No local easing of the situation in sight Rhein-Sieg-Kreis wants to extend corona mission of the Bundeswehr
Rhein-Sieg-Kreis · There are still many corona cases in the Rhein-Sieg-Kreis, and 28 nursing homes are also affected. The crisis unit is currently preparing to open vaccination centres. There are no concrete proposals for locations yet.
District Administrator Sebastian Schuster is not confident that the seven-day incidence in the Rhein-Sieg district will fall to less than 50 new infections or even below 35 per 100,000 inhabitants, thus allowing for local relaxation. On Tuesday, the official value was 136.7. According to Ralf Thomas, head of the Covid specialist unit at the district, there are fluctuations because the number of laboratory results transmitted also fluctuates. "We are not currently behind in processing the findings," he reported.
To ensure that this remains the case, Schuster has asked the Bundeswehr to extend its support in tracking contact persons. 31 soldiers are currently working in the Situation Centre in the district hall. "We would like to keep the Bundeswehr here and have had very good experience with them," reported Schuster on Tuesday at the district's telephone press conference.
Outbreaks in day-care centres and nursing homes
There is plenty work to do. The district has recorded corona outbreaks in 126 facilities, including 24 day-care centres and 28 nursing homes. A total of 679 people were tested for Sars-CoV-2 there. According to Schuster, the number of people affected at the Haus am Eipbach in Eitorf has risen to 45, and there are now 55 people who have tested positive at the Sankt-Antonius-Haus Siegburg.
The regional council is also looking forward to the upcoming round of contact of minister-presidents on Wednesday with Chancellor Angela Merkel. However, Schuster expects that the coordinated proposal of the federal states for an extension of the partial lockdown and for family celebrations at Christmas will hold.
The District Administrator also took part in a teleconference with NRW Health Minister Karl-Josef Laumann on the planned vaccination centres. "I have once again expressed the expectation that we need a second vaccination centre in the Rhein-Sieg district," said Schuster. An inter-communal solution with the city of Bonn could also be sought.
Locations for vaccination centres are being examined
Locations for possible vaccination centres are currently being examined. It is clear that the Rhein-Sieg district will have to master the logistical task of cooling the vaccine at minus 70 degrees and will be responsible for scheduling the appointments. The Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians will then be responsible for the medical staff and the vaccinations themselves.
"We are just in the first week of considerations and are exploring various possible locations," said Schuster. The earlier search for locations for a makeshift hospital and for smear centres has already provided a good overview of properties, he said. Schuster assumes that in future, 2000 people per day will be vaccinated in a vaccination centre.
Original text: Bettina Köhl. Translation: Mareike Graepel
