In Merkel’s tumultuous exit, the fourth wave of COVID catches Germany by Reuters

By Ludwig Burger and Joseph Nasr

FRANKFURT / BERLIN (Reuters) – Once again, Germany have dropped the ball significantly.

The seemingly endless queue for shots to strengthen coronaviruses across the country, as well as for the first vaccines, is evidence of a fourth wave of COVID-19, which led the world in early response to the pandemic early last year.

Then, quick reports and measures to limit pollution, aided by an inspired political leadership, Germany suffered far fewer transmissions and deaths than Italy, Spain, France, or Britain.

But it is now among the most affected nations in Western Europe, reaching a record high of 76,000 infections on Friday and preparing for intensive care beds as serious patients prepare to fly across the country.

Many academics and clinicians blame the doubts on the vaccine. Although the decline in vaccine protection is exacerbating the emergency, about 32% of the German population has not had a vaccine against COVID-19, one of the highest rates in Western Europe.

In fact, the federal government ended funding for 430 vaccination centers in late September, when the flow of those seeking the vaccine slowed, shifting the burden to family physicians and other medical practices.

In the UK more than 24% have had a booster shot after the initial course, while in Germany the number is below 10%.

Now that general practitioners are overwhelmed by demand, Thomas Mertens, chairman of the STIKO vaccination advisory panel, said last week – before detecting a new highly contagious variant in South Africa – that most elderly people would be unlikely to receive it before December.

‘Confusion AND FRUSTRATION’

Critics have also pointed out that Germany has been in a political vacuum since the September general election.

Chancellor Angela Merkel, a former scientist praised for her quick decision to impose a blockade in early 2020 and a strong TV call to reduce social relations, is leading the duck administration by a new three-party coalition government https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/germanys -spd-greens-fdp-present-coalition-deal-wednesday-2021-11-24 is formed.

Frank Roselieb, director of the Kiel Crisis Research Institute, said a “gap” in Merkel’s communication was that she had already announced her retirement and traveled abroad as intensive care units filled, leading to widespread public complacency.

“Communication on the pandemic was left in the hands of dependent and health experts with less reach and impact than the chancellor,” he said.

To add to the break, Health Minister Jens Spahn said this month that he would give priority to 16 federal states. Modern (NASDAQ 🙂 The promoters were approaching the expiration date on the BioNTech / Pfizer shot.

Spahn hailed Moderna as a “Rolls-Royce (OTC :)” vaccine to overcome the Germans ’fondness for home-made BioNTech.

But family doctors had to change procedures, and Verena Bentele, president of the VdK welfare association, said questionable recipients would be unlikely to be reassured by receiving the soon-to-be-expired vaccine:

“The management of the pandemic has been marked by unclear communication, which has led to confusion and frustration.”

Sustaining the crisis will now be the first priority for the SPD center-left Social Democrats for the incoming government led by the Greens and the pro-business Free Democrats.

Although they have not yet been sworn in, the parties have been criticized this month for failing to use a parliamentary majority to stop the expiration of emergency laws that allow the federal government to order local blockades.

SPD Chancellor Olaf Scholz has vowed to speed up vaccinations and has not ruled out being mandatory.