Amid rising COVID cases, Germany gears up to tighten rules for unvaccinated

Amid the looming danger of the fourth wave of COVID pandemic, Germany is gearing up to impose tighter restrictions on unvaccinated people in a bid to control the spread of the hyper-contagious COVID-19. In the last 24 hours, the country's disease control agency reported a seven-day incidence rate of 312 cases per 100,000 people, with several areas reporting more than 1,000. On Tuesday, as many as 265 people died due to severe complications caused by the COVID virus.

In Germany, only 70% of the population have received both doses of COVID vaccine, which is marginally lower compared to other European countries. The country is witnessing a surge in cases because of the increased communal activity and slow vaccination rate. Meanwhile, a rise in the health condition of people has escalated concern among the government and also contributed to some hospitals that are on the verge of being overcrowded. 

To curb the virus, the state of Saxony has also introduced so-called 2G rules in all non-essential shops and facilities, meaning that people can come out of their houses or visit any public venue only after they prove that they are fully vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19. Other German states, including North Rhine-Westphalia, are likely to introduce similar strict restrictions on unvaccinated people's access to public venues, including football matches and Christmas markets. Berlin is also going to follow the same suit and introduce similar COVID rules, its mayor, Michael Müller, said on Tuesday, reported The Guardian. While the city aims to resume vaccination points, which were closed across the country at the end of the summer,

Austria, which shares a border with Germany, has also imposed stringent rules for unvaccinated citizens over the age of 12 in the states of Upper Austria and Salzburg. The authorities have issued a fine of €400 for individuals found unvaccinated or breaking COVID protocols. The incidence rate in Austria is around 850 cases per 100,000 people, which is marginally higher than in Germany and other European countries.

COVID situation in Germany

According to official data, the country has registered 55,627 new cases, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 51.4 lakh, followed by 98,278 deaths. The vaccination rate is slower in the country, and the government is aiming to increase the vaccination capacity by increasing the number of vaccine centres across the country. Robert Koch the president of the Institute, Lothar Wieler, said, "The fourth wave is developing in exactly the way we feared, because not enough people have received the vaccine," reported The Guardian.

Image: AP