Countries want corona summits, Jens Spahn for booster vaccinations for everyone

Corona vaccination

A resident of a care facility receives the third vaccination.

(Photo: dpa)

Berlin From the ranks of the prime ministers, there are increasing calls for a rapid federal-state meeting in view of the recent sharp rise in the number of corona cases. This made it necessary “that we are very focused, vigilant and act decisively when it comes to the booster vaccination issue,” said the North Rhine-Westphalian head of government and chairman of the conference of prime ministers, Hendrik Wüst, on Tuesday when the CDU leaders met for deliberations in Berlin.

The Saarland Prime Minister Tobias Hans also spoke out in favor of rapid consultations by the federal and state governments. It is important that the federal and state governments advise on the corona issue.

“We have a government that is leaving office. And we have a government that has not yet been formed. It shouldn’t be that because of this the questions about how things are going in winter go unanswered.

The factions of the parties to a possible traffic light coalition presented a plan for future pandemic policy last week. Among other things, it provides for the pandemic situation to expire at the end of November, but still allowing the countries to take measures such as hygiene rules, the mask requirement and 3G and 2G access rules. There is now concern among countries about a patchwork of measures. There is also a desire for a strategy to speed up the booster vaccinations.

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Important preparatory work could be done at the meeting of the health ministers of the federal states in Lindau at the end of this week. A draft resolution of the Federal Ministry of Health states that the third vaccination “should in principle be offered to all people who want it six months after the first series of vaccinations has been completed.”

Stricter test rules should also apply in care facilities. Employees should submit a negative test twice a week, regardless of their vaccination status. In addition, the state associations of statutory health insurance physicians and the doctors involved in the vaccination campaign are to provide information about the booster vaccination, according to the draft that is available to the Handelsblatt.

Employers demand the right to information about vaccinations

The Standing Vaccination Commission (Stiko) currently recommends booster vaccinations for people aged 70 and over and people with a weakened immune system. According to Stiko boss Thomas Mertens, the commission is considering recommending the booster vaccination for younger people – not for individual protection, but with a view to passing the virus on to the population. At the same time, Mertens reminds us that 30 percent of the 18 to 59 year old group have not yet had a vaccination.

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The draft resolution also states that the federal states should “reactivate their regional vaccination centers from stand-by mode and offer booster vaccinations” there. The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KBV), Andreas Gassen, expressed criticism of these plans. “Vaccination centers do not solve the problem,” says Gassen in Berlin. “The decentralized practice is the better setting.” The general practitioners are quite capable of the booster vaccinations in an orderly process.

Meanwhile, employer president Rainer Dulger called for a vaccination summit to take place soon. A clear and unambiguous basis for the further development of operational protection concepts is necessary, said Dulger on Tuesday in Berlin. The employer’s right to information about the vaccination or convalescence status must finally be determined by law. “If you hesitate, you risk less health protection in our companies.”

So far, only employees in daycare centers, schools and nursing homes can be asked by the employer whether they are vaccinated. The employers had already demanded the right to ask questions for all industries and companies.

Trade unions are warning of a new wave of infections in companies

Dulger continued: “Whether 2G or 3G: Each company has to decide for itself which regulations are practicable for companies. As is so often the case, the rule of practice applies: local companies know best what makes sense for their employees and the company. “

Company doctors could help to make quick progress with the booster vaccinations, the President of the Federation of German Employers’ Associations (BDA) added. This requires a reliable legal basis. Therefore, the Corona vaccination regulation must be extended at short notice beyond the end of the year. “We employers expect a clear new positioning from both the executive government and a future federal government, which gives the companies planning security.”

The union IG Metall warned of the start of a new wave of infections in companies. Board member Hans-Jürgen Urban said that the Corona Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance was linked to the epidemic situation of national scope. Should this not be extended, regulations for the protection of employees in the workplace would also be dropped. Company protective measures are often only implemented on a broad scale if there are legal obligations to do so, for example in the case of test offers by employers.

The Robert Koch Institute reported 10,813 new corona infections on Tuesday. The seven-day incidence decreased slightly to 153.7. A week ago it was 113. However, the numbers are only partially comparable because Monday was a public holiday in many parts of Germany. Experience has shown that tests are carried out less over the long weekend and less data is reported by the health authorities to the RKI.

More: Rising corona incidences: Companies are now planning with these rules

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