Call from county leaders: "Don't do the virus any favors".

The Corona pandemic has been going on for more than a year now. Festivals have been canceled, personal meetings are only possible under certain conditions, school and work routines have been disrupted, and public and social life is at a standstill. District Administrator Dr. Reinhard Kubat and First District Councillor Karl-Friedrich Frese are once again appealing to everyone in the district not to throw in the towel now, but to stay the course.

Unfortunately, many hopes for a quick end to the pandemic have been dashed in recent months. However, this should not lead to the attitude that all efforts are useless and will not lead to any results. As difficult as it is, he said, it is now more important than ever to maintain discipline and limit the bases for the spread of the virus. "For many people, the current situation makes them weary and lacking in perspective. A Corona fatigue is spreading - also in Waldeck-Frankenberg," the department heads said. However, they call out, "We must not let up now!"

Why is this - especially now - so important? Especially due to the mutation of the pathogen, which was detected for the first time in Great Britain, the virus is currently spreading rapidly again. Also in the district the emergence of the third wave is formally noticeable: When compared to the previous week, the infection figures in Waldeck-Frankenberg have increased by almost a quarter. This is also reflected in the incidence, which currently stands at 111.3. The R-value, which is already above 1 throughout Germany and Hesse, is also a cause for concern. It shows that the disease cannot currently be pushed back, but that it is spreading further again. "As a result, we also fear a significant increase in the number of infections in Waldeck-Frankenberg in the next 14 days as well," said Health Officer Karl-Friedrich Frese. "Not to mention what this would mean for the development of infection incidence in the coming weeks."

The reason: Despite the lockdown in England, the aggressive mutation B.1.1.7 has spread rapidly within a very short time - and now also dominates the infection in Waldeck-Frankenberg. "This variant is much more contagious and the courses of the disease last much longer," says medical officer Thomas Hetche from the district's health department, explaining the difference from the previous pathogen. "Since a large number of people become infected in a very short period of time, severe courses are more frequent - and there is a risk that intensive care beds will soon be overloaded."

Compliance with the rules is therefore more important than ever. "Together with the police and the regulatory authorities of the cities and municipalities, we have therefore agreed that the monitoring of compliance with the measures will be significantly strengthened over the Easter holiday but also in the coming weeks," Karl-Friedrich Frese continues. "We don't want to bully or reprimand people. But we have the mandate to protect the health of the people in Waldeck-Frankenberg - and we take this very seriously." Even if that means having to make unpopular decisions.

"We know that many people are now annoyed and less attentive with regard to Corona," continues Dr. Reinhard Kubat. But that is precisely the very best breeding ground for the virus, he said. "We have to realize that we ourselves are the ones who carry the virus around. It cannot move without us. Thus, we all have it in our own hands to change the situation. We must not do the virus any favors and also help it spread." Therefore, he said, it is immensely important to continue to adhere to protective measures, even as Easter approaches. "Even if it's hard - myself included, by the way - we must severely limit our personal contacts, even over the holidays."