Doctors' appeal: Only go to the clinic in urgent cases

Representatives from the health sector and the Senate have called on Berlin residents to seek medical attention or hospital emergency rooms only in urgent cases during the holidays.

This will enable the city's health care providers to help especially those people who absolutely need help immediately, according to a statement by the Berlin Hospital Association, the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KV) Berlin and the health administration on Thursday. In this way, the already heavily strained health care system, which is at its limits due to high infection rates and high sickness rates, can be relieved.

Stay at home with mild cold symptoms

Berliners were urged to wear masks and to stay at home if they have mild cold symptoms. People should also use alcohol and fireworks responsibly. In case of an acute illness, such as flu-like infections, colds or sore throats, people should consider calling the medical advice line of the KV Berlin (number: 116 117). In the case of potentially life-threatening illnesses and serious injuries, the emergency rescue service and the central emergency rooms should be used.