Only recently did Andreas Gassen, head of medicine, come under harsh criticism for his call to end the obligation to isolate people who are corona positive – above all from Karl Lauterbach. Other European countries have long since taken this step towards normality – now Austria is following.
The summer wave is rolling, also in the neighboring countries. While the nationwide incidence in Germany is over 600 cases per 100,000 inhabitants according to official figures from the Robert Koch Institute, it is sometimes significantly higher in neighboring countries. In Austria, for example, it is currently well over 800.
Despite all this, the small neighboring country decided to take a step that is also being called for by some in Germany: From August 1st, the government in Vienna wants to abolish the obligation to isolate people infected with corona. This means that anyone who is infected can move freely, but must wear an FFP2 mask – except outdoors and when the distance to other people is at least two meters.
Only those who are ill should stay at home, Health Minister Johannes Rauch appealed to the citizens. “We are now making traffic restrictions instead of mandatory quarantine,” he said in Vienna. Rauch spoke of a “new phase of the pandemic” in which it could be fought with vaccinations and medication.
However, there is still an obligation to report in order to keep an overview of the course of the disease. Rauch referred to international role models such as Denmark, Norway and Great Britain. The quarantine there has been abolished for months without major consequences.
Austria is thus taking another step towards normality, which other countries in Europe have long since taken.
In Germany, relaxing the isolation rules seems unthinkable. When KVB boss Andreas Gassen called for the isolation requirement to be lifted just a few days ago, an outcry went through the country. Above all, Karl Lauterbach vehemently rejects this. “Infected people have to stay at home. Otherwise, not only will the number of cases increase even more, but the workplace itself will become a safety risk,” wrote the Federal Minister of Health on Twitter on Saturday.
Self-test antigen test for SARS-CoV-2
Gassen also demanded that Covid sufferers stay at home: “Anyone who is sick stays at home. Anyone who feels healthy goes to work. That’s how we do it with other infectious diseases like the flu,” Gassen told the Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung. “We have to get back to normal,” said Gassen.
The background to his request is the staff shortages in clinics and elsewhere, which are caused by the fact that, according to the current regulation, those who have tested positive have to stay at home for several days even without symptoms. With a relaxation, on the other hand, the shortage of staff could be alleviated in many places.
Gassen received support for his claim not only from the FDP, but also from virologist Klaus Stöhr. For months he has been advocating that Corona be treated like any other disease. At the beginning of the pandemic, the strict quarantine rules made sense, but the situation is currently relaxed despite the summer wave, he told WDR. There is therefore no reason to treat corona cases differently than other respiratory diseases.
“The corona virus circulates freely in the population,” Stöhr continues. The number of unreported infections is so high that the spread of the virus can no longer be contained by government measures.
Nevertheless, many experts in Germany do not share this opinion. The epidemiologist Timo Ulrichs also considers Gassen’s proposal to be dangerous: “Mr. Gassen’s demand is negligent, and in a few weeks other measures will have to be taken in addition to isolation in order to control the summer wave and to prepare as best as possible for the expected autumn wave,” says Ulrichs when asked by FOCUS online.
In view of the current epidemiological situation, abolishing the isolation would not only send the wrong signal to the population, but also a very practical decision that opened the door to the virus, Ulrichs continues. “That would put us in an even worse position for the autumn and winter season than we already are.” The purpose of the isolation is to inhibit the transmission of the virus. It has already been reduced to a minimum. “The current isolation period should definitely be maintained so that we can at least control the spread of the virus to some extent in this way,” recommends Ulrichs.
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The board of directors of the German Foundation for Patient Protection, Eugen Brysch, was also outraged by this proposal and accused Gassen of “opportunism”. “The isolation protects. Because this prevents others from getting infected. ”He referred to long and post-Covid – i.e. complaints after at least four and at least twelve weeks after the infection.
