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SAxis Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer (CDU) warned against too quick a relaxation during negotiations between the federal and state governments. Past pandemics have shown that whenever it is neglected, “then great misfortune occurs,” Kretschmer told reporters on Wednesday. Negotiations were still ongoing.
The federal and state governments agreed to “moderate measures” for hair salons, schools and day care centers. From a seven-day incidence of less than 35 in March, there should be more relaxation, for example, in retail or gastronomy. This should be discussed in March.
According to information from “Bild” and the Reuters news agency, the participants have already agreed that the hairdressers will be able to reopen from March 1. The chancellor would have prevailed; the heads of country had initially requested on February 22.
The video conference between the prime ministers of the federal states and Chancellor Angela Merkel started around 3 pm with a delay of around 50 minutes. Merkel advocates opening nurseries and primary schools before March 1. WELT learned this from bargaining circles. Teachers should be given priority for vaccination.
“In view of the great social importance of the education and care of children, young people and their parents and in view of the difficulty of implementing remote rules in daily work in kindergartens and elementary schools, the federal and state government governments ask the Federal Minister of Health in consultation with GMK (Conference of Ministers of Health, Red.) to check if (…) primary school educators and teachers can be vaccinated earlier than expected – in category 2 with high priority ”, says the current draft resolution of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
A draft resolution on Wednesday morning had previously revealed that federal states should have leeway to open schools and daycare centers.
The extension is disputed until March 7 or 14
On Wednesday morning, the prime ministers met for the first time for a preliminary meeting. Before that, the SPD and the Union-led countries met again for separate consultations. Particularly among the SPD-led countries, there was a need for more advice on the corona measures, according to participants on Wednesday.
The new draft that was sent to the federal states by the Foreign Ministry this morning may have played a key role in the negotiations. The 7:40 am newspaper sees a lockdown extension through March 14.
You can find the draft resolution here, starting at 7.40 am
The news agency dpa and “Bild” unanimously report that, contrary to the proposal, the majority of prime ministers are in favor of a time limit until March 7. The wish is also related to the upcoming state elections in Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate on March 14. Germany’s publishing network also reports, citing negotiating circles, that currently March 7 is most likely the tentative end date.
Private gatherings should continue to be allowed only with members of your own household and with another person not living in the household. It also says: “Rapid tests for self-application are seen by the Federal Chancellor and the heads of government of the federal states as another suitable means of increasing testing capabilities in Germany.”
The deliberations begin with uncertainty about the mutations.
According to the RKI, the number of new infections reported in seven days per 100,000 population (seven-day incidence) was 68 nationally on Wednesday morning, with the last value at this level on October 24 (68.4 ). A seven-day incidence of less than 50 was last observed on October 20 (48.6).
Mutations of the B.1.1.7 virus from Great Britain and B.1.351 from South Africa also play a role in the discussions. The Federal Ministry of Health has summarized the state of knowledge on the spread of virus variants in selected countries in a two-page document that is available to WELT.
According to this, the data situation remains inadequate in five of the fifteen studies in thirteen countries, and in seven surveys the data is of limited importance. Evaluations from Denmark, where about 20 percent of new infections show the British variant, from the United Kingdom itself, and from Tyrol, where the South African variant was found 296 times, are considered “good.”
Müller asks for caution when schools open
The mayor of Berlin, Michael Müller, warned before the start of the deliberations against too broad an opening strategy for schools. He believes that it is “appropriate and correct” to find an entrance to face-to-face teaching in elementary schools, said the SPD politician in the ARD “Mittagsmagazin”. But a lot of caution is advised here.
“Although schools do not trigger large chains of infection, they also contribute to the infection process,” said the president of the conference of prime ministers. And now there is the mutant virus in Germany. “In this sense, you have to be very sensitive when running the school. It is not just about the children, it is about the teachers, the parents who may be on the sidelines of school activity. So you have to discuss everything under the topic of avoiding contact. “
Müller described the new Corona self-rapid tests as a “great relief”, which will be certified in February and then used in large numbers in Berlin schools, for example. “There is more security for teachers and children, and of course also for parents,” said the head of government.
Kretschmann against “opening orgies”
Baden-Württemberg Prime Minister Winfried Kretschmann (Greens) dampened expectations ahead of the rapid relaxation of Crown rules. If the incidences nationwide are below 50 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants over a certain period of time, careful opening measures will be taken, he told the “Badische Zeitung”. “But no one can expect us to start an opening orgy right away.”
The situation is too fragile for that. “The experience of other countries shows that opening up too early leads to setbacks and therefore even tougher measures.” Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) coined the word “opening orgy” last spring and received much criticism for its use.
Regarding declining approval of the anti-pandemic policy among the population, Kretschmann said: “If I compared the fight against the virus to a war, I would have to say: people are slowly getting tired of war.”
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania Prime Minister Manuela Schwesig (SPD) called for an outlook for easing and even became specific regarding retail. As an example, he cited an incidence of 50 and under for beauty salons to reopen.
If you are under 35 you can talk about retail, said the SPD politician: “People are on the attack and ask: how long should this last? That is why I am in favor of showing perspective. And do not say: only after an incidence of 35 everything works again “.
