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The number of new infections in Germany is decreasing. For this reason, the federal government and the federal states will once again discuss the relaxation of the crown measures on Wednesday. But what exactly is planned? A general vision
Germany has some time to breathe in the Corona crisis, but the Federal Republic still cannot take a deep breath. For one thing, the number of new infections is steadily declining, according to “Johns Hopkins University” (as of May 4, 12 noon) only slightly more than 26,000 acute cases of Covid-19 have been reported.
Measures to contain the pandemic appear to be working, but for many experts this is no reason to give the go-ahead. If the virus returns to normal too quickly, the virus can spread by leaps and bounds, say virologists and the Robert Kocht Institute. However, the pressure of the economy is mounting on political decision makers to mitigate the collateral damage caused by the crisis and to resume public life and the economy. The problem of the economic recession is becoming more and more in focus.
Hanover: Prime Minister Stephan Weil announced on Monday a timetable for relief measures in Lower Saxony. (Source: dpa)
While you are like Lower Saxony announces relaxation plansThe debate will move to the next round on Wednesday, then Chancellor Angela Merkel and the prime ministers of the federal states will advise. More steps in the conversation are expected than last week when the current relaxation was decided.
But how big are the steps towards normality? A general vision:
1. What is the starting point?
At recent press conferences, the Robert Koch Institute repeatedly warned not to loosen measures too quickly so as not to “jeopardize our success.” In international comparison, the pandemic in Germany is relatively under control. According to “Johns Hopkins University”, there are currently 890 new infections per day in Germany (as of May 2), 1,200 in France, 3,147 in Spain and 4,815 in the UK.
In addition, federal states continue to be affected to varying degrees by the pandemic. In Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, the number of cases is much higher than, for example, in the northeast countries.
Prime Minister Armin Laschet visiting a Ford plant in Cologne: NRW is in favor of a rapid opening of nurseries. (Source: AP / dpa)
Contact restrictions still apply in almost all of Germany; the exception is Saxony-Anhalt. There, the black-red-green state government decided on Saturday that groups of up to five instead of two could meet as of Monday, provided the minimum distance of 1.5 meters was observed. This allows for numerous loosening, for example in club sports, but also in educational offerings.
The crisis is also having a growing impact on the German economy. In March alone, 300,000 people registered as unemployed. Clemens Fuest of the Ifo Institute estimates that the current measures will cost between 25 and 57 billion euros each week. While some companies claim that they can only go through closure for a short period of time, other sectors, for example catering, tourism or aviation, are concerned about livelihoods.
2. What relief is already applied at the beginning of this week?
Schools, hair salons, many museums: After weeks of crown restrictions, public life is getting a little faster. After the first round between the chancellor and the prime minister last Thursday, prayer services and events are again allowed. In addition, playgrounds, zoos, animal parks and cultural institutions can be reopened.
What other changes will apply from this week?
Hairdressers: For many hairdressers, they are closed on Mondays, but this time many salons will open: after about six weeks of mandatory breaks, the industry expects the rush to reopen. Due to distance restrictions, fewer people can be served at the same time. “Face-related services” such as eyebrow and eyelash coloring and beard care are prohibited.
Magdeburg: the barrier tape hangs in the outer area of the furniture store “Ikea”. After the relaxation of the containment law, stores with an area of more than 800 square meters were also able to open in Saxony-Anhalt. (Source: dpa)
Schools: In many countries, those who have final exams in the next school year, as well as the main primary classes, now also return daily after the final classes. Distance regulations and hygiene requirements are applied to prevent a feared increase in the number of infections. Children in the other grades initially stay home.
Purchases: In some countries, such as Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia and Rhineland-Palatinate, all stores are allowed to reopen this week, regardless of rank and also with more than the previous maximum value of 800 square meters of retail space. However, you must meet the requirements. For example, a mask requirement and a limitation of people per square meter apply. Others, like Brandenburg and Hamburg, remain with the limitation for now. In other countries, such as North Rhine-Westphalia and Bavaria, the regulation applies with exceptions.
3. What relief will be discussed on Wednesday?
The pressure on the politics of the economy and the population is increasing markedly. On May 6, the federal and state governments came together again to talk, some states like Saxony-Anhalt or Lower Saxony have been on the offensive in recent days.
What do the countries say?
And that is exactly what Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder criticized on Monday. The CSU president said at a press conference that he was “a little unhappy” because some countries were already going beyond what was agreed between the federal government and the states last week. Now that the time has come for gradual relief, caution and prudence remain crucial. “We should not stumble on the successes we have.”
Markus Söder during a visit to the Roche development laboratory for the new serological antibody test: the Bavarian Prime Minister urges caution in relief measures. (Source: dpa)
According to an “image” report, federal states want to relax the council no contact Enforce In a preparatory conference call of the heads of the state chancellery, it was said that meetings of up to five people could be allowed again, reports the newspaper (online). Söder denied this on the ARD show “Anne Will”: “I don’t know anything about that.” And: “There is a lot of talk.”
About the topic Soccer ball The “Bild” wrote about the conference call: “For the planned approval of the so-called Bundesliga ghost games (with no spectators in the stadium) planned for May, a regulation must be found to broadcast these games on public television.” The undercurrent is that the Sky subscription channel has the television rights for the current season and the country is spearheading the fear that soccer fans may carry real Sky parties.
North Rhine-Westphalia threatened the Day care centers do it only if the Bund-Länder round does not decide a uniform opening rate. “We will not allow us to postpone for another week,” Deputy Prime Minister and Family Minister Joachim Stamp (FDP) said on Gabor Steingart’s “Morning Briefing” podcast.
When it comes to relaxing in the Gastronomy Lower Saxony advanced as the first federal state. Starting next Monday, restaurants, cafes and breweries will reopen there with restrictions and vacation apartments can be rented to guests. These relief measures are likely to fuel the debate about going only in some federal states in the Corona crisis, also in talks on Wednesday.
What does the federal government say?
Despite the growing differences in crown policy from individual federal states, the federal government continues to strive for a common approach. Government spokesman Steffen Seibert said Monday that there could be, “of course, regional and local nuances” in easing the restrictions. The important thing is that the federal and state governments are “on a common path” and are pursuing a “common strategy”.
Federal Interior Minister Horst Seehofer (CSU) called for caution, but announced Wednesday about Bundesliga games how to talk about popular sport, the opening of Schools for other ages and about the Gastronomy. According to the “picture,” a plan must be presented to open the restaurants before Pentecost. Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn (CDU) said at ARD: “It is important that we also give a perspective there. I think that will happen on Wednesday.”
Finance Minister Olaf Scholz talks to “Anne Will” about easing the crown measures. (Source: dpa)
Finance Minister Olaf Scholz (SPD) announced in “Anne Will” that the coalition would end in May or early June Stimulus package wants to hang up to boost economic activity. Söder also confirmed this schedule.
At the same time, Seehofer also gave ZDF the benchmark for more openings: “In light of the development of infections, I would like to see more and more relaxation, little by little.” Like Spahn, he believes that relief steps are only feasible because restrictions and citizen discipline have slowed down the spread of the virus. He is not defeated, and Spahn also believes it may take years before one The vaccine is found, as he said.
Are there criticisms?
Leftist President Katja Kipping, for example, calls for a “way out of the debate facilitation spiral.” Looking at his supporters, he said in the “Tagesspiegel”: “What (FDP leader Christian) Lindner, (NRW Prime Minister Armin) Laschet and company sell us as an exit strategy does not lead us out of the crisis of the crown, but a second wave of infection. ” That costs the economy and people more than a prolonged lockout.
4. What demands come from the economy?
In light of the economic downturn, business associations are pushing for a quick exit from anti-crown measures. Industry association BDI insists on presenting clear Exit plans this Wednesday “Our companies want and need to know the stages in which the social and economic life should start again, after the chancellor’s meeting with the prime ministers on May 6,” BDI president Dieter Kempf told the newspapers of the Funke media group. “Each week of a shutdown, the German economy costs a value-added amount of $ 2 billion.”
The Federal Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (BVMW) demanded that the restrictions be terminated in May. “Release the lock before it’s too late!” According to the association, in an open letter from above to BVMW President Mario Ohoven to Chancellor Merkel. “With great concern for the future of this country and for the prosperity of its citizens, we appeal to politicians: stop unilateral fixation from a purely virological perspective, and therefore the dangerous game with the future opportunities of this country.”
The Federal Government predicts a decrease in the gross domestic product of 6.3 percent for all of 2020 and, therefore, the biggest drop since the founding of the Federal Republic.
5. What relief can you expect?
At the political level, once again it will be about compromises and a balance between epidemiological precautions, on the one hand, and freedoms for the economy and the population, on the other. Greater relaxation can be expected, such as restrictions on contacts or sports, however, the implementation schedule can be freely established by the federal states, depending on the development of the number of infections.
However, in the Corona crisis, citizens and businesses need a timeline perspective when more steps can be taken towards normality. However, given the unclear course of the pandemic, the federal and state governments will exercise caution not to create false hope.
Only one thing is clear: on Wednesday there will be further relaxation of the crown measures, but the steps will remain small.
