The Omicron wave has resulted in increasing staff shortages in Berlin’s so-called critical infrastructure. On average, the failure rate among employees is around 15 percent or slightly more, said Governing Mayor Franziska Giffey (SPD) on Tuesday after a Senate meeting.
An increasing trend can be observed in the fire brigade and in medical care. The State Office for Refugee Affairs and the Neukölln District Office are most affected. Here the traffic light of the four-stage monitoring system is red – which means a critical impairment.
Critical infrastructure includes the police and fire brigade, the health sector, clinics, waterworks, energy suppliers, transport companies, but also city cleaning, food retail and the judiciary. If too many staff are absent here because of Corona, whether due to infection, as a contact person in quarantine or due to a lack of childcare, the problems of maintaining operations there increase.
With the help of a recently established monitoring system, the Senate wants to keep a close eye on developments. As Giffey explained, green is no impairment, yellow is minor impairment, orange is major impairment, and red is critical impairment.
According to Giffey, a 20 to 30 percent loss can still be easily cushioned. “Should we come to more than 30 percent failure, which is not foreseeable at the moment, then we need other measures.” As examples, she cited the restriction of offers.
also read
► Giffey defends the end of compulsory attendance at Berlin schools
► Corona incidence in Berlin rises to 1593 on Tuesday – the middle cracks the 3000 mark
The Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG) had already reacted to staff shortages among bus drivers with reductions on certain routes.
The supply and connection of all stations in the network is guaranteed, said Giffey.