In the coming months, “everyone who is not vaccinated is likely to become infected,” warns Andreas Gassen, president of the Association of Medical Insurance Funds (KBV), and urges citizens to get vaccinated even now. At the same time, according to the Robert Koch Institute, only 0.26% of those vaccinated have end-symptoms of Covid-19.
With the case rate per 100,000 inhabitants in seven days now at 213.7, a record high since the beginning of the pandemic, the public debate on measures to be taken in the face of winter is escalating in Germany. Overall, the number of new cases increased by 61% compared to the previous week, with the “champion” region of Mizbach, Bavaria, where the index reached 868.4. At the same time, however, the hospitalization rate remains lower compared to December 2020, with experts expressing fears of the risk of doubling in the coming days. “In the coming months we will experience a situation where everyone who is not vaccinated is more likely to become infected,” Andreas Gassen, president of the Association of Insurance Fund Doctors, told BILD. Infectious disease specialist Peter Kemser, from the University of Tübingen, cites as a possible explanation for the increase in cases on the one hand the very high transmissibility of the “Delta” strain and on the other hand the relaxation of measures and the return to more normal behaviors in everyday life. “A year ago the restrictions were much stricter,” he said.
Vaccines, however, according to the Robert Koch Institute, seem to have a very small share in this increase. According to the institute’s weekly report, 145,185 possible infections were identified last week despite vaccination. “It simply came to our notice then. “However, it is not surprising that more and more cases will be found among those vaccinated,” explains Robert Koch. “The higher the vaccination rate, the proportionally more vaccinated people will be among the cases. “Their number also depends on the number of active cases that are circulating – the more of them there are, the greater the chance that a vaccinated person will be infected,” the scientific institute concludes. However, the total numbers are clear: In Germany, 55.8 million people are considered fully vaccinated and 145,185 cases have been reported among them. Only 0.26% of those vaccinated show final symptoms of Covid-19 if they become infected with the coronavirus, the report said.
In addition, for the age group 18-59 years, the index of new cases for the unvaccinated was on October 25 at 107.1, while for the vaccinated at 32.6. In those over 60, the number of unvaccinated cases per 100,000 inhabitants for seven days was 51.4 and only 17.5 cases were vaccinated.
The percentage of vaccinated, however, remains stagnant in recent weeks, at 67%. According to the Robert Koch Institute, the number of vaccinations has not increased for weeks, with the situation being described as “worrying”. As long as a third of the population remains unvaccinated, the incidence will increase, the institute explains. Currently 12 million people aged 18-59 and 4 million people over the age of 60 have not been vaccinated, while there are 2.6 million adolescents and young people aged 12-17 who have not been vaccinated, and 9.2 million people. 0-12 years for which there is no vaccination offer anyway. “Children can certainly transmit the virus. However, the consequence should not necessarily be that they should be vaccinated, as they usually show no symptoms or only mild. However, it is more important to vaccinate adults and especially the elderly, who are at serious risk of becoming very seriously ill “, Mr. Kremser points out and emphasizes that there is no reason to impose stricter measures for those who are vaccinated or get sick. “Compulsory vaccination is of course difficult. But we can see from Austria that the 2G Rule (for access to sites and activities only to vaccinated and sick people) can motivate many to be vaccinated so that we can finally bring the pandemic under control. “It is not possible for us all to suffer because a part of the population rejects the vaccination”, says the German infectious disease specialist.
In the same vein, the President of the World Medical Association, Frank-Ulrich Montgomery, spoke of “tyranny of the unvaccinated” and called on the government not to categorically reject a possible vaccination obligation, citing the example of Austria, which implements the 2G Rule at national level and there is already a large increase in interest in vaccination.
“We have two viruses in the country, the coronavirus and the vaccine deniers,” said Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Zender, whose state also applies the 2G rule, adding those who have a negative molecular test. Mr Zender called for the general application of similar rules throughout the country, saying that where applicable, the vaccination rate also increases. The president of the Medical Association, Klaus Reinhart, told the RND Network that “there is no other way, access to restaurants, cinemas and museums should be allowed only to the vaccinated and the sick”, noting that these restrictions lead to more vaccinations. He even suggests the obligation to perform a diagnostic test even for the vaccinated, when it comes to high-risk activity, such as visiting a club.
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