Germany moved to toughen restrictions for unvaccinated people on Thursday to tackle a rising wave of coronavirus infections.
Chancellor Angela Merkel said the steps would not have been necessary if more people were vaccinated.
She said Germany was in a “very dramatic” situation which could put severe strain on hospitals if infections are not brought under control.
Under rules agreed upon by Ms Merkel and Germany's 16 state leaders, regions will have to limit events to vaccinated and recovered people once pressure on hospitals reaches a certain level.
If the situation becomes more extreme, even vaccinated people will need a negative test. The talks came after a record of 65,371 daily cases was announced on Thursday.
“The situation is very dramatic and it will now depend on fast and systematic action,” said the chancellor.
“Many of the measures that now have to be taken would not have been necessary if more people were vaccinated.”
About two thirds of the population is fully vaccinated. Booster shots are being recommended for all adults whose second dose was more than five months ago.
Politicians have been warned of a growing strain on hospitals, driven by unvaccinated people falling ill with Covid-19, leading to long waits for people with other emergency needs.
The national response is complicated by the fact that Ms Merkel's government is in a caretaker role and will leave office as soon as a new coalition is formed, which could be within weeks.
Separately, the new majority in Parliament passed an amended infection control law on Thursday which mandates health checks in workplaces and on public transport.
But Ms Merkel's Christian Democrats, who are expected to go into opposition, regard the measures as insufficient. A state of emergency was allowed to expire under the new law and with it the power to take the furthest-reaching measures.
“The hardest weeks of the pandemic are ahead of us,” said the party's parliamentary leader Ralph Brinkhaus. “It would be a disastrous political signal to say now that things aren't so bad.”
Ms Merkel's probable successor, current Finance Minister Olaf Scholz of the centre-left Social Democrats, said pressure was growing on intensive care wards.
“The most important thing is that people who are not yet vaccinated get themselves vaccinated,” he said. “My appeal is that everyone pulls themselves together and makes the decision for themselves, for their loved ones and their families.”
Infections have shot up in recent weeks, particularly among unvaccinated people, with southern and eastern Germany the hardest hit.
The district of Meissen, near Dresden, reported almost 1,305 new cases for every 100,000 inhabitants in the past week.
The state of Saxony, where Meissen is located, plans to introduce new social distancing rules and require people to show vaccine passports or recovery certificates to enter most shops.
Saxony has the lowest vaccination rate in Germany, with 57.6 per cent of the population fully inoculated compared to the national average of 67.7 per cent.
Lothar Wieler, the head of Germany's public health agency, sounded the alarm over 15 million unvaccinated adults who make up a disproportionate share of those in hospital.
The agency's most recent figures showed hospital admission rates about five or six times higher among unvaccinated people.
He called for tougher restrictions to shut unvaccinated people out of crowded places. Neighbouring Austria, where about one in 100 people are testing positive every week, this week imposed a lockdown for unvaccinated people.
“We can’t always give unvaccinated people the chance to live their lives in the same way through a test,” Mr Wieler said.
Mr Wieler added that the strain on hospitals meant medical workers were searching for up to two hours for a bed where stroke or heart attack patients could be treated.
He said the high number of virus cases meant that hundreds more people were already doomed to die of Covid-19.
“We can’t change that anymore,” he said. “These people are infected. Even with the best medical care, hundreds of those people will die.”
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
From Europe to the Middle East, economic success brings wealth - and lifestyle diseases
A rise in obesity figures and the need for more public spending is a familiar trend in the developing world as western lifestyles are adopted.
One in five deaths around the world is now caused by bad diet, with obesity the fastest growing global risk. A high body mass index is also the top cause of metabolic diseases relating to death and disability in Kuwait, Qatar and Oman – and second on the list in Bahrain.
In Britain, heart disease, lung cancer and Alzheimer’s remain among the leading causes of death, and people there are spending more time suffering from health problems.
The UK is expected to spend $421.4 billion on healthcare by 2040, up from $239.3 billion in 2014.
And development assistance for health is talking about the financial aid given to governments to support social, environmental development of developing countries.
21 Lessons for the 21st Century
Yuval Noah Harari, Jonathan Cape
The Vile
Starring: Bdoor Mohammad, Jasem Alkharraz, Iman Tarik, Sarah Taibah
Director: Majid Al Ansari
Rating: 4/5
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The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
The biog
Name: Sarah Al Senaani
Age: 35
Martial status: Married with three children - aged 8, 6 and 2
Education: Masters of arts in cultural communication and tourism
Favourite movie: Captain Corelli’s Mandolin
Favourite hobbies: Art and horseback ridding
Occupation: Communication specialist at a government agency and the owner of Atelier
Favourite cuisine: Definitely Emirati - harees is my favourite dish
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
What is cyberbullying?
Cyberbullying or online bullying could take many forms such as sending unkind or rude messages to someone, socially isolating people from groups, sharing embarrassing pictures of them, or spreading rumors about them.
Cyberbullying can take place on various platforms such as messages, on social media, on group chats, or games.
Parents should watch out for behavioural changes in their children.
When children are being bullied they they may be feel embarrassed and isolated, so parents should watch out for signs of signs of depression and anxiety
The years Ramadan fell in May
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Sri Lanka-India Test series schedule
- 1st Test India won by 304 runs at Galle
- 2nd Test India won by innings and 53 runs at Colombo
- 3rd Test August 12-16 at Pallekele
Info
What: 11th edition of the Mubadala World Tennis Championship
When: December 27-29, 2018
Confirmed: men: Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Kevin Anderson, Dominic Thiem, Hyeon Chung, Karen Khachanov; women: Venus Williams
Tickets: www.ticketmaster.ae, Virgin megastores or call 800 86 823
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Explainer: Tanween Design Programme
Non-profit arts studio Tashkeel launched this annual initiative with the intention of supporting budding designers in the UAE. This year, three talents were chosen from hundreds of applicants to be a part of the sixth creative development programme. These are architect Abdulla Al Mulla, interior designer Lana El Samman and graphic designer Yara Habib.
The trio have been guided by experts from the industry over the course of nine months, as they developed their own products that merge their unique styles with traditional elements of Emirati design. This includes laboratory sessions, experimental and collaborative practice, investigation of new business models and evaluation.
It is led by British contemporary design project specialist Helen Voce and mentor Kevin Badni, and offers participants access to experts from across the world, including the likes of UK designer Gareth Neal and multidisciplinary designer and entrepreneur, Sheikh Salem Al Qassimi.
The final pieces are being revealed in a worldwide limited-edition release on the first day of Downtown Designs at Dubai Design Week 2019. Tashkeel will be at stand E31 at the exhibition.
Lisa Ball-Lechgar, deputy director of Tashkeel, said: “The diversity and calibre of the applicants this year … is reflective of the dynamic change that the UAE art and design industry is witnessing, with young creators resolute in making their bold design ideas a reality.”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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