Status: 02/08/2021 10:22 a.m.
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The day after tomorrow, the federal and state governments will discuss how to proceed with the corona pandemic. Rapid loosening seems unlikely at the moment. Vice Chancellor Scholz calls for a concrete opening concept.
Before the next Corona summit of the federal and state governments on Wednesday, Vice Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke out in favor of the early opening of daycare centers and schools. “If the children do not learn anything for too long, it is a big problem for our country,” said the SPD politician in Morning magazine from ARD and ZDF. At the same time, Scholz warned: “We have to be careful.” He also referred to the previously known mutations of the coronavirus.
Discussion about opening strategy before federal-state meeting
Julie Kurz, ARD Berlin, Tagesschau 8:00 p.m., 8 February 2021
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In view of the declining number of infections, the Federal Minister of Finance called for opening concepts: “This will now have to be further specified.” In response to the lack of vaccine debate, he said that the European Union (EU) “could and should have ordered more”. The federal government must now “do everything to ensure that vaccine production is boosted as much as possible” and that the existing vaccine is also used. “In the second quarter at the latest there will be weeks in which we have to make millions of vaccinations,” emphasized Scholz, “and we have to prepare for that now.”
Spahn dampens hopes
Federal Minister of Health Jens Spahn dampened hopes for a long-term, phased plan to ease the restrictions. “Everyone wants a six-month plan, but there can be no such thing in this dynamic, in this pandemic,” said the CDU politician in the ARD-Broadcast Anne Will. It only goes “step by step” – and there are still a few hard and difficult weeks ahead.
Spahn said it would still be necessary to continually adapt the concrete measures and the concrete strategy. “I know everyone has a longing for something that then lasts for six or twelve months. But that is not possible. The virus is too dynamic. The situation is changing too much,” said Spahn.
Hamburg’s First Mayor Peter Tschentscher also spoke out against automatic loosening when the incidence value is below 50. “There must be no automatism,” said the SPD politician of the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung”. “We need an assessment of the overall situation and have to be very careful.” Otherwise the incidence value could quickly rise again to well over 50. “We have to consider the dynamics of the infection and take into account the risk from the mutations – and then of course it is still about the utilization of hospitals and intensive care units,” said Tschentscher.
Hamburg’s First Mayor Peter Tschentscher calls for decisions with a view to the “overall situation”.
Image: dpa
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Altmaier: The numbers are still too high
Several prime ministers had spoken at the weekend with easing scenarios. The focus was on demands according to which certain easing steps should be stipulated for certain numbers of infections.
For Federal Minister of Economics Peter Altmaier, however, a rapid reduction in the number of corona infections has “absolute priority” over a relaxation of the lockdown. Of course, “opening strategies” are also being worked on, he said on “Bild live” on Sunday evening. At the moment the “numbers are still too high to be responsible for concrete steps now”.
Söder wants to set signals
Bavaria’s Prime Minister Markus Söder expressed himself in the Report from Berlin similar. “Driving on sight is annoying. But driving on sight is the only thing that really helps. Because the challenger we’re facing – Corona – does not stick to any deadlines that we set.”
Söder said that prospects would be discussed at the federal-state consultations on Wednesday. There will certainly be – “very clearly”. “How and how long and to what extent, that still has to be discussed.” It is important to send smaller signals – for example in personal services such as hairdressers. “But everything is reasonable step by step,” said the CSU boss.
“Gradual relaxation conceivable with low incidence values”
Report from Berlin, 7.2.2021
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Spahn wants incidence below 50
Spahn said that before it becomes concrete with easing steps, one should wait “until we are well below 50 at 100,000”. The number of new infections per 100,000 inhabitants reported within seven days is currently 76. The previous high of this incidence was reached on December 22nd at 197.6.
Another big topic on Wednesday will be schools and the return to classroom teaching. An opening is only “very cautious and careful, in no case possible across the board in all regions,” said the president of the teachers’ association, Heinz-Peter Meidinger, of the “world”.
Karliczek with a guide for schools
Federal Minister of Education Anja Karliczek will present a guide to safe school operations during the day. Schools could – if all the rules contained in the guide are strictly observed – open safely even in pandemic times, it says. This is reported by the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung”, which received the recommendations for action in advance. Specifically, it is about measures such as the division of pupils into groups, the relief of local pupils’ traffic by staggered lessons, the wearing of medical masks by pupils and teachers and the ventilation of rooms.
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