[ad_1]
According to Johns Hopkins University in Germany, more than 165,000 people have tested positive for the virus. 6,866 infected people have died and around 131,000 have recovered.
The latest developments
- The number of people infected with coronavirus in Germany could be ten times greater than the number of reported cases. The team led by Bonn-based virologist Hendrik Streeck announced this on Monday when they published their “Heinsberg study”. The projection is based on an infection mortality rate of 0.37 percent, he said. If this is true, there could already be as many as 1.8 million people infected instead of the approximately 165,000 currently reported. The Heinsberg district in North Rhine-Westphalia was the first focus of the pandemic in Germany. After a carnival celebration, the virus had quickly spread there.
- At the beginning of the week, restrictions were further relaxed in many federal states. Hairdressers are now allowed to reopen their salons, hundreds of thousands of students are able to return to classes, and museums and zoos are once again welcoming visitors in many places, all subject to hygiene requirements. On Wednesday (May 6) Chancellor Angela Merkel and the prime ministers of the federal states want to discuss new steps. Business associations in particular are putting pressure on the economic downturn. According to media reports, several federal states want to impose a relaxation of the ban on contacts with meetings of up to five people. Except in Saxony-Anhalt, the above restrictions on two people who do not belong to the same household remain in force for the time being.
- Interior Minister Horst Seehofer is in favor of restarting the Bundesliga soon. At the same time, the CSU politician demands conditions for the German Football League (DFL) to prevent the spread of the corona virus in professional football. “I think the DFL schedule is plausible and I support a restart in May,” said Seehofer, who is also Minister of Sports, the “Bild am Sonntag”. “But it is also clear to me that there can be no privileges for the Bundesliga.” The DFL hopes to obtain permission for non-hearing games this week. The clubs have begun evaluating the players and managers of the first and second division teams to detect the virus. There were three positive cases in 1. FC Köln.
- Ahead of the “Car Summit” on Tuesday (May 5), the German automotive industry association is asking for state aid. “Political decisions must be made promptly for there to be clarity in the market,” Hildegard Müller, head of VDA, told Welt am Sonntag. There is currently a “double wits” because potential buyers are not only uneasy about the Corona crisis. “As soon as there is a debate over whether the state will help with a purchase premium, consumers will, of course, wait until the premium arrives.” The federal government and representatives of the auto industry want to discuss the situation on Tuesday. Demand has plummeted due to the pandemic.
- The federal state of Saxony-Anhalt was the first federal state to relax contact restrictions.. Starting this Monday (May 4), five people can travel together, even if they do not belong to the same household. The state government decided this over the weekend. Until now, only the accompaniment of a person who does not live in the same home was allowed. In addition, all stores may reopen, and nursing home and nursing home residents will soon be able to visit again. The latter subject to conditions: Starting May 11, one visiting hour per day is allowed provided guests wear a protective mask. Until now, Saxony-Anhalt has been relatively weakly affected by the pandemic.
Two women in protective masks at the Stuttgart Stadtbahn: The mask requirement on public transport applies across the country, but rapes are handled differently in different federal states.
The Bundestag has decided on an aid package for citizens and businesses (see “How does the German economy react to the virus?”). Parliamentarians also noted an emergency due to the pandemic. Hospitals, which had to postpone numerous operations and treatments due to the Corona crisis, also received help. For this, they should be financially compensated, the government announced. Hospitals will also receive a bonus of EUR 50,000 for each additional intensive care bed.
Germany benefits from the fact that the density of supply of intensive care beds in hospitals is high in international comparison. This is shown in an overview published by the Federal Statistical Office in early April, which is based on an OECD study.
Accordingly, in 2017 there were 33.9 intensive care beds per 100,000 inhabitants in Germany, so capacities are being further expanded in the current crisis. According to these statistics, Italy and Spain, which are particularly affected by the virus, are significantly worse with values below 10 (2020 and 2017). Germany also performed well internationally with around 6 beds per 1,000 inhabitants (2017) in terms of the level of hospital beds.
The German government reacted to the spread of the coronavirus in mid-March with severe restrictions on public life. Schools, kindergartens and universities were closed. The federal and state governments agreed on March 22 to ban the gathering of more than two people. Larger events and parties are no longer allowed, outdoors or in your own apartment. Cafes, restaurants and pubs had to close. Hairdressers, cosmetic studios, massage practices, and tattoo artists also had to close. On April 15, the chancellor and the prime ministers of the federal states decided to alleviate the situation. Stores up to 800 square meters may reopen, and schools are gradually reopening. It begins with the older age groups in most federal states. Services are now allowed again under strict restrictions. Starting May 4, hairdressers can also reopen. Restricted access rules apply to hospitals and care facilities.
From March 20, entry and exit at the borders with Switzerland, Austria, France, Luxembourg and Denmark is only possible at certain crossings. Only in “major exceptional cases” such as “significant traffic disruption” can the Federal Police exceptionally allow the border to be crossed elsewhere. A list of approved crossing points is available on the ministry’s website. Anyone traveling to Switzerland by train will only arrive in Basel. There, at the Badischer Bahnhof, operated by Deutsche Bahn, trains terminate from Berlin and Kiel or Hamburg that should have gone to Interlaken Ost or Chur. Borders are now also controlled in intra-European air and sea transport.
In late April, all federal states gradually decided on a mask requirement that applies to public transportation and shopping. Rapes are punished differently. Berlin depends on voluntariness, Bavaria, on the other hand, fines.
The federal government continues to warn against travel abroad, worldwide, without exception. One continues to expect severe restrictions on air and tourist traffic, entry restrictions, quarantine measures, and restrictions on public life in many countries, according to a statement from the State Department.
The first infections with the corona virus were detected in Bavaria in January. This particularly affected a company whose employees had had contact with a woman from China. Infections were also found in two German returnees from Wuhan. However, these cases did not lead to other known infections. In late February, a couple from the Heinsberg district in North Rhine-Westphalia tested positive for the virus. The other two guests were infected at a carnival event. With this, the spread of the virus began.
The restrictions of the economic and social life health policy (“closure”) and the interruption of international supply chains put great pressure on the economy. Intermediate products do not reach Germany, exports are less in demand or cannot be delivered, and domestic consumption is restricted. Meanwhile, the first discontinued activities, including in the auto industry and retail, are starting again.
In this context, the Ifo business climate index fell from 85.9 points in March to 74.3 points in April, as announced by the Ifo Institute on Friday (April 24). This is the lowest value ever measured; There has never been a sharp decline in a month. The highly regarded index is based on reports from around 9,000 companies on their current business situation and their expectations for the next six months.
In addition, around 751,000 companies in Germany registered short-term jobs for up to 10.1 million people in March and until April 26. This was announced by the Federal Employment Agency on April 30. It is possible that not all of these people actually work in the short term because caution records may have been made. However, this is an unprecedented number compared to the past few decades. Even in the year of the 2009 financial crisis, “one-off” ads were received for 3.3 million people.
Estimates and scenarios for the depth and duration of the economic recession in Germany are published almost daily. They have become darker over time and remain associated with high levels of uncertainty. The federal government’s spring projection, released April 29, assumes a 6.3 percent drop in gross domestic product (GDP) this year. This would make the recession even more severe than during the financial crisis, which led to a 5.7% decrease in economic output in 2009. The government expects 5.2% growth again in 2021.
Therefore, the spring projection is more pessimistic than the spring report released on April 8 by five leading economic research institutes. The latter forecasts a 4.2 percent decline in real gross domestic product (GDP) in 2020, followed by a strong recovery of 5.8 percent in the coming year. Based on both forecasts, the strongest decline is likely to occur in the current second quarter.
On March 23, the federal government launched a corona package with the help of hundreds of billions. The proposals were quickly dealt with and approved by the Bundestag and Bundesrat in a few days. The package complements and extends the measures that the government already presented in mid-March. Meanwhile, the approval of loan applications and the payment of grants for freelancers and small businesses has started quickly. Since then, the program has also been repeatedly adapted and supplemented at smaller points.
The goal of the aid is to secure jobs and businesses during the temporary “freeze” of the economy. One of the core elements of the package is a fund endowed with € 50 billion, from which one-time grants of up to € 15,000 can be paid to small businesses (up to 10 employees) damaged by coronaviruses, farmers, self-employed and self-employed. Secondly, there are programs of the institution of public credit for reconstruction (KfW) with cheap loans as liquidity aid for all companies. In addition, there are tax exemptions, including the interest-free deferral of tax payments due in difficult cases.
A third element is an economic stabilization fund (WBS), through which the state can provide loan guarantees to larger companies. In special cases, WBS may also acquire temporary holdings of companies to avoid bankruptcy or hostile acquisition. The fourth key element is easier access to short-term benefits.
According to the Ministry of Finance, the budgetary measures of the general government to combat the pandemic add up to a total of 353 billion euros this year. State guarantees amount to around 820 billion euros. To finance this, the federal government wants to obtain new loans for an additional amount of around 156 billion euros through an additional budget.
As the government spends more money and economic output and tax revenues decrease at the same time, the federal government expects a government deficit of 7.25 percent of GDP for the current year in accordance with the adopted 2020 stability program. on Wednesday (April 22) “based on a very preliminary assessment” and an increase in Maastricht’s debt-to-GDP ratio to around 75 percent of GDP. Each euro country has to present a stability program with such EU projections in April.
Tegeler See in Berlin: distance and proximity in Crown times.
Transmission of the virus through imported food or products is unlikely, according to the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment. However, you should wash your hands regularly and observe hygiene rules when preparing food. Since viruses are heat sensitive, the risk can be reduced by heating food.
The stability of coronaviruses depends on many factors. This includes temperature, humidity, and the nature of the surface. In general, viruses are not particularly stable on dry surfaces, writes the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment. However, the virus could remain infectious for up to three hours as a spray, up to 24 hours in cardboard, and up to two to three days in stainless steel and plastic. By directly sneezing or coughing an infected person, pathogens can reach cutlery or dishes and survive there for a time. Theoretically, infection through door handles is also possible, but only if viruses enter the handle directly by coughing or sneezing. If you don’t have a handkerchief ready when you sneeze or cough, you should hold your elbow in front of your mouth and nose. It is generally not advisable to touch your face with your hands.
The most important telephone numbers for the corona virus in Germany:
- General initial information: 115
- Emergency medical service: 116117
- Citizen Service of the Ministry of Health: 030 346 465 100
- Citizen Service of the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs: 030181 730 00
The most important news about developments outside Germany can be found here.
With agency material
