San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
Merkel makes final pitch for vaccinations
Outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel on Saturday made what is probably her final appeal before leaving office next week for Germans to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
Merkel gave what is expected to be her last weekly video message two days after federal and state leaders decided on a series of measures meant to break a wave of coronavirus infections. The measures include excluding unvaccinated people across the country from nonessential stores, restaurants and sports and cultural venues. In a longer-term move, parliament will consider a general vaccine mandate.
At least 68.9% of Germans are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, short of the government’s aim of a minimum 75%. The number of unvaccinated residents has been blamed as a key factor in a surge of new virus cases in recent weeks.
The national disease control center on Saturday reported 64,510 new daily cases and a sevenday infection rate of 442.7 new cases per 100,000 residents. Another 378 deaths in 24 hours brought Germany’s total in the pandemic to 102,946.
“Every one of them leaves behind families or friends, stunned, speechless and helpless,” Merkel said. “This is so bitter because it is avoidable. With the effective and safe vaccines, we have the key to this in our hands.”
She renewed a plea to Germans to take the virus seriously, adding that the new omicron variant appears to be highly contagious.
Merkel is expected to leave office on Wednesday and be replaced by Olaf Scholz of the centerleft Social Democratic Party, who is currently vice chancellor. Scholz said Saturday that his government’s “most important first task” is to “fight the corona pandemic with all the strength that we have.”
A virus testing site in Times Square serves New York City visitors on Friday. New York announced three more cases of the omicron variant Saturday, bringing the total number of state cases to eight.
public health institute said Saturday that 18 passengers who flew back to the Netherlands from South Africa just over a week ago tested positive for the omicron variant. The institute previously had said 14 tested positive for the new mutation.
critical conditions were also an all-time high.
As the delta-driven surge threatens to overwhelm hospital systems, there is also concern about the local spread of the omicron variant, which is seen as potentially more infectious than previous strains of the virus. The country’s omicron caseload is now at nine after KDCA confirmed three more cases.
Starting this week, private social gatherings of seven or more people will be banned in the densely populated capital Seoul and nearby metropolitan areas, which have been hit hardest by delta and are now running out of intensive care units.
ever, with multiple firework displays and artists performing on a dozen stages across the city. He said no decision has been made about Carnival taking place in March.
The yearly celebration on Copacabana beach has in the past gathered more than 1 million locals and tourists.
Other Brazilian cities, including Sao Paulo and Salvador, have also canceled New Year’s Eve celebrations due to fears of the omicron variant. So far, the Ministry of Health has confirmed five omicron cases in Brazil.
Commissioner Mary Bassett.
Seven of the cases have been found in New York City and one in Suffolk County. The arrival of omicron comes as hospitals statewide continue to strain under a surge in coronavirus cases, most traced to the delta variant, along with staffing shortages.
The number of people testing positive statewide each day has doubled in the last 30 days.
Gov. Kathy Hochul has authorized the Health Department to limit nonessential procedures at hospitals close to running out of beds and deployed National Guard teams to aid workers at facilities dealing with staffing issues and surging caseloads.
The variant has been detected in a handful of states so far, including California, Washington, Connecticut, Nebraska, Minnesota, Hawaii, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Utah, New Jersey, Georgia and Massachusetts.