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The blockade in Germany is likely to be extended. This is clear from the statements of the main politicians. Some even suggest that Germans will live with restrictions until March.
The victims of COVID-19 in Germany already exceed 30,000. And the situation in hospitals remains critical: beds in intensive care units are dwindling, medical personnel are on the brink of strength. In this context, the extension of the blockade in the country is increasingly likely.
We will know more on January 5
For now, the full restrictions apply until January 10: shops are also closed (except essential items), restaurants, cafes, theaters and cinemas. Even before winter break, most of the students switched to digital learning from home. And the contacts are very limited. “I hope that on January 5, when we meet next time, we cannot accurately assess the development, and therefore we will have to extend the lockdown,” Chancellor Helge Brown said in an interview with RTL television.
Saarland Prime Minister Tobias Hans spoke similarly. According to him, “the confinement should be extended.” And Thuringian Prime Minister Bodo Ramelow has suggested that “we will have to live with restrictions until March.” When Merkel meets with the prime ministers of individual provinces on January 5, it will hardly be a matter of easing the measures, she believes. “We are all of the opinion that the blockade should be extended,” he said in an interview with the German publishing network.
Ulrike Demer, a spokeswoman for the federal government, appealed to citizens to be especially careful and “carefully enjoy” the holidays, as the number of new infections remains too high.
The immunization of the population that began after Christmas is just a small ray of hope. Health Minister Jens Spahn asks for patience. According to him, vaccine production is a complex process and cannot be increased all at once. The federal government and the manufacturers BioNTech and Pfizer are doing their best to offer new workshops in the city of Marburg in the state of Hesse. “Our goal is to open production there in February-March. This would significantly increase the amount of vaccines produced,” Span said.
Hospitals in Germany: soon out of money?
Today, December 29, the Robert Koch Institute announced that there are 12,892 new infections in the country in the last 24 hours. Therefore, since the beginning of the pandemic, the number of people tested positive has exceeded 1.66 million. The victims of Kovid-19 are 30,978.
At the same time, the German Hospital Association is sounding the alarm. “If the federal government does not increase benefits in the first quarter of 2021, many clinics will not be able to pay their employees’ salaries,” said company president Gerald Gus. Hospitals have been canceling planned operations for months, so their financial resources are very limited.
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