Shock appeal from the Minister of Health: "By the end of winter, the Germans will be vaccinated, cured or dead"

At the end of the winter "almost all Germans will be vaccinated, cured or dead".

With a shocking sentence, the Minister of Health Jens Spahn at the press conference in Berlin launches a dramatic appeal to citizens to get vaccinated. The scenario envisaged "is very likely with the Delta variant", because "people who are not vaccinated are very likely to contract Covid".

The minister reassured about the booster with Moderna, a "safe and effective vaccine", and announced that 2.4 million Pfizer doses will be available for children aged 5 to 11 from December 20, for which Ema's authorization is expected within end of month.

The pandemic situation "is not under control," doctors say. On the other hand, today, despite the drop in the weekend, there are 30,643 new infections registered by the Robert Koch Institut in 24 hours. Last Monday there were 23,607.

The weekly incidence on 100 thousand inhabitants is 386.5. The deaths were 62, the hospitalization rate in intensive care is 5.34 per 10,000 inhabitants. The federal record was 15.5 reached last December but in some regions such as Saxony, Thuringia and Bavaria, the bed occupancy rate is much higher and patients already have to transfer patients to other Laender.

The current measures "are not sufficient to face the gravity of the pandemic," said Angela Merkel speaking to the board of the CDU. "We have a situation that will surpass everything we have had so far," added the Chancellor, according to which it will not be enough even to impose restrictions on the only unvaccinated.

A generalized vaccination obligation "will not exist", at least "it will not be a decision taken by this government," said Merkel spokesman Steffen Seibert. Germany has already introduced the obligation for health professionals to come into contact with "vulnerable" people and is considering the possibility of extending it to other categories. This decision, however, will be up to the new executive, who should take office in December under the leadership of Olaf Scholz. Only 68% of the population are vaccinated with two doses in the country, and the pandemic is pressing.

(Unioneonline / L)