Germany: Virologists warned COVID-19 death toll to cross 100,000 if restriction eases

Thursday, November 11, 2021

One of Germany’s top virologists has warned that a further 100,000 people will die from Covid if nothing’s done to halt an aggressive fourth wave.

The case numbers have soared and Germany on Wednesday registered its highest rate of infection since the pandemic began, with almost 40,000 cases in a day.

Christian Drosten, who described a real emergency situation, said that they have to act right now.

Doctors in the intensive care Covid ward at Leipzig University Hospital warn this fourth wave could be the worst yet.

One patient here, a woman in her 20s, has just given birth. Her baby is fine, but staff says they don’t know whether she’ll survive.

This state of Saxony has the highest seven-day infection rate in Germany at 459 cases per 100,000 people. The national rate is 232.

It also has the lowest take-up of vaccine: 57% of the population here have been vaccinated.

There are 18 patients on the Covid ward. Just four were vaccinated.

By now, Prof Sehr says, most people will know someone who’s had Covid and should, therefore, be aware of the risk of infection. “Nevertheless,” he added that they are still seeing so many patients who are not vaccinated.

Germany’s health minister has publicly blamed those people for the soaring cases, describing the current situation as a “pandemic of the unvaccinated”

At the start of this week, Saxony banned unvaccinated people from bars, restaurants, public events and sport and leisure facilities. At least several other states are expected to follow suit.

Germany’s anti-vaxxers are furious. Several thousand protested last weekend in Leipzig. This is discrimination, and we want to express vehemently that we do not accept this in our society,” said Leif Hansen, who represents anti-vax “Bewegung Leipzig” (Leipzig Movement). He doesn’t trust the companies that made the vaccine or the authorities who approved it.

Sixteen million Germans over the age of 12 have not been fully vaccinated. The German government has admitted it’s unlikely to persuade many of those people now, and politicians worry that social divisions might deepen.

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