Call from the district leadership: "Don't do the virus any favours".

The Corona pandemic has been going on for more than a year now. Parties have been cancelled, 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 once again appeal to all people 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 lead to no result. As difficult as it is, it is now more important than ever to maintain discipline and limit the basis for the spread of the virus. "Many people are worn down by the current situation and lack perspective. A Corona fatigue is spreading - also in Waldeck-Frankenberg," say the department heads. However, they call for: "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. In the district, too, the emergence of the third wave is literally palpable: Compared to the previous week, the infection figures in Waldeck-Frankenberg have increased by almost a quarter. This is also shown by the incidence, which is currently at 111.3. The R-value, which is already above 1 nationwide and in Hesse, is also a cause for concern. It shows that the disease cannot currently be suppressed, but that it is spreading again. "As a result, we also fear a significant increase in the number of infections, also in Waldeck-Frankenberg, in the next 14 days," says Head of Health Karl-Friedrich Frese. "Not to mention what this would mean for the development of the 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 course of the disease lasts much longer," says medical officer Thomas Hetche from the district's health department, explaining the difference to the previous pathogen. "Since a large number of people become infected in a very short period of time, severe courses of the disease 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 regulations will be significantly intensified 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," Dr Reinhard Kubat continues. But this is exactly the best breeding ground for the virus. "We have to realise that we ourselves are the ones who carry the virus around. It cannot move without us. So we all have it in our own hands to change the situation. We must not do the virus any favours and also help it to 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 have to severely limit our personal contacts over the holidays as well."