The German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, called on all non-immunized citizens to get vaccinated as soon as possible, while infections in the country are on the rise. In her weekly poadcast, she said: “Let’s stick together, if we think about protecting and caring for others, we can save our country this winter. There are very difficult weeks ahead of us,” the Chancellor warned.
Berlin is preparing to mobilize up to 12,000 soldiers until Christmas to help manage the Covid-19 emergency, according to the German magazine Der Spiegel: 630 units are already working with vaccines and tests. Following the peak of infections, Germany will step backwards: the costs will again be borne by the state.
Merkel expressed concern about the high number of ICU patients and the growing number of deaths, especially in regions with low vaccination rates. “Think about it,” he said, addressing those who have not been vaccinated. “We just need to do it and do it fast,” he added. Children under 12, who cannot yet be vaccinated in Germany, are among the most affected groups. The head of the German Association of Teachers warned Saturday that local health offices are struggling to keep many outbreaks in schools across the country under control. “The reality is that we are already on the verge of losing control in some hot spots,” Heinz-Peter Meidinger told the weekly. World on sunday. “We no longer know how to contain outbreaks in schools,” he added. Also today, the government has started offering free rapid tests for Covid-19 again. They had been eliminated a month ago in an attempt to get more people to get vaccinated.
Switzerland, the priest No Vax forced to halve service (and to pay a replacement)
by Franco Zantonelli
Austria, record of infections. “The situation is very serious”
“The situation of the pandemic in Austria is serious, very serious”. It is the appeal of the President of the Republic of Austria, Alexander Van der Bellen, addressing the government and the governors of individual Laender next to decide on a lockdown for unvaccinated people. The measure is likely to kick in on Wednesday the 17th. “Listen to the advice of our experts, take their suggestions seriously, please act now, please act clearly,” added Van der Bellen. Today the ministries of the interior and health communicated 13,152 new cases of coronavirus, a new record since the beginning of the pandemic.
Greece, new restrictions
Athens brought a presence in supermarkets to one person per 9m2. From 25 October the entrance was allowed to 1 for 2 square meters. The reintroduction comes after it was deemed impossible to require unvaccinated clients to show evidence of a negative rapid test. The Minister of Development, Adonis Georgiadis, on Friday he said: “There are problems … Some of our fellow citizens are not available to take the test and we cannot deny them access to basic necessities”.
Protests in the Netherlands
In The Hague, there were protests with water cannons fired on protesters by the police, after the announcement of the premier Mark Rutte of new restrictions for the increase of infections. People who took to the streets threw stones and fireworks and erected barricades. The Dutch restrictions, which include at least three weeks of Covid restrictions on restaurants, shops and sporting events, are the first partial freeze of winter in Western Europe. From Saturday bars, restaurants, cafes and supermarkets will have to close at 8pm for the next three weeks, while shops classified as non-essential will have to close at 6pm.
The partial lockdown is back in Holland, in Austria only for the No Vax: Covid scares Europe. “Very worrying situation in 10 countries”
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