COVID-19

Chancellor Angela Merkel and the heads of the federal states (Länder) after a crucial meeting on Tuesday agreed on new corona pandemic containment measures in Germany. Among them are a lockdown extension and new, stricter rules on the types of masks that must be worn in certain public places. An overview of the new measures. — Extension of the lockdown …

Hundreds of thousands of people have left Britain due to the effects of the pandemic on the economy, a new study carried out by the London’s Economic Statistics Centre of Excellence has revealed. The study said that there is an “unprecedented exodus” of workers born outside Britain. According to the authors, “It seems that much of the burden of job losses …

Our contributing editor Kester Kenn Klomegah writes on the difficulties African countries face to access coronavirus vaccines as the producers struggle to immunise their own populations and worldwide demand outstrips global production capacity —- With its large population and fragile health systems, Africa has recorded more than three million Covid-19 cases, according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and …

A survey conducted by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) in partnership with the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), has shown that a predominant majority (79% average) of respondents in Africa would take a COVID-19 vaccine if it were deemed safe and effective. Conducted between August and December 2020, the survey interviewed more …

Due to drastically increasing numbers of infections, London has declared a “state of emergency” or “major incident”. The mayor of the British capital, Sadiq Khan, wrote in a press release that the threat from the virus had reached a critical point. “One in 30 London residents currently has Covid-19. If we don’t respond immediately, our health service is at risk …

Vaccines are safe and they save lives. The rapid development of COVID-19 vaccines has people asking questions about their safety. Here is an overview of the reactions and side effects you can expect – Special Report by DW —- Millions of people worldwide are hoping for a vaccination against the coronavirus in the near future. Vaccines have been found safe …

Because of the persistently high coronavirus infection rates in the country, Germany’s state and federal governments resolved on Tuesday to extend the lockdown rules in the country. In addition to the extension of the shutdown, the latest resolution also contains an expansion of the containment measures. Accordingly, the current lockdown regulations, which have been in effect since 16 December and …

Scientists at the University of Birmingham said on Tuesday that they had developed a new COVID-19 test capable of delivering results in less than five minutes. According to the university, the new test simplifies the testing method to a single step and uses an alternative amplification method called Exponential Amplification Reaction (EXPAR). The new test can reduce testing time from …

The COVID-19 pandemic is changing every day. What is true or good advice now can rapidly become out-of-date, so it’s important to check sites that are updated regularly. Here’s a general guide for migrants and refugees in Germany by Marion MacGregor In Germany, the spread and containment of the virus and the rules of conduct can be different from state …

Yes, most coronavirus infections are mild – nevertheless, or precisely because of this, the coronavirus is so difficult to contain. Adopting an unusual communication method on such a sensitive subject, German virologist Melanie Brinkmann takes to social media to explain what makes the virus so dangerous. There have been claims, especially by conspiracy theorists, that the new coronavirus (Sars-CoV-2) is …

The number of deaths caused by the new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) infection in Germany has been rising for weeks, exceeding the 30,000 mark after the Christmas holidays. The Robert Koch Institute (RKI), Germany’s centre for disease control and prevention, announced on Monday morning that altogether 30,126 persons had died in Germany of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus infection, since …

Mass vaccination against the coronavirus begins in Germany on Sunday, 27 December. But it will take until well into next year before everyone who wants the shot actually gets it. Answers to the most important questions about the vaccination campaign. About the vaccine The vaccine is known by the brand-name Comirnaty. Jointly developed by German firm BioNTech and American pharmaceutical …

The European Commission, on Monday (21 December), authorised the use of the Covid-19 vaccine jointly developed by Pfizer and BioNTech, paving the way for member states to start vaccination programmes within the next few days. “We have granted conditional market authorisation to the vaccine produced by BioNTech and Pfizer,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a statement, …

Following the detection of a new coronavirus strain, found to have a higher transmission rate in England, at least 27 countries have banned flights and travellers from the United Kingdom. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson had on Saturday broken the news that London and Southeast England would go into restrictions Sunday. “It is with a very heavy heart, I must …

COVID-19 cases in the African region have risen steadily over the past two months, underscoring the need for reinforced public health measures to avert a surge in infections, particularly as people gather or travel for end-of-year celebrations. Since mid-October, an average of 46,000 cases per week have been recorded in the 47 countries in the World Health Organization (WHO) African …

In view of the persistently high coronavirus infection figures, Chancellor Angela Merkel and the Premiers of the 16 federal states agreed on new tough lockdown measures at an emergency meeting on Sunday. The imposition of stricter restriction rules, which will apply from 16 December until 10 January, is Germany’s latest desperate move to prevent infection rates from spinning out of …

The current rise in coronavirus infections in Germany is “worrying,” the head of the country’s disease control agency has said. The Robert Koch Institute chief warns people in Germany may face tighter lockdown restrictions. Coronavirus infections and related deaths in Germany could rise further in the coming weeks, the head of the Robert Koch Institute for infectious diseases (RKI) warned …

Although the exponential rise in new infections has been halted since the partial lockdown began in early November, the daily cases are still far too high. The partial lockdown has been as a result only a partial success, Chancellor Angela Merkel said in Berlin on Wednesday. The November measures could therefore not be relaxed yet, she added, while speaking to …

As a second wave of coronavirus infections grips Europe, with several countries reporting high levels of daily new infections and deaths, a new vaccine is fuelling hope for an imminent victory over the global pandemic. German pharmaceutical firm BioNTech and its US partner Pfizer announced on Monday the result of tests carried out on a vaccine they were jointly developing. …

New quarantine rules for people entering Germany from risk areas enters into force on 8 November. Up to now, anyone returning to Germany from a risk area has been subject to compulsory testing and quarantine. The new regulation provides for a reduction of the quarantine period from 14 to 10 days. What are the new rules? Anyone who has been …