“The pandemic situation in Saarland is currently in clear decline. The 7-day incidence rate is currently 261 (07.11.22), which is only about 16% of the value from four weeks ago, when the incidence was 1,610 (12.10.22). The situation in hospitals has also improved significantly: the number of hospitalized COVID patients has almost halved. Whereas there were still 591 patients on October 12, the hospitals counted only 278 patients yesterday. Overall, the situation has improved significantly. This is due not least to the prudent behavior of the population, which in large part has taken the changed situation, the urgent appeal to wear masks indoors, and to increase testing seriously,” Jung emphasized during the press conference.
The decrease in occupancy among COVID intensive care patients is less pronounced, at 60% of the initial value – from 43 patients (October 12) to 26 patients (November 7). Since these patients often require long treatment durations, these figures change with a delay. In the past week, no "special situation for hospital assignments" for intensive care patients or for specialized departments such as surgery, cardiology, and pediatrics needed to be documented in the Central Statewide Treatment Capacity Monitoring (ZLB). The situation in intensive care units remains tense, especially in large hospitals, due to high occupancy rates. However, there is currently no hospital with occupancy rates of up to 150%, as reported to the ministry just four weeks ago. An improvement in staff availability is also noticeable, although absences remain significant.
“Against the backdrop of the current situation, the Ministerial Council also decided today not to extend the Corona regulation by two weeks as before, but by four weeks until December 9. Only editorial, not substantive changes were made. Therefore, there will continue to be no tightened measures in Saarland,” Jung added.
The Ministry of Health continues to call on the population of Saarland to get vaccinated in accordance with the current STIKO recommendation. The minister said: "Vaccination remains the most effective means against the virus. The adapted vaccines for the Omicron variant of the virus are available to those interested at private medical practices or until December 23rd at the two vaccination centers in Saarland. With the closure of the vaccination centers, money is actively saved that can be more meaningfully invested elsewhere. At the same time, vaccinations will once again be carried out where the individual assessment of whether and when a vaccination makes sense can be best made: by specialist and family doctors."
