Find the differences: "In Germany the Covid-19 immunity passport is being studied, in Italy over 50 positives walking around the street"
(by Massimiliano D'Elia) Germany, the country where there was the number one patient on the European continent, is facing the pandemic from Covid-19 with absolute rigor by issuing few rules, followed to the letter by the population and without batting an eye. With 500 thousand tests a week they are carrying out a real mass health record. The results are there for all to see, fewer infections and fewer deaths. Now they are thinking of returning all those who have developed antibodies to a normal social life. On Friday, the death toll reported in Germany was 304 cases. Although rapidly increasing, it is still less than 759 in Great Britain, 1.696 in France, 4.934 in Spain and over 10 in Italy.
The head of the health management department of the Berlin University of Technology, Reinhard Busse, writes the Sunday Times, states that a strategy is based on the comforting results achieved, "that of tracing every positive case and mapping the whole network of its contacts. The earlier you start, the sooner you are able to monitor the spread of the disease".
Germany is carrying out around 500 thousand tests per week. They are made not only in clinics and hospitals but also in the thousands of tents scattered on the streets of the country. To the Munich TheresienwieseHome to the annual Oktoberfest beer festival, endless queues of motorists formed last week, ready to take the test. People are also encouraged to take home tests and send the kits directly to the labs.
Another measure that the German government wants to immediately implement is to track the spread of the disease, identifying all the people who have developed antibodies. A system that provides for timed repetition of tests for each individual who has overcome the disease. After several negative outcomes, the ex positives are ready to return to everyday life.
In doing so, the researchers hope, by the end of next month, to be able to evaluate the reopening of schools, other services and remove some restrictions.
Those who have been shown to have developed immunity to Covid-19 could be given some kind of immunity passport, Gerard Krause, a leading immunologist coordinating the study, told the journal Der Spiegel. The most obvious benefit of mass testing, coupled with accurate tracking and quarantine, prevents new outbreaks from forming and gives epidemiologists a more accurate picture of how far the virus is spread and how deadly it is. This method revealed an entirely German anomaly: only 0,6% of positives died compared to 7,7% in Spain and 10,6% in Italy.
However, in Germany they are aware that the storm is yet to come because before the introduction of social distancing measures, which started last weekend, the parks of Berlin and other cities were crowded, as well as bars and restaurants.
A study by the German Interior Ministry, dated last Sunday and leaked to German media, revealed that at worst, with 70% of the 83 million people infected in Germany, with 80% of potential ICU patients, there could be over a million deaths. According to the same report, infections could be adequately treated in up to one million cases. Germany, as its health system has been thought of, has normal conditions 621 intensive care beds per 100.000 inhabitants, the second highest in Europe behind little Lithuania and over 25 times higher than the beds of Great Britain. It also has an adequate and satisfactory number of fans. Germany spends more in Europe on health, numbers in hand, and has an insurance-based medical system, which provides incentives for hospitals to upgrade its facilities, including intensive care units
In Italy, however, all virologists and epidemiologists with a population not inclined to respect the rules. Only yesterday 5 thousand fines e 50 positives found regularly out and about. Yet yesterday was the first day of the entry into force of the decree law which provides for penalties ranging from 400 to 3.000 euros for those who violate the travel bans. The Minister of the Interior no longer knows how to stem the phenomenon and has decided to further strengthen the checkpoints throughout Italy also involving municipal police officers with public security functions.
Throughout Italy 183.578 citizens were checked and only 1.515 were unable to justify leaving home. The following day, Friday, there were 210.365 checks and 2.783 fines, with a percentage that remained constant. The surge came on Saturday when the detainees dropped to 203.011 but the irregulars were 4.942.
Our fellow citizens, only yesterday, attracted by the beautiful day, felt they had to ignore all the containment measures and went around safely by car, but also on foot. As many as 50 were reported, left home despite being in quarantine because they were found positive for Co-vid-19. Thursday there were even 129 patients who, without worrying about the danger caused, were on the street despite the rules providing for complete isolation.
Then to confirm the trend of all-Italian unconsciousness the data of the telephone cells: they found, in Rome alone, that a third of Romans move quietly away from their homes.