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In the discussion of crown policy, the trend is clear: the blockade must be extended. But how long? What about kindergartens and schools? Material for dispute before the next federal-state consultations.
The federal and state governments obviously want an extension of the crown’s restrictions beyond January 10. The duration and, above all, the question of what will happen to kindergartens and schools remains open. According to information from the dpa news agency, this position was made clear at a conference on the change of heads of the state chancellery on Saturday afternoon, reported by the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung”.
Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder calls for strict restrictions for another three weeks in “Bild am Sonntag”: “The blockade must be extended until the end of January. A premature loosening would set us back a lot.” Other federal states heavily affected by Corona apparently also came out on the conference call, while the least affected countries tended to reassess after two weeks.
Next federal-state appointment on Tuesday
On Tuesday, Chancellor Angela Merkel wants to decide on the extension with the state prime ministers. The meeting of the heads of the State Chancellery served as preparation. The way in which they dealt with nurseries and schools was particularly controversial. They wanted to keep countries with a high number of cases closed, while those with a smaller number advocated earlier openings for alternate or distance lessons in higher classes. Individual countries also suggested bringing forward the winter holidays, which begin between February 1 and February 15, depending on the country.
Söder said: “Schools and kindergartens should not be opened too hastily. In view of the high number of infections, it would be irresponsible to simply send teachers and students back to schools entirely.” Hamburg Mayor Peter Tschentscher demands “that the federal government explain on what scientific or data basis it is requesting a new generalized closure of nurseries and schools and how it envisions that essential functions of basic care and treatment capabilities will be maintained. doctor “, as he told the” Welt am Sonntag “.
One day before the Prime Minister’s Conference, the ministers of education of the federal states are already arguing on Monday. In this group, early opening of nurseries and primary schools is considered a priority.
Dispute over vaccination strategy
In the debate over whether the vaccine was ordered too late and too little, Söder attacked the EU Commission, which was responsible for the procurement across Europe. The Commission ordered too few and trusted the wrong manufacturers. “It is difficult to explain that a very good vaccine is developed in Germany, but vaccinated more quickly elsewhere,” he said, referring to the Mainz company Biontech.
“All procedures need to be sped up dramatically – vaccine ordering and production, even with national capacities. Plus faster and more comprehensive approval of new vaccines, similar to that in the UK.”
Spahn rejects criticism
Virologist Christian Drosten, however, considers it “practically impossible to assess this in retrospect,” as he told the Berliner Morgenpost. “It’s such a complex issue. You had to order the vaccine months in advance, and at that point you didn’t even know if the vaccine in question would work.” But he also recommends a quick follow-up with the Astrazeneca vaccine, which already has emergency approval in Britain, because this vaccine does not need to be cooled down as much and therefore can be vaccinated in normal doctor’s offices and therefore , it is much easier.
Federal Minister of Health Jens Spahn again rejected the accusations against the government for the lack of vaccine. “It is going exactly as planned,” he told “RTL Aktuell”. 1.3 million doses of vaccine had been delivered to the federal states at the end of the year, by the end of January there would be a total of 4 million – as it had been announcing for weeks “with the indication that at the beginning it would be scarce and that that’s why you have to prioritize “. . Spahn promised that all nursing home residents could get vaccinated in January.
