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northOh, more than eight hours was done, at least for now. Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) and the prime ministers have finished their deliberations. “We are in a phase of the pandemic that is serious,” Merkel said later in front of the press. Germany is already in an exponential phase where infections are increasing rapidly. He stressed the goal of the federal and state governments to prevent the uncontrolled spread of the corona virus in Germany. You are at a crucial point.
The question is whether the measures were sufficient or not. He appealed to citizens, in this “decisive and critical phase”, to all come together and follow the rules. “We don’t have to give in to the virus somehow, we can fight the virus.” It is important to reduce the number of contacts. “In fact, we are much closer to the second blockade than we want to admit,” Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder said at the press conference with Merkel. It was “maybe not five to twelve anymore, but twelve” to avoid it. Otherwise, the economy and society are threatened with “extremely serious damage”. Söder also said: “There is an incredible amount at stake and we need staying power,” says Söder. “But it is not about an eternity.”
With regard to the uncontrollable spread of the corona pandemic with unpredictable consequences for citizens and the economy, the federal and state governments are tightening countermeasures at critical points. Merkel and the prime minister agreed on Wednesday uniform rules for cities and regions with high numbers of infections. These include an expansion of the mask requirement, a limitation on the number of guests at private celebrations, contact restrictions in public spaces, and a curfew for restaurants.
During the summit, Merkel was unhappy with the resolutions and massively criticized them. “The announcements from us are not harsh enough to prevent us from disaster,” said the CDU politician, according to the consensus of the participants Wednesday night during the meeting.
With the measures now in place, the federal and state governments would be back here in two weeks. “What we are doing here is simply not enough.” The basic frame of mind is that all countries are looking for a little loophole. “That’s what worries me. And the list of health authorities that do not do it is getting longer ”. At the press conference, Merkel was no less clear and said: “We will see if that was enough today,” she said. “That is why my unease has not gone away today.”
Specifically, the Chancellor and Prime Ministers agreed to these resolutions:
Mask requirement
In cities and regions with rapidly increasing crown numbers, the mask requirement will be expanded. Out of 35 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants in seven days, it should also apply where people are closer or longer.
Private celebrations
In regions with rapidly increasing crown numbers, private celebrations will generally be limited to a maximum of ten participants and two households in the future. The limit applies to more than 50 new infections per 100,000 residents within seven days.
Contact restrictions
If new infections exceed the value of 50, in the future only a maximum of ten people will be allowed to gather in public spaces. If the new measures do not stop the increase, it will be reduced to five people or the members of two households.
Curfew
Also with 50 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants in seven days, a curfew will be imposed at 11 pm for the restaurant sector. Bars and clubs will be closed.
Accommodation bans
Accommodation bans for tourists from risk areas within Germany were the most controversial before the consultations. The federal and state governments also did not reach an agreement in the Foreign Ministry and postponed the issue until November 8. Until then, the effectiveness of this measure must be verified.
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Schleswig-Holstein, Brandenburg, Saxony-Anhalt and Hamburg reportedly want to stick with regulation initially, but they should be reversed soon in Saxony and Saarland. In Bavaria it is still open. The German press agency learned that the next steps must be decided at a cabinet meeting on Thursday.
Most federal states decided last Wednesday that citizens of places with a very high number of corona infections can only be housed when traveling within Germany if they can present a negative corona test that is no more than 48 hours old. This should work for travelers from areas with more than 50 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants within seven days.
The chancellor and prime ministers met again in person for the first time since June and discussed not only via video conference. The meeting was influenced by the massive increase in the number of infections in Germany and, in some cases, even more dramatic developments among many European neighbors. According to the Robert Koch Institute, 5,132 new infections were reported in this country on Wednesday, as many as not since mid-April.
“It’s not five to twelve, but twelve”
The head of the department of systems immunology at the Helmholtz Center for Infection Research in Braunschweig, Michael Meyer-Hermann, urgently warned against losing infection control at the meeting. “It is not five to twelve, but twelve to turn the boat,” he said, according to the Foreign Ministry participants. Germany is on the threshold of exponential growth. To clarify, the scientist showed a simulation of how the infection process would unfold without political countermeasures.
At the meeting, Merkel called on countries to make a joint effort in the fight against the virus. “We want to take a bold step, or meet again week after week like in the spring,” said the CDU politician, according to participants. Federal Interior Minister Horst Seehofer (CSU) warned: “If we do not make notable decisions, the next blockade will be inevitable. We are surrounded by high-risk areas in Germany. The potential danger is enormous. “
Government spokesman Steffen Seibert had taken up difficult negotiations: “Uniformity is desirable. But uniformity is not an end in itself, and it is not certain that all the participants will reach the same convictions today, ”he said.
“End of stigmatization of travel”
Before the consultations, companies, economists, and municipalities lobbied the federal and state governments to better coordinate and standardize their procedures, especially with regard to housing bans. The Federal Association of the German Tourism Industry warned of a second industry shutdown out the back door.
What is needed is “less action, more sense of proportion and an end to the stigmatization of travel,” said the association’s president, Michael Frenzel. “The tourism industry and its guests finally need reliable, understandable and, above all, proportionate regulations.”
Leading economists also called for more uniformity. The president of the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW), Marcel Fratzscher, told the “Handelsblatt” that the protection of health and the economy needs a “high level of trust on the part of the vast majority of people.” “This requires rules that are understandable and, to some extent, uniform as well.”
Meanwhile, Federal Economy Minister Peter Altmaier (CDU) is planning more aid for companies particularly affected by the Corona measures. The bridge aid, which has been in effect until the end of the year, will run for half a year until June 30, 2021. Economic performance in Germany collapsed in the second quarter.
Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn (CDU) announced in Berlin on Wednesday that the new corona test regulation would take effect on Thursday. Corona testing will focus more on risk groups and the health care system in the future, less on those returning to travel.
