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Over 28,000 new infections, nearly 500 deaths in 24 hours – Corona numbers remain high. Therefore, the blockade will be tightened throughout the country. The only question in dispute is when.
In one day, German health authorities transmitted 28,438 new corona infections to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI). Compared to yesterday, when 29,875 reported cases were the highest since the pandemic began, the number has decreased slightly. However, compared to Saturday of the previous week, it increased significantly.
The number of people dying from or with Corona also remains high. Health authorities reported 496 new deaths in one day. The trend in the number of daily deaths had recently increased, which was expected after the sharp increase in new infections.
According to RKI’s management report on Friday, the national seven-day R value was 1.11 (previous day: 1.03). This means that, in theory, 100 infected people infect 111 more people. The value represents the onset of the infection 8 to 16 days ago. If it is below 1 for a long time, the infection process subsides.
The federal and state governments will likely advise on Sunday
In light of the many new infections, some federal states have already adopted stricter measures. Presumably, the “blocking light” will soon tighten up throughout Germany. It is not yet clear when and how. The federal and state governments will discuss this this weekend to come up with the most uniform regulations possible across all federal states. There is still no confirmed date for the consultations, according to information from ARD capital studies start on Sunday morning.
According to the newspaper “Bild”, the Chancellery asks that shops, schools and nurseries be closed from next Wednesday.
“We must not wait any longer”
There is a fundamental consensus in policy that regulations should be stricter. The main topic of discussion is the question of whether public life will not be closed en masse until Christmas, that is, a time is used when schools and many companies close anyway, or if it is too late.
“We can’t wait any longer, we need a closure before Christmas,” NRW Prime Minister Armin Laschet demanded at the daily topics. The “closing light” decided in the fall did not work as expected, the numbers were too high, said the CDU politician.
“The rules must be understandable”
The Prime Minister of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Manuela Schwesig, spoke out in favor of a national shutdown, which should be implemented by next Sunday at the latest. “There’s a lot of talk about it after Christmas. I think it’s too late. I think we should at least go to the fourth Advent,” the SPD politician said in Extra ARD. “It is clear that we need a national rule for this.”
City Council Chairman Burkhard Jung also spoke in favor of a strict, uniform, national lockdown before Christmas. “A complete blockade must be applied across the country,” said the Leipzig mayor of the “Rheinische Post”. It should not happen that retail is closed in country A and open in country B. “And the rules have to be clear, understandable and as uniform as possible. Because people have to be able to understand them well.”
FDP: Be moderate in a dangerous situation
The FDP, the left and the Greens are also calling for the measures to be tightened. The leader of the FDP, Christian Lindner, again warned that proportionality be maintained. In particular, reject exit restrictions. The federal and state governments would have to be moderate in the dangerous situation. “Flat-rate and nationwide curfews, like in Bavaria, are unnecessary and exceed the mark.” There is no risk of infection from walking or exercising outdoors. “Bans that are not related to infection run the risk of being accepted by the population.”
Only the AfD does not believe in a lockdown despite the current high number of infections and deaths. The collateral damage of this “mallet method” is greater than its benefit, said a few days ago in the Bundestag the leader of the parliamentary group Alice Weidel.
Altmaier: No need for a new stimulus package
A blockade also closes economic life. It is to be expected, for example, that, as in spring, all stores that do not sell articles of daily use will have to close. However, the Federal Minister for the Economy, Peter Altmaier, does not assume that this requires a new economic stimulus program.
“The German economy is strong enough, we just shouldn’t burden it with unnecessary bureaucracy or talk about additional taxes,” the CDU politician told the Germany publishing network. “The self-healing powers of our economy are working.” He bet the 2020 losses could be fully offset in the next year.
