Eased quarantine has helped prevent an exponential increase in the number of infected, but it is not enough to reduce the number of infected. The federal government’s goal was to bring the numbers down to 50 per 100,000 people per week. However, the incidence rate in Germany in seven days is almost three times higher than this indicator, being currently at the level of 149.5. According to government figures, Germany has an average of 51.6 infections per 100,000 inhabitants. This exceeded the essential risk value of 50.1. On Saturday, the seven-day incidence was 48.9.
Schleswig-Holstein, where the situation was relatively calm, is now also declared a risk zone. According to the state government, there are on average 51.6 infected people per 100,000 inhabitants. On Saturday, the seven-day incidence was 48.9 more.
If the number of infections does not constantly decrease, rushing towards a given goal, more radical restrictions may be introduced after Christmas. “If the incidence rate in a week exceeds 200, it will be necessary to strengthen the quarantine for several weeks,” said the president of the German Association of Cities Burkhard Jung. “Otherwise, we will not be able to bring the pandemic under control.” Jung does not rule out further restrictions in the post-Christmas period, but he recommends introducing them not throughout the country, but locally, depending on the situation on the ground.
The German Association of Cities and Municipalities has been warning for several days about the risk of a planned easing of quarantine measures against coronavirus planned for Christmas and New Year. Easing restrictions will inevitably lead to more contacts and additional travel, increasing the risk of a sharp rise in the number of people infected. However, representatives of the association do not advise making a hasty decision, but recommend waiting to see how the situation will develop in the next week and a half.
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