiberger have no understanding for Corona protests

Several hundred citizens in Freiberg, Saxony, have reacted with clear criticism to ongoing protests by opponents of the state’s Corona measures. "With incomprehension, concern and ever greater anger we observe the Monday'Corona walks' through Freiberg", says an open letter of the initiative "Freiberg for all", which was published on Monday in the Saxon municipality. At a time when the pandemic situation is coming to a head, a number of Freiberg residents have joined right-wing extremists such as the so-called "Free Saxons" in taking a stand against the pandemic on the street and thus contribute all the more to the spread of the virus. "We urge walkers to refrain from this further fueling of the pandemic", it says in the letter. From the policy is expected "these illegal demonstrations no longer to tolerate."

11.17 o’clock: Goring-Eckardt does not expect vaccination before mid-March

Green caucus leader Katrin Goring-Eckardt does not expect a general Corona vaccination requirement in Germany before mid-March. In the program "Early start" by RTL/ntv, it described the rules, which are to be 15. March planned partial vaccination requirement in nursing and medicine as a "first step". "If this is the first step, then the second one must come logically afterwards." She hopes, however, that the general duty is not "significantly later" follow. The so-called facility-based vaccination obligation is to be launched in the Bundestag this week: According to plans known so far, employees in hospitals, nursing homes, doctors’ offices or emergency services are to be vaccinated by 15. March 2022 will have to present evidence to the administration as fully vaccinated or recovered – or doctor’s certificates that one cannot be vaccinated.

11.09 o’clock: Lauterbach is to become new Federal Minister of Health

Karl Lauterbach (SPD), a member of the Bundestag, is to become the new federal health minister. The probably future chancellor Olaf Scholz communicated this on Monday in Berlin. Lauterbach is considered one of his party’s most renowned experts, but there had also been reservations about him within the SPD. The 58-year-old physician announced that he wants to make the health care system "more robust again" make, in order "for further Pandemien better prepared" to be. The primary goal, however, is to reduce the number of Corona cases so that "we can celebrate the best possible Christmas vacations" and "also be able to travel.

11.00 o’clock: Lauterbach: "Will win the fight with the pandemic"

The future German Health Minister, Karl Lauterbach, has expressed optimism that the Corona pandemic can be overcome. It will take longer than many thought, the SPD politician said in Berlin on Monday after being introduced as the future health minister by Chancellor-elect Olaf Scholz (SPD). "But we will manage. Vaccination will play the central role, but not only (. ) We will win the battle with the pandemic", said the 58-year-old from North Rhine-Westphalia. Lauterbach announced that the health care system would also be strengthened and made more robust.

10.55: Scholz condemns torchlight march by opponents of Corona policy

Chancellor-designate Olaf Scholz sharply criticized the torchlight march of opponents of the state Corona policy in front of the house of Saxon Health Minister Petra Kopping (both SPD). "We must not put up with this as a country", he said on Monday in Berlin at the presentation of the SPD members of the future federal cabinet. This very clear message must go out from all democrats, he said. The pictures and the process itself are "terrible".

10.54 o’clock: FDP: Personnel consequences at the LGL after manipulated numbers necessary

Corona incidence rates of vaccinated people in Bavaria may be much higher than previously thought. "Vaccinated weigh themselves therefore perhaps in wrong security", said Matthias Fischbach, a member of the state parliament of the FDP, in Munich on Monday. Over the weekend, the daily newspaper "Die Welt", among others, had reported that reported that in Bavaria, in 70 percent of reported infections, the vaccination status is unknown to the authorities – yet these were attributed to the unvaccinated. Martin Hagen, head of the Bavarian FDP parliamentary group, described the approach of the Bavarian State Office for Health and Food Safety (LGL) as dubious.

09.58 Clock: Language Institute presents new words around the Corona pandemic

In terms of language, the year 2021 has been dominated by the Corona pandemic. The Leibniz Institute for the German Language (IDS) on Monday unveiled new words around Corona that could enter its neologism dictionary if they remain in use. Neologisms are already existing words that are reinterpreted in a different context, neologisms or anglicisms that are used frequently. Approximately 2.000 contributions have the IDS experts from "flattening the curve" up to the "second inoculation In the area of the pandemic already compiled. The latter is "a person who can be completely immunized against a certain pathogen by repeated vaccination". A flattening of the curve is desired as Corona infection figures rise. The new Corona variant Omikron has a good chance to enter the dictionary quickly.

09.55 o’clock: Munich Caritas against exclusive vaccination obligation for individual occupations

The Caritas Association of the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising rejects compulsory vaccination for some professional groups. Such a vaccination obligation, which is limited to the employees in hospitals, old people’s homes and handicapped facilities, is a wrong signal", communicated the federation on Monday in Munich with. This would be a "denunciation of the solidarity just with all those", who "gave their all" in the nursing and social professions in recent months would have, it was further said.

09.35 o’clock: Proof of the Omikron variant in the district Traunstein

In the district of Traunstein, a laboratory confirmation of the detection of the corona variant Omikron has been received for the first time. According to a spokesman for the District Office, the Traunstein Health Department received several reports of returnees from South Africa last week. With the person concerned already took place with the entry a sample extraction and the appropriate quarantine order. The further results that it is the Omikron variant, had then received the health office Traunstein.

• To the article: Evidence of the omicron variant in the district of Traunstein

09.34 o’clock: Expenditures for health care in the Corona year increased significantly

Total federal spending increased by more than half between 2005 and 2020. Specifically, the expenditure increased from 325.9 billion euros to 508.2 billion euros, as the Federal Statistical Office announced on Monday in Wiesbaden. According to the report, costs increased the most in healthcare. At 27.7 billion, they accounted for 5.4 percent of total spending. Due to Corona pandemic response, health care spending more than quadrupled between 2019 and 2020 alone. In 2019, they had still been at 6.8 billion euros. Compared to 2005, spending in this area increased sixfold.

08.53 Clock: Extremism researcher calls for tougher action against protesters ready to use violence

After the torchlight procession of opponents of the Corona policy in front of the private house of Saxon Health Minister Petra Kopping (SPD) on Friday, extremism researcher Oliver Decker has called for more active police action against demonstrators willing to use violence. "You have to actually enforce access and enforce the law", Decker said on Monday in the ARD "Morgenmagazin" with a view to "clearly isolable groups composed of those prepared to use violence". Action must also be taken against right-wing extremist structures in the background, he said. Decker sees "a pretty broad spectrum" in Corona protests in participants. With denial and conspiracy ideologies, there is a hinge to the extreme right "which is widely represented and uses this opportunity to mobilize and connect to the center of society."

• To the article: Researcher sees radicalization among Corona deniers

08.51: Vaccine developer: future pandemics may cause more deaths

Future pandemics may cause more deaths than the Corona pandemic, according to one scientist. "It won’t be the last time a virus threatens our lives and livelihoods", says AstraZeneca vaccine co-developer Sarah Gilbert at an event, according to the BBC. "The truth is, the next virus could be worse. It could be more contagious or deadly, or both." It is therefore important to properly use the lessons learned during the Corona pandemic. It should not be allowed to neglect preparations for the next pandemic after the economic and social losses suffered. "Our progress and lessons learned must not be lost."

08.44 a.m.: Virologist Sturmer: Don’t wait for new vaccine against omicron

Virologist Martin Sturmer has warned against waiting until a newly developed vaccine for the new coronavirus variant Omikron is available. The same applies to the wait for a dead vaccine, he said on Monday in the ARD "Morgenmagazin". "If I don’t do anything now, I’m putting myself at high risk, regardless of the variant, of getting infected", said the virologist. It does not matter whether it is the Delta variant or Omikron. "We need to vaccinate and boost now because the protection will be there too. Maybe not to the same extent as Delta, but not so little that it’s not worth it."

• To the article: Stiko chief doesn’t expect omicron vaccine for months

08.05: Travel agencies and tour operators in 2020 with more than 70% drop in sales compared to pre-crisis year 2019

In 2020, the Corona crisis led to a significant drop in sales in individual sectors of the German economy. As a special analysis of the statistical business register shows, the travel and entertainment industries were particularly affected by the crisis: for example, travel agencies, tour operators and other reservation service providers recorded a drop in sales of 71.4% compared to 2019, in aviation sales fell by 45.8% and in hotels and other accommodation by 41.0%. Creative, artistic and entertainment activities generated 39.4% less revenue than before the crisis. As the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) further reports, annual sales in 2020 across all sectors of the economy decreased by a total of 3.8 percent compared to the previous year. The winners of this crisis are the veterinarians and other veterinary services, which achieved 10.6% more turnover than in 2019, not least due to increased pet purchases. In addition, the building construction with a plus of 9.4%, because many households and companies invested in construction measures and due to the boom in online trade also the industry of postal, courier and express services, which increased its turnover by 9.2.

07.54 Clock: Mood in event industry collapses due to Corona wave

The mood in the German events industry, which has been hit hard by the new wave of pandemics, has plummeted. The barometer fell to minus 26 points in November, from minus 2.2 points in October, the Munich-based Ifo Institute said Monday on its monthly survey of businesses. "The fourth Corona wave has collapsed the industry’s timid optimism from previous months", Ifo expert Klaus Wohlrabe said. "The events industry faces another difficult few months."

07.06 a.m.: Fauci: U.S. entry restrictions on Africa under reconsideration

The U.S. government is considering lifting corona-related entry restrictions from several African nations, according to its chief immunologist, Anthony Fauci. They were imposed because of the omicron variant of the virus occurring there. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has described such measures as "travel apartheid" sharply criticized. "We will hopefully be able to lift this ban in a fairly reasonable period of time", said Fauci on Sunday on CNN television. The government is uncomfortable with the move because it has put South Africa and other states in the region in a difficult position.

06.37 a.m.: Researcher sees radicalization among Corona deniers

Corona deniers and so-called contrarians have, according to terrorism researcher Peter R. Neumann have become increasingly radicalized in recent months. "It is increasingly proclaimed a'right of resistance'", he said to the "Bild"-Newspaper. A year ago, this development had not been present to this extent. The announced mandatory vaccination against the coronavirus could be a "signal" for the group concerned," he told Bild be, added the professor from London’s King's College. "It has been discussed for a year and a half and now it is supposed to come – this will trigger something in parts of the scene." He does not expect the emergence of a "tight organization, but rather individual perpetrators from the mass of lateral thinkers will want to take action," Fauci said on Sunday on television. Neumann explained that this is also due to the fact that the scene is very heterogeneous: "It is not unitedly right-wing extremist." On the contrary, he said, many people are active there who have never been politically active before.

• To the #Faktenfuchs: Radicalize the measures opponents?

05.00: SPD presents its ministers: Who will be health minister?

SPD announces its ministerial appointments in the traffic light coalition this morning. The probably future Chancellor Olaf Scholz presents the personnel in the Willy Brandt House in Berlin, the party executive board announced. The SPD is the last of the three traffic light parties to name its ministers. It is eagerly awaited who will take over the Ministry of Health amid the fourth Corona wave. Many sympathizers have, for example, the member of the Bundestag and epidemiologist Karl Lauterbach on his side.

05.00: Wrangling over further Corona measures: Bundestag to deliberate

The wrangling over additional Corona crisis measures continues this week around the planned election of future Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) in the Bundestag. The traffic light partners SPD, Greens and FDP want to push the planned mandatory vaccination for staff in facilities with vulnerable people such as nursing homes and clinics through parliament, which is expected to take effect from mid-March 2022. A draft available to the Deutsche Presse-Agentur also provides, among other things, for vaccination authorizations for pharmacists and dentists as well as clarifications of possible tougher restrictions in regional Corona hot spots.

05.00 o’clock: Illegal party with 75 guests in Neubrandenburg dissolved

The police broke up an illegal music and dance party in Neubrandenburg. Police spokesman say about 75 men and women had gathered in a shack on a former industrial site last night. A witness had called the officials because of the noise. At the Mecklenburg Lake District, such recreational events are currently banned due to persistently high Corona infection numbers. The organizer had to dismantle everything again and is now facing charges of violating the Corona state ordinance.

05.00: Poll: Majority finds contact restrictions for unvaccinated correct

Three out of four Germans welcome recent contact restrictions for unvaccinated in Corona pandemic, according to a poll. In the representative survey conducted by the Civey Institute for the "Augsburger Allgemeine" newspaper 74 percent said they thought the contact restrictions were right. 23 percent rejected the measures. 3 percent of those surveyed were undecided. According to the survey, the supporters of almost all major German parties – with the exception of the AfD – are behind the new regulation.

04.30 o’clock: Protest of Corona opponents: Dresden police prepares for action

After the horror of the torch march in front of the private house of Saxony’s Health Minister Petra Kopping (SPD), the police in Dresden are preparing for a large-scale operation. On Monday, the forces expect a protest by opponents of the Corona policy in front of the Saxon Parliament. The reason: the parliament wants at noon (13.00 a.m.) to decide on the epidemic situation in the Free State. Especially in social networks is called to the protest, the police had announced on Friday. "Extremists also mobilize for a protest in front of the Saxon state parliament. Our danger forecast, the basis of our operational tactics, is thus a completely different one than on the past Mondays.", said police chief Jorg Kubiessa.

04.29 o’clock: 27.836 new Corona infections – incidence at 441.9

Nationwide seven-day incidence up slightly. The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) gave the number of new infections per 100,000 inhabitants and week on Monday morning with 441.9. For comparison: the previous day, the value had been at 439.2, a week ago at 452.4 (previous month: 183.7). Health offices in Germany reported 27 836 new Corona infections to the RKI within a day. That’s according to figures that show the status of the RKI dashboard from 04.24 Uhr reproduce. Exactly one week ago there were 29 364 contagions. Across Germany, according to the new data, 81 deaths were recorded within 24 hours. A week ago, there were 73 deaths.

When assessing the incidence of infection, it should be borne in mind that experts are currently assuming that there is a noticeable under-reporting of the disease. According to the survey, health authorities and clinics are no longer able to keep up with the reporting of cases, at least in some regions. The RKI also finds it difficult to assess the situation. The slowed increase of the seven-day incidence could be "on the one hand a first indication of a slightly weakening dynamic in the transmission event due to the clearly intensified measures for contact reduction", had said in the RKI weekly report of Thursday evening. However, the development could also be "regionally attributable to the increasingly overburdened capacities in the public health service and the exhausted laboratory capacities".

02.2 p.m.: Saxony’s interior minister calls for crackdown on Corona violations

After the torch march in front of the private home of Saxon Health Minister Petra Kopping (SPD), State Interior Minister Roland Woller has called for a rigorous approach to violations of Corona rules. The march of critics of the Corona policy is "an attack on democracy" and requires "a clear signal from the rule of law", said the CDU politician "Bild". "I call for fast-track lawsuits to punish violations of Corona protections immediately and rigorously! Something like this must not happen weeks later." Woller also called for a change in federal laws in order to be able to take action against hate posts on social networks such as Telegram, which "have long since ceased to be harmless messenger services, but are platforms for hatred and agitation".

02.00 a.m.: Continued supply bottlenecks for Corona rapid tests

The North Rhine Pharmacists’ Association expects shortages of Corona rapid tests for weeks to come. "Corona tests are often in short supply. An end to the supply bottlenecks is not yet in sight", says association boss Thomas price of the newspaper" Rheinische Post". "Currently, numbers at testing sites are increasing by ten percent a week. December will be the month with the most citizen tests." The sale of self-tests also continues to increase. At the same time, there would be supply problems: The freight options from the Far East are limited, the release at customs takes a long time, he said. "Up to now, many tests have been on sale as special. These special approvals will no longer be extended. This also causes further bottlenecks."

01.00 a.m.: Physicians’ representatives call for more vaccination services on weekends

Physician representatives call for more vaccination services on weekends. "People have time on Saturday and Sunday and would also be boosted in much larger numbers if they didn’t have to queue for hours in the cold to do so", says Susanne Johna, chairwoman of the doctors’ union Marburger Bund, to the newspapers of the Funke Mediengruppe. "No expense or effort should be spared now to move the vaccination campaign forward." It is absolutely right to reach about 30 million vaccinations by Christmas, they say. But that can only succeed if the distribution of the vaccine works better, more vaccination centers are reactivated and "we also vaccinate on the weekend for all it’s worth."

00.26 o’clock: Thuringia’s Minister of the Interior: Corona protests "fundamentally worrying"

Thuringia’s Interior Minister Georg Maier (SPD) has expressed concern in light of the recent Corona protests in Thuringia, but also in Saxony. "This is fundamentally worrying", he tells the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND, Monday). The protests are "partly organized by right-wing extremists", which are sometimes downright "euphoric" be. It is "not completely inexplicable", that because of the new 2G and 3G rules, it would probably be mainly the unvaccinated who would take part in the marches. "They will now realize that life brings significant complications." One cannot simply accompany protests where masks are not worn and minimum distances are not observed. "That’s too defensive for me." One must be careful, however, that it does not come to an escalation of violence. In any case, participants would have to expect financial consequences. Thus for not wearing masks 60 euro would become due and for the renouncement of the minimum distance 100 euro. Whoever appears as an organizer of such protests could be fined several thousand euros.

00.10 a.m.: Schauble in favor of legal regulation of Corona vaccination

CDU politician Wolfgang Schauble (79) has spoken out in favor of mandatory corona vaccination. "If not everyone does it voluntarily, we need a legal regulation", said the former Bundestag president on Sunday evening in the RTL annual show "2021! People, images, emotions". "And if individuals still don’t comply, that is. That’s the way it is with laws." This does not mean, however, that a law does not make sense in principle. With the vaccination it is nevertheless "quite simple", said Schauble in conversation with moderator Gunther Jauch (65). It could protect people and improve the situation in hospitals, he said. In recent months, the 79-year-old had repeatedly spoken out in favor of the Corona vaccination, and in particular the "lateral thinkers"-Scene sharply attacked in interviews.

• To the article: Old people’s homes and hospitals: Vaccination obligation apparently starting from 16. March

00.00 o’clock: Weil brings New Year’s rest into play

Lower Saxony’s head of government Stephan Weil (SPD) wants to talk about further contact restrictions, including for vaccinated people, for the period after Christmas at the next conference of minister presidents. "It is clear that there will be numerous family contacts over Christmas. According to all experience, they will again cause a number of infections. So it’s worth considering whether to mitigate the associated infection dynamics by providing limited time off", says Weil to the newspaper "World. In the end, she said, the decision would have to depend on the evolution of the infectious event and the situation in the intensive care units.

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