Pandemic: Lauterbach's Corona appeal for caution in the fall

In view of the increasing number of corona infections, Federal Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach appealed to everyone to be cautious in autumn and urged the federal states to introduce more mask requirements.

Pandemic: Lauterbach's Corona appeal for caution in the fall

In view of the increasing number of corona infections, Federal Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach appealed to everyone to be cautious in autumn and urged the federal states to introduce more mask requirements. "It is in our own hands whether this major crisis will once again have the importance it had," said the SPD politician on Friday in Berlin. The federal government is also launching a campaign under the motto "I protect myself", which is intended to promote more vaccinations and mutual consideration. According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), the recent sharp increase in the number of infections has also led to more corona outbreaks in nursing homes and medical facilities.

Lauterbach said an autumn wave had started as expected. "The direction in which we are headed is not good," he explained, with a view to the increasing numbers of infections, deaths and burdens in clinics. The RKI now gave the seven-day incidence as 760.1 - after 793.8 reported new infections per 100,000 inhabitants in seven days the day before and 577.5 a week ago. Regionally, the range currently ranges from 281.1 in Hamburg to 1461.5 in Saarland.

However, experts assume that there are many unrecorded cases – mainly because many infected people no longer do a PCR test and are therefore not included in the statistics. Late registrations and transmission problems can lead to distortions of daily values. Lauterbach explained that there is a “considerable number of unreported cases”, so that the total number of new cases every day is probably three to four times as high as reported.

Lauterbach does not want a "fear campaign"

The new Corona campaign is intended to promote vaccinations, but also for consideration and masks. It is "not a fear campaign," said the minister. "It's about us sticking together as a community." From this Saturday onwards, one of a total of 84 "real people" will be shown every day, reporting on their fate and reasons for protecting themselves. It is also about longer health problems after infections (Long Covid). Publications in all media are planned. Lauterbach stated the costs at 32.7 million euros, which corresponds to around 40 cents per German citizen.

The campaign should serve to come together and become aware of the situation. "This is a campfire for the reasonable, where we come together in bad weather and cold," said Lauterbach. The campaign was developed in cooperation with the Brinkert Lück advertising agency. She also worked for the SPD in the federal election campaign. Lauterbach made it clear that with more developed vaccines, medicines for infected people and more precise data, the instruments for pandemic control in autumn and winter are available.

The sooner the better

He again urged the countries to tackle indoor mask requirements in a critical situation, which is legally possible. "Now really is the time." And you know from the pandemic that the sooner you step on the brakes, the better. "Therefore, it would make more sense to work now with minor restrictions than to react late with very drastic restrictions." Lauterbach added that in view of the critical corona situation after the Oktoberfest, he saw Munich and Bavaria as having a special obligation to think about what to do with the mask requirement.

The minister criticized "playing down" in discussions about deaths in connection with corona infections. Whether someone died “with” or “from” Corona is sometimes incorrectly assessed. "If I die with Corona, it may still be the case that I would not have died without the Corona infection," he explained. "A lot of people can't figure that out. They then think that dying with Corona means they would have died anyway."

The RKI warned in its weekly report that the infection pressure will increase again significantly in autumn. This not only affects Covid-19 but also other acute respiratory diseases. With a view to Corona, there were 413 acute outbreaks in old people's and nursing homes in the past week (previous week: 301), in medical facilities such as clinics 220 (previous week: 155). "These developments can be interpreted as a direct result of the strong spread in recent weeks." Vaccination is the best prevention against severe corona disease, the institute confirmed.

Ministry of Health on the new Corona campaign

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