“Germany is in a really serious situation. The situation is dramatic. “It’s time to dump her and move on.” Once again, he called on the undecided to get vaccinated against Covid-19, stressing that “we would be better off if the vaccination gap were not so great.”
After many hours of consultation, the federation and the states decided tonight, among other things, the compulsory vaccination of the employees in hospitals, nursing homes and patient rehabilitation centers, who will also receive an emergency allowance in recognition of their offer. “I think this is the right thing to do,” said Chancellor Olaf Soltz.
On the other hand, as Mrs Merkel had made clear, the number of hospital admissions is now linked to the measures a state government can take: if there are three admissions per 100,000 inhabitants in seven days, a general 2G rule applies to restricting access to sites and services only to those who have been vaccinated against or recovered from Covid-19. If the admissions reach six, then the 2G + Rule is applied, where both the vaccinated and the recovered are subjected to a diagnostic test. Contact restrictions will be imposed when the index reaches nine entries. Indicatively, this index was today, according to the Robert Koch Institute, at 5.3 for the whole country. Imports in Bavaria are at the highest level, with 8.65 per 100,000 inhabitants within seven days, while below 3 is the index only in Hamburg, Lower Saxony, Saarland and Schleswig-Holstein.
The attendance at the workplace will be done with the 3G Rule, as it will be allowed with the presentation of a recent negative test and the employers will be obliged to record the condition of all their employees on a daily basis. “Everyone should put a little back,” said Mr. Soltz, and he also asked the citizens to be vaccinated. Employers, on the other hand, now claim the right not to pay the wage if an employee refuses to let them know if they have been vaccinated, recovered or have a diagnostic test.
The companies affected by the restrictions were decided to continue receiving financial support from the state until March 22, 2022, while special measures will be taken to support the self-employed and workers in the arts. State aid was scheduled to stop at the end of this year.
“The list (of measures) is not enough,” said the caretaker Chancellor, who reiterated the importance of vaccination. “It’s not too late, even now,” he said in a dramatic tone, with the goal of boosting 27 million boosters by Christmas. So far, 4.8 million people have received the extra vaccination. To simplify and speed up the process, Angela Merkel suggested that citizens be vaccinated in pharmacies and not only in special centers and surgeries of family doctors. The problem, as Chancellor Helge Braun admitted today, is that staff at vaccination centers are no longer sufficient to meet current needs, and doctors are unable to meet demand.
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