Health Minister Johannes Rauch (Greens) expects the current increase in new corona infections to continue. They are now going “to 10,000, 15,000 new infections per day”, but that was to be expected, he said on Wednesday. However, the cabinet will not impose any new measures this week, but will continue to assume “personal responsibility”. If there is a further increase – which is expected – reintroduction of the mask obligation is possible.
It is relatively clear to Rauch that the daily new infections will continue to rise, as he made clear to the “Doorstep” before the meeting of the Council of Ministers: the 10,000 or 15,000 “will not be the peak”, according to the health minister. How far the infection numbers could rise in this wave is “open”, he does not dare to say.
However, no new steps are currently indicated: “We will not impose any new measures today,” Rauch said. “Because the situation in the hospitals is such that we have not noticed a dramatic change. We continue to rely on people wearing masks on their own responsibility where this is particularly appropriate” – for example indoors.
Mask for Comeback
For the head of department, however, a comeback of the mask requirement is possible – provided the number of infections increases further and the experts in his company make a corresponding recommendation. The obligation was abolished in a situation “where it was best possible”. But he then said it would be observed.
In any case, after the summer, the minister expects this measure to be reintroduced fairly quickly: “In the autumn we can assume that we will have the mask back,” he said. “We assume that we can expect even more waves in the autumn and winter – all over Europe.”
Out of crisis mode, to living with Covid
Rauch wants to avoid further drastic measures such as lockdowns. “It’s about getting into a way of living with the virus after two years of pandemic, which also means getting out of a crisis mode a bit.” Nevertheless, it must be ensured that “vulnerable people are protected, but at least in such a way that living with Covid is possible.” The current variant BA.4/BA.5 would make this technically possible.
After two years of the pandemic, people had to accept “collateral damage”, as the number of suicides had risen. “For me it’s also about not just defining health as the absence of Covid – but how are the people, the children doing.” Business management will therefore be conducted “that is mainly based on personal responsibility, on own responsibility”.
For the autumn, Rauch expects the BA.4/BA.5 variants to remain dominant, “it is more manageable”. While not “everything will be easy”, neither is it a highly contagious variant. You can trade with mask requirements and other settings. “But not with lockdowns and exit restrictions – I don’t see them at the moment,” he stressed again. But in the course of the pandemic, you had learned not to rule anything out, he noted at the same time.
Promote vaccinations again
In any case, the minister continues to rely on vaccination: “We are preparing to have as many people as possible receive a booster vaccination in August or September.” The “good news” is that you can get good protection against serious illness set up in as little as a week, Rauch said. A corresponding vaccination campaign is planned in the companies, the employees’ associations, in doctors’ offices, health institutions and “up to and including the municipalities and clubs”.
Source: Krone
I’m an experienced news author and editor based in New York City. I specialize in covering healthcare news stories for Today Times Live, helping to keep readers informed on the latest developments related to the industry. I have a deep understanding of medical topics, including emerging treatments and drugs, the changing laws that regulate healthcare providers, and other matters that affect public health.
