BERLIN (AP) – Germany’s health minister has called on EU regulators to act quickly to recognize a corona virus vaccine and put an end to suffering on the continent, while other officials on Monday recommended that residents abandon Christmas shopping. Schools and most shops will close.
President Angela Merkel and governors of 16 German states agreed on Sunday to step up the country’s lockout process from Wednesday until January 10 to curb the rapid rise in COVID-19 cases. Merkel said the restrictions imposed in November had failed to significantly reduce the number of new infections. In recent weeks Germany has hit records of new daily infections and viral deaths.
In a late Sunday tweet, Health Minister Jens Spann, who expressed patience, said Germany, which had set up more than 400 vaccination centers and directed about 10,000 doctors and medical staff to launch mass vaccinations in early Tuesday, had been hit by a lack of regulatory approval.
This was of great concern because the vaccine, developed by German bioentech and American pharmaceutical manufacturer Pfizer, has been approved for use in the UK, US, Canada and other countries. But it is still awaiting approval from the European Pharmaceuticals Company or EMA, so it cannot be used in Germany or the 27 EU countries.
The EMA meeting on vaccines is scheduled for December 29, but Span said the agency’s evaluation and approval of the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine “should take place as soon as possible.”
“It’s about citizens’ confidence in the EU’s operational capabilities,” Span wrote. “Vaccines reduce suffering every day that we can start early and protect those who are most vulnerable.”
Span had previously said that going through EMA approval was the right path.
His ministry said Monday that it was ready to give 3 to 4 million biotech vaccines in Germany in January. In the first quarter of 2021, vaccine levels are expected to reach 11 million.
In recent weeks, hospitals across Germany have repeatedly warned that they are reaching their limits in caring for COVID-19 patients and that working in intensive care units is becoming an issue. As of Monday, 4,552 COVID-19 patients were being treated in the ICU units, 52% of whom were in the respiratory tract.
Germany’s Central Disease Control Center announced 16,362 new confirmed cases on Monday – up from about 4,000 a week earlier. Robert Koch recorded 188 new deaths, bringing the total death toll in the country to nearly 22,000.
President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Monday appealed to the Germans to support and follow the new locking measures.
“The virus still has a tight grip on us,” Steinmeier said. “The situation is dire: thousands of deaths a week and an epidemic threatens to out of control. We have no way to avoid drastic measures.”
Others urged people to avoid last-minute Christmas shopping or panic shopping.
“Like groceries, I want people to buy only what they need,” said Economy Minister Peter Altmeyer. “The sooner we bring these infections under control, the better for everyone.”
In some states, including Saxony in eastern Germany and northern Rhine-Westphalia in the west, schools are already closed or parents can keep their children at home as compulsory school attendance is eliminated.
Starting Wednesday, schools across the country will close or switch to home school; Most non-food stores will be closed, as will businesses such as the hairdresser. Restaurant pick-up will still be allowed, but no food or drink will take place on site.
With the exception of Christmas, the number of people allowed to visit the home will be restricted to five people, including children under 14. The sale of firecrackers, which are traditionally used for New Year celebrations, will also be banned, as well as public outdoor gatherings on New Year’s Day.
The governor of Saxony, Michael Gritzmer, who was particularly badly affected, told the German news agency dpa that he would not be attending the midnight mass this Christmas for the first time in his life. He asked other Christians to do the same.
“I don’t need it for my confidence. I think it’s okay if we all stop at this crucial moment,” Gretchmer said. “Joseph and Mary also owned the Holy Night.”
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The story corrects the quote in the last paragraph to “Joseph and Mary” instead of “Jesus and Mary”.
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