COVID: Germany to offer booster shots for all

All people in Germany will eventually be offered a booster shot of a COVID-19 vaccine six months after receiving their previous injection, German Health Minister Jens Spahn said on Friday.

The measure had been agreed with regional health ministers, Spahn said.

“This should become the norm, not the exception,” Spahn added.

Spahn delivered the message as Germany hit its highest infection rate since the start of the pandemic for the second day running.

Key points from Spahn’s speech

He said that the fourth coronavirus wave has hit Germany “with full force.”

There were already regions in Germany where COVID-19 patients have been transferred to different hospitals due to full intensive care units, Spahn added.

He urged German citizens to get vaccinated and observe safety regulations. 

Spahn also set his sights on people who lied about or downplayed the virus, saying that anyone “who says the virus is not that bad, is hesitant or uncertain about getting vaccinated as well as anyone who believes that they are young, healthy, invulnerable should speak to health staff, particularly those in intensive care stations.”

What’s the latest COVID situation in Germany?

The country’s Robert Koch Institute for infectious diseases on Friday reported 37,120 new coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours. This set an all-time high, surpassing the record set the previous day.

Germany’s seven-day coronavirus incidence is now at 169.9 cases per 100,000 people, up from 154.5 on Thursday.

For those people who were not yet fully vaccinated, the RKI increased its risk rating from “high” to “very high” on Friday.

Hospitalizations with the virus in a seven-day period rose to 3.73 on Thursday, up from 3.62 on Wednesday. The figure, which varies widely by region, is seen as key to deciding on measures to contain the virus and to ease pressure on the health services.

kmm/rt (dpa, Reuters)

Article source: https://www.dw.com/en/covid-germany-to-offer-booster-shots-for-all/a-59732676?maca=en-rss-en-ger-1023-xml-atom