Berlin.
- The coronavirus pandemic continues to affect life in almost all parts of the world
- Almost half of German citizens would support a nationwide mask requirement
- In Germany, more than 143,000 people are infected with the corona virus, and more than 4,500 people died as a result of the infection with the pathogen
- Development Minister Gerd Müller wants to launch a billion-dollar package for corona aid in Africa and the Middle East – also to prevent a new refugee crisis
- Austria’s Minister of Tourism sees opportunities for summer vacation for Germans in her country
- The Bundeswehr is postponing its basic training because of the pandemic
- By Sunday morning, 2.28 million cases had been confirmed worldwide, and there were more than 160,000 deaths worldwide
Germany is looking for a way back. After public life because of Coronavirus pandemic has almost come to a standstill, there is now at least one cautious one Relaxation of measures. Shops with a sales area of up to 800 square meters are allowed to reopen. Gradually, schools will reopen so that the exams can be taken in the final year and older years can be taught again.
One thing is already certain: The road to life as it was before is long. It is still unclear how long. The development depends on the number of infections. The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) announced on Thursday that the Reproduction rate of the coronavirus in Germany has dropped to 0.7 be. This means that statistically, one person is less infected than another person.
Coronavirus News Ticker: All the latest pandemic news
So that from the Federal government initiated corona measures to contain the virus Effect shown. It remains to be seen whether this will remain the case and further measures will be relaxed. In two weeks, at the beginning of May, hairdressers should open first.
Then the government wants to sit down again and discuss further steps on the way back to normal. All current developments of the coronavirus pandemic in Germany and Europe in our news ticker:
Sunday, April 19: Austria sees chance for summer vacation despite Corona crisis
7.11 a.m .: Development minister Gerd Müller has a European Union 50 billion emergency program to stabilize developing countries called for in the Corona crisis. “The EU aid package comprises 500 billion euros, but is only directed inwards,” said the CSU politician to our editorial team. “We also need to extend the protective shield to our neighboring regions in Africa and in the crisis arena around Syria.” Emergency care in the refugee camps is particularly important.
You can read our complete interview with Gerd Müller here:
Development Minister Müller warns of refugee drama
6.02 a.m .: The armed forces postpones hers because of the corona pandemic Basic training. “It would now be too dangerous to summarize the recruits at our locations in a small space,” said the inspector of the medical service, Ulrich Baumgärtner, in Koblenz of the German Press Agency with a view to the highly contagious corona virus.
“The recruits hired in writing on April 1st will remain at home subject to certain conditions and will start their basic training on June 1st at the earliest,” said the Chief of Staff. “But we are already trying to teach them basics such as the Soldier Act and the right to military service with e-learning.”
Basic training will initially be reduced from three months to six weeks. Sometimes the weekends could also be used. This is followed by additional training. “We want the recruits that would be drafted on July 1st to start on August 1st. The normal three-month basic training would start again on October 1st, ”said Baumgärtner.
5.29 a.m .: According to the organizers, the top-class charity event “One World: Together at home” converted the previous night more than 32 million euros for the fight against the corona virus together.
Appearances from dozens of world stars Rolling Stones, Beyoncé, Taylor Swift and Stevie Wonder could be followed on early Sunday morning on Twitter and YouTube, among others. The stars performed in their living room or on the terrace, the show was broadcast on the Internet.
The Rolling Stones, for example, played their song “You can’t always get what you want” – each in their own living room, drummer Charlie Watts improvised with everyday objects as drums. Taylor Swift appropriately tuned in on the piano for her hit “Soon you better”.
Initiated by pop star Lady Gaga, the concert was supported by the Global Citizen movement and the World Health Organization WHO.
4.46 a.m .: Left boss Katja Kipping has a Protective shield for the free cultural scene required. The cancellation of all major summer events threatens “a cultural mass extinction of unprecedented proportions,” she told the German Press Agency. “Freelance artists who often barely made ends meet before the Corona crisis, venues and festival organizers who do not have large corporations behind them are at risk […] to go into bankruptcy, ”warned Kipping.
The left demands that failures due to canceled events be taken over by the state in line with the regulations for short-time work benefits. That would mean that artists and organizers receive 60 percent – and in households with children 67 percent – of the lost money from the federal government.
2.21 a.m .: Federal Minister of Finance Olaf Scholz (SPD) represents those particularly affected by the ongoing closure in the corona crisis Hoteliers and restaurant operators financial support in prospect. “Of course, we look closely to see whether and where we need additional help. Above all, we have an eye on those sectors for which things are not getting off to a quick start. The hotel and restaurant industry is certainly one of them, ”said Scholz of the“ Welt am Sonntag ”.
According to the German Hotel and Restaurant Association (Dehoga) because of the Corona crisis are around 70,000 hotels and restaurants before bankruptcy. Around 223,000 companies in the industry lost around ten billion euros in sales by the end of April, the “Bild am Sonntag” reported. “Without additional government support, every third company is facing bankruptcy,” said Dehoga CEO Ingrid Hartges.
The situation is similarly precarious for many German start-ups. The Federal Minister of Economics Peter Altmaier (CDU) and Olaf Scholz’s announced financial aid for start-ups has not yet been paid out. “Unfortunately, the announced two billion cannot be called up yet. The BMWI, the BMF and other players such as KFW Capital are currently working on the details of how the money should go to the startups, ”said Christian Miele, President of the German Startups Association, to our editorial team.
The start-up association leader urges a quick agreement: “For many startups, it’s more about days than weeks.” Read here how dramatic the situation in the German start-up industry is:
Startups in front of the Corona-Aus – Is Germany letting an important innovation engine hang?
0.37 a.m .: There could still be more options for Vacation in Corona summer 2020 give? Austria’s Minister of Tourism Elisabeth Köstinger answered the question in the Corona crisis Travel opportunities in summer Willingness to talk to Germany indicated. “The restriction of freedom of travel will remain in the next few months,” said the ÖVP politician to the newspaper “Die Presse”. “But if countries are also on a very good and positive path, such as Germany, there is definitely a possibility that bilateral agreement can be reached.” By doing this, she answered the question whether tourists come to Austria in summer and Austrians vice versa can go abroad.
Köstinger also warned that it is difficult to estimate how the next few months will develop. “There is no deadline, there could be further waves of infection.” And then it cannot be ruled out that “far-reaching measures must be taken again”.
Authorities and tourism experts have recently assessed the chances of Germans traveling abroad as extremely low last summer. Many now see an opportunity for domestic tourism – if it will be at all compatible with the Corona rules to go on vacation. We asked experts: Summer 2020: Will vacation (only) be possible in Germany?
With regard to possible trips to Austria, Elisabeth Köstinger said that one had to be prepared “that there will be a different kind of vacation this year”. “But because we have a relatively good grip on the spread of the corona virus and, as the federal government, can already offer the prospect of easing the measures step by step, we also definitely plan that there will be holiday tourism in the summer.” The minister made the expectation It is clear that Austrians will increasingly go on holiday in Germany because of the Corona crisis. “But without foreign guests, we will have to accept losses.”
German tourists had booked more than 37 percent of overnight stays in Austria in the 2019 summer season.
Saturday, April 18: World stars against Covid-19 – charity show in livestream
9.45 p.m .: In the Corona crisis, the Spanish government wants the state of emergency and curfew across the country again for another two weeks until midnight May 9 extend. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced this late Saturday evening in a speech to the nation. Parliament will have to vote again on the extension of the so-called alarm state, the third-highest emergency level. However, broad support from the opposition is also expected.
Meanwhile, the socialist politician also announced the intention to ease the strict curfew, which has been in effect since March 15, from April 27, especially for children up to the age of twelve. About the measures to Easing nothing has been decided yet, Sánchez said. If necessary, these measures will be adapted to the development of the pandemic in the different regions of the country.
8.48 p.m .: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has relaxed rules on protection against that on Saturday Corona virus announced. This is possible because Israel is doing comparatively well among the OECD countries in dealing with the corona crisis. “We have one of the lowest death rates,” said Netanyahu. “This enables steps towards loosening.”
From Sunday onwards, a “responsible and gradual loosening“The protective measures take place. “We will be able to revitalize the economy.”
The easing steps should take place on the night of Sunday from government
approved become. A decision should then be made within two weeks as to whether further easing is possible. “If there’s a new Corona outbreak, we have to go back,” said Netanyahu. People are still encouraged to work from home if possible.
8:35 pm: Pakistan has extended air traffic suspension until the end of the month due to the corona pandemic. Until April, 30th No international or domestic flights are to take place, said a spokesman for the Pakistani Aviation Office on Saturday. Recently there have always been exceptions, especially for return campaigns from third countries. Numerous Germans are still stuck in the South Asian country.
The German embassy in Pakistan is going to be alternative Return options to check for remaining Germans, Ambassador Bernhard Schlagheck wrote on Twitter on Saturday. Most recently, the diplomatic mission had announced that there would be no return flights after around 650 passengers had been brought back to Germany on March 31 and April 4.
There is still a need for after the two return campaigns Exit optionsannounced the Federal Foreign Office. The embassy is working hard to find solutions for a timely return. Many people who had registered online have been waiting for their departure for weeks. The Federal Foreign Office did not answer how many Germans are still in Pakistan.
Almost half of German citizens are in favor of wearing a mask
7:27 p.m.: Almost half of Germans would become one survey according to one nationwide mask requirement during the corona pandemic advocate. 46.2 percent spoke in favor of covering the mouth and nose in public, according to a survey by the polling institute Civey for the Berlin “Tagesspiegel”. According to this, 39.7 percent of the respondents spoke against a mask requirement, 14.1 percent were undecided.
The controversial discussion about mask requirements, which have already been introduced or announced in individual states and cities, does not refer to the wearing of medical protective masks, but to so-called Community masks to cover the mouth and nose in public.
Such masks do not provide the same protection as professional equipment, but they can Risk of infection at least mitigate for themselves and others.
Kramp-Karrenbauer again rejects corona bonds
5:32 p.m.: Mallorca lives from tourism – which just doesn’t exist because of the corona virus. An opportunity to move away from mass tourism? Mallorca: Coronavirus ends state of emergency on Ballermann
4.39 p.m.: The novel corona virus continues to spread: Worldwide
have meanwhile infected more than 2.25 million people with the pathogen Sars-Cov-2, the most severely affected country in the world remains the United States. Despite the ongoing health crisis, US President Donald Trump advocated lifting exit restrictions in several states, causing outrage among the governors responsible.
The number of corona deaths rose to more than 154,000 worldwide. In Europe alone, almost 98,000 people have died from the lung disease caused by the pathogen Covid-19. In Spain, which was severely affected, the mark of 20,000 deaths was exceeded on Saturday.
15:52 p.m.: The CDU chair Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer has European community bonds, so called Eurobonds or corona bonds, rejected again. The guideline is “that liability and risk must always be in one hand”, Kramp-Karrenbauer told the Italian newspaper “Il Foglio”. “That’s why we reject a communitization of debt.”
European joint bonds are required above all by Italy, but also by other predominantly southern European countries, in order to improve their general conditions for borrowing in the Corona crisis. Germany is repeatedly accused of lacking solidarity because of the negative attitude of the Federal Government.
Kramp-Karrenbauer rejected this accusation. “We are aware of our European responsibility and history and therefore it goes without saying that we help our friends quickly, in solidarity and unbureaucratically,” she said “Il Foglio”. The CDU chief referred to offers of help within the framework of the European Stability Mechanism (ESM).
However, the ESM has met with skepticism in Italy and other countries because its programs were subject to tough conditions such as social cuts and privatizations in the financial crisis. “We now have to differentiate between the ESM as we know it so far and the ESM, which is now being used to combat the consequences of the corona epidemic,” said Kramp-Karrenbauer. Different rules should apply to these new aids.
Bahnkunden-Verband requires minimum distance in public transport
2:50 p.m.: The German Railway customer association demands that this must also be the case in local buses and trains Distance between people be valid. “If the top priority is to keep a minimum distance of 1.5 meters, then this must also be feasible in all public transport,” said the association, which sees itself as a lobby for rail customers. “That is why structural measures on the platforms and in the vehicles are a matter of course.”
The public side must do everything possible to implement the minimum distance – with and without masks – in local transport too. “It starts with the strengthening of the school bus offer in rural regions, so that the pupils can already keep the minimum distance here, through an extremely fast reaction to demand peaks and bus replacement traffic during construction work.”
2.35 p.m.: One of the most discussed topics at the moment: how and when will be next time vacation to be possible? Many Germans are longing for the prospect of recovery, and the tourism industry also hopes for a foreseeable end to the Corona crisis. In the summer of 2020, however, vacation opportunities will likely be very limited, said the Federal Government’s Tourism Commissioner, Thomas Bareiss, our editorial team.
At the moment there is a lot of evidence that long-distance travel will have to be canceled this year, which would mean a huge cut for many travel agencies and tour operators, ”said the CDU politician. “Summer vacation this year is more likely to take place in Germany.”
2.10 p.m .: The USA are the most coronavirus-affected country in the world. A study now reveals a huge unreported figure. Meanwhile, Donald Trump is correcting his forecast of corona deaths in the US – down.
14 o’clock: This is our new one News ticker. You can find all previous developments in our old Corona news ticker.
Coronavirus – More articles on the pandemic
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