The RKI warned that Germany is heading for a “very bad Christmas” after the federal republic set yet another daily record for COVID cases on Thursday. The grim forecast will likely steer discussions at the summit between Angela Merkel and the federal states on Thursday afternoon. 

RKI calls for restrictions after new COVID case record

Germany clocked in 65.371 new cases of coronavirus in the 24 hours to Thursday morning, a new daily record and the first time since the beginning of the pandemic that more than 60.000 infections have been registered in a single day. Exactly one week ago, the 50.000-mark was cracked for the first time. 

During an online discussion with the state premier of Saxony, Michael Kretschmer, RKI boss Lothar Wieler said that the country was seeing a “serious emergency” and that “whoever refuses to see that is making a big mistake.” 

Wieler explained that, in the past few weeks, about 0,8 percent of infected people have died. That means, of the more than 50.000 people infected per day, around 400 would die in the next few weeks. He added that the situation in hospitals is getting worse and worse. “We have never been as worried as we are now,” he said. The number of seriously ill COVID patients is increasing, and people with other serious diseases are having to wait up to two hours for an intensive care bed to become free in some places. 

Drawing a “gloomy” forecast for the coming 10 days, Wieler let his frustration with politics show. “It’s simply no longer bearable that what I, and many other colleagues, have been saying for 21 months is perhaps still not being recognised,” he said. He once again urgently appealed for new contact restrictions, the closure of bars and clubs, and for 2G rules to be introduced nationwide. 

New restrictions to be discussed at coronavirus summit

Wieler’s dire warning came ahead of Thursday’s scheduled meeting between Angela Merkel and the heads of Germany’s 16 federal states. The leaders are once again holding a coronavirus summit to discuss implementing nationwide measures to avoid a “patchwork” of uneven restrictions across the country. Incoming chancellor Olaf Scholz is also due to attend.

Open questions include the topic of 3G, 2G and 2G plus rules - and when and in which form they should take effect. A draft resolution put together ahead of the summit, seen by various media outlets, proposes implementing the 2G rule nationwide, making access to events, and leisure and cultural facilities, available only to vaccinated and recovered people. However, the majority of the SPD party is currently against this option. 

The CDU party is further calling for the state of emergency to be extended, to allow the states to react flexibly to the infection situation with far-reaching measures, including curfews and lockdowns. 

It may also be decided that these measures will only come into force once the hospitalisation rate has risen above a certain limit. The 2G plus rule (which grants access only to vaccinated and recovered people with a negative test result) may be put into motion, along with contact restrictions for unvaccinated people. 

Bundestag to vote on new COVID measures

Thursday marks a big day for pandemic discussions in Germany, as in the morning the Bundestag will also vote on the traffic light coalition’s new raft of coronavirus measures, which includes proposals such as the 3G rule on public transport, and a new work-from-home directive. 

The law is expected to be passed by the parliament on Thursday, and then receive the Federal Council’s approval on Friday.