[ad_1]
Monday, December 28, 2020
“We are not done yet”
The country’s leaders expect an extension of the blockade
Germany is on lockdown until January 10, and it will probably be longer. Because the goal of a 50s incidence is still a long way off, as Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania Prime Minister Schwesig says. His colleagues from Saarland and Lower Saxony see it in a similar light.
Even after the start of the corona virus vaccines, the heads of government of the countries do not expect the closure in Germany to end anytime soon. “From my point of view, the blockade should be extended by the beginning of January,” Saarland Prime Minister Tobias Hans said in an interview with ntv. Manuela Schwesig, Prime Minister of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, made a similar statement. Lower Saxony’s head of government, Stephan Weil, also warned of too high expectations in the context of the first corona vaccines.
“We must not be fooled by these numbers, because these numbers have holiday symptoms,” Saarland Prime Minister Hans said when asked about the decline in infection numbers. Fewer people were tested during the holidays, so you have to factor in mortality rates. “Unfortunately, we do not see a significant decrease. That shows that we continue to have great difficulties and that the lockdown is necessary.”
At the next meeting of the country’s leaders with Chancellor Angela Merkel on January 5, it was not yet possible to estimate what effect the Christmas holidays and New Year’s Eve would have had, Hans explained. For further planning, they must meet again in mid-January.
“Well below the incidence of 50”
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania Prime Minister Schwesig also assumes that the nationwide lockdown will extend beyond the previously agreed January 10, 2021. “We have to get well below an incidence of 50 for us to be in better waters again, and that will be a long way off,” he told the “Bild” newspaper.
The vaccine gives “hope and confidence,” but “it shouldn’t make us reckless,” he said. “We must continue to adhere to strict measures and this includes, above all, that as of today the Christmas rule is over and we will only be able to see each other again to a very small extent.”
In this context, Schwesig cautioned against lulling yourself into a false sense of security in light of the currently lower number of corona infections at the end of the year. “Appearances can be deceiving,” Schwesig said. “We have to be very careful with the low numbers now during the holidays.” After all, “fewer tests will be done during the holidays.” So it depends on the number of infections, which are measured after the holidays.
“Prevent the situation from getting worse again”
Lower Saxony’s head of government Weil also warned of too high expectations in the context of the first corona vaccines. “Unfortunately, the infection figures will not be very reliable for the next few days due to the holidays,” said the SPD politician from the “Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung”. “So it is very doubtful that we can speak directly about relaxation again in the new year.”
Especially now, when particularly vulnerable groups could get protection by vaccination, “we have to prevent beforehand that the situation escalates again,” Weil said.
Weil described the start of vaccinations on Christmas weekend as an important and good sign. “In this way, we will gradually gain the advantage over the corona virus over the next few months.” The heads of state governments want to discuss the next steps in the crown crisis with Chancellor Angela Merkel on January 5.
