Germany is tightening quarantine and closing stores: the Bergamo scene was closer than most thought

Merkel has announced that schools, kindergartens and many stores will have to close as of Wednesday, reports dw.com. The new restrictions will run until at least January 10 to contain a second wave of the coronavirus pandemic that threatens to bring down the country’s healthcare system.

At a press conference following a meeting between heads of state and federal government on Sunday, the chancellor said the country urgently needed to curb the exponentially growing number of COVID-19 cases. The decision will confuse the plans of merchants and residents in the lead up to Christmas and affect the education system.

What are the new restrictions?

• All stores and businesses, with the exception of essential goods and services, will close on January 10, including hair salons, which were still allowed to operate during the current partial quarantine.
• School leaders are encouraged to switch to distance learning and extend student winter leave until January 10.
• Kindergartens will also close, but parents will be able to take paid leave to care for their children.
• Employers are encouraged to allow employees to work from home.
• Residents may not consume alcohol in public places.
• Religious rites in churches, synagogues and mosques can be performed according to hygiene rules, but communal singing is prohibited.
• In some countries, it is still planned to ease these restrictions from December 24 to 26 so that people can celebrate Christmas with their family members. Households will be allowed to invite up to four adults from other households, but only the closest relatives (the number of children under 14 is not limited).
• Germans will not be able to buy New Year’s fireworks.

Merkel also recommended a meeting for families planning to isolate themselves a week before the meeting.

What is the purpose of the new rules?

“On November 2, the measures introduced are not enough, the foreign minister said in a statement after the meeting. – The health system is under great pressure. We have always tried to prevent it from collapsing.”
The aim of the new measures is to reduce the number of infections so that authorities can resume contact tracing (this is not currently possible due to the high number of cases). An acceptable result would be 50 cases per 100,000. population. Although the government has agreed to apply the new measures until January 10, if the growth of new cases does not slow down, they can be extended.

On Sunday, the Robert Koch Institute for Infectious Disease Monitoring reported 20,200 new cases and 321 deaths. That number is lower than Friday’s anti-record: 29,875 new cases.

The intensive care units of German hospitals are almost completely full. Doctors warned that in some parts of the country, only 5-10% stayed in intensive care units. vacancies.

Merkel and federal state leaders agreed to introduce universal quarantine to control the coronavirus ahead of a “very difficult Christmas,” reports theguardian.com.

“We must take immediate action,” he said during a meeting with the leaders of 16 federal states.

“If we are not careful, Germany could become a headache for the whole of Europe,” warned Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Soder. “Therefore, we must act.” He did not rule out the possibility of the quarantine in Germany extending beyond January 10.

“The coronavirus has gotten out of control,” Soder said Sunday, adding that the time has come for “the whole country to come together” and “get over the catastrophe that is affecting our lives more than any other crisis in the past 50 years. years”.

The Bavarian Prime Minister warned that the “Bergamo scene”, where hospitals were crammed with patients who needed to be connected to an artificial lung ventilator and intensive care, “was closer than many imagine.”

A stricter quarantine is expected

Hans Brandt, a Berlin-based correspondent for DW, explained the importance of a quick decision.

“I was a bit surprised that they came to an agreement so quickly,” Brandt admitted. – The meeting lasted just over an hour. We are used to the fact that discussions between the central government and regional leaders last for hours, often with a mocking tone. However, the new rules are not as strict as they could be. “A stricter quarantine is still possible because people are not told to stay home now,” he said. “For now, they are only being asked not to go anywhere unnecessarily.”

According to Brandt, Merkel had been calling for a stricter quarantine for some time, so she was satisfied with the decision. German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz, who attended the meeting, promised financial support to companies and individuals affected by the new measures.

The reporter said it was not yet clear how the government would help businesses, “but we know there are plans to spend between $ 10 and 12 billion a month. companies and freelancers who will no longer be able to work due to restrictions.

“Companies, self-employed and self-employed that will be affected by the December 16 requirements that come into force will receive financial support, – wrote representatives of the Ministry of Finance on Twitter. – We are talking about improved temporary aid: subsidies to offset fixed costs, better higher terms and monthly payments, up to 500 thousand EUR. “