Coronavirus in Germany: Nationwide incidence rises to 25.1

The seven-day incidence continues to rise. According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) it is 25.1 – the previous day the value was 23.5, a week ago it was 18.5. The health authorities in Germany reported 4996 new corona infections to the RKI within one day. According to the new information, 14 deaths were recorded across Germany within 24 hours. A week ago there were 25 deaths. The number of people who died with or with a proven infection with Sars-CoV-2 rose to 91,817.

RKI sees certain uncertainty in the interpretation of vaccination rates

According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), there is a “certain uncertainty” when interpreting vaccination rate data. Several considerations suggested that the reports in the so-called “digital vaccination rate monitoring” (DIM) probably underestimate the vaccination rates, according to an RKI report. Especially among young and middle-aged adults, more people may have received a first vaccination than officially recorded.

The “digital vaccination rate monitoring” feeds on reports from vaccination centers, hospitals, mobile vaccination teams and now also company doctors. According to the RKI, data from resident doctors and private doctors are also included. Together they form the basis for the so-called vaccination dashboard. In addition to the DIM, there is another RKI survey called Covimo, for which vaccination rates are extrapolated based on surveys.

According to the report, there was a discrepancy between these two measurements (Covimo and DIM). In the latest Covimo survey from the end of June to mid-July among around 1,000 adults, the rate of those vaccinated at least once was “a lot higher” than in the DIM, especially in the 18 to 59 age group: while in the survey 79 Percent said they were vaccinated, according to the reporting system it was 59 percent. The authors of the report write that the actual vaccination rate is likely to be between the values ​​of both sources. “In terms of the vaccination rates for fully vaccinated people, however, there was no significant difference,” the report said. A certain amount of underreporting in such monitoring systems is also to be expected by experts.

Different explanations are given: One point is the recording of vaccinations with Johnson & Johnson, in which only one dose is provided for full protection. Contract doctors reported these immunizations only as second vaccination doses and it was not possible to assign vaccine and age group, explains the RKI. In the meantime, the DIM data indicate that the vaccination rates of adults who have been vaccinated at least once are “systematically reported too low” according to age group. The report also states that so far only about half of the company doctors registered with the reporting system have reported vaccinations via the web application. “This could be an indication of an under-reporting of vaccination rates by DIM.”

RKI experts discuss other conceivable influencing factors, such as potential distortions in the survey that could lead to an overestimation of the rate. For example, it can be assumed that people who advocate vaccinations are more likely to participate than objectors. Even people without sufficient knowledge of German would not have been able to take part in the interviews. For both aspects, however, the authors point out that there should have been a greater difference between the sources for those who were completely vaccinated.

Social association calls for free tests for carers and visitors

The president of the social association VdK, Verena Bentele, has called for exemptions from the chargeable tests for all unvaccinated employees and visitors to nursing homes after the deliberations of the federal and state governments in order to avoid infection of old and sick people. “Last year we had to watch as the residents of nursing homes died of the corona virus. And the danger is far from over,” said Bentele Rheinische Post.

“We will probably never achieve a vaccination quota of 100 percent in the nursing homes. Because there are many diseases that make vaccination impossible. The unvaccinated residents are particularly exposed to the risk of infection if we do not continue testing now,” said Bentele. Unvaccinated people who could not be vaccinated because of illness or pregnancy, for example, should be able to visit their relatives in the nursing home. “You must be able to present a current test on Sunday. Anything else would be like a ban on visits,” said the VdK President.

Compulsory testing for unvaccinated people is being expanded significantly

In the fight against a fourth wave of pandemics, the federal and state governments are increasing the pressure on those who have not been vaccinated. On Tuesday evening, Chancellor Angela Merkel presented the results of the conference with the Prime Minister. “Despite the progress in vaccination, we have an increase in the number of infections,” emphasized Merkel. It therefore needs “basic protective measures” for the population. In addition to the existing mask and distance obligations, the test obligations (“3-G rule”) will be expanded again in the future.

In order to gain access to church services, hospitals, sporting and cultural events or hotels and restaurants, anyone who has not been vaccinated or recovered must in future submit a test if the incidence is greater than 35. This should either be a rapid test that must not be older than 24 hours or a PCR test that is not more than 48 hours old.

The free citizen tests will be abolished on October 11th. Only people who cannot be vaccinated and for whom there is no general vaccination recommendation should there continue to be the option of a free antigen rapid test. This particularly includes pregnant women, children and young people under the age of 18.

The federal and state governments do not yet want to take up a politically controversial demand by the Ministry of Health: a strict “2-G rule”, which states that only vaccinated and convalescent people have access, was initially not adopted. Bavaria’s Prime Minister Markus Söder emphasized at the press conference that this measure could soon be discussed. “We will not be able to avoid a debate about 2-G in the long run.”

The Bund-Länder-Round also advocated an extension of the epidemic situation of national scope beyond September 11, 2021. However, this must be decided by the Bundestag.

In addition to the corona pandemic, the federal and state conference focused on coping with the flood disaster. As was already known from participants, the federal government is planning a 30 billion euro relief fund for flood victims. According to the draft resolution, the federal and state governments should each bear half of the costs for the reconstruction.