Coronavirus: Federal and state governments introduce new rules

• 16:30

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  This message makes it clear why the Federal Chancellor’s negotiations with the country leaders take a long time: The federal and state governments have not been able to agree on nationwide upper limits for the number of participants in the controversial celebrations among family and friendsn. The German Press Agency found out on Thursday from the consultation round between Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) and the Prime Minister. Citizens are asked to consider critically in each individual case whether, how and to what extent private celebrations are necessary and justifiable.

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• 16:16

  
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  We had already reported it this morning, but now it is actually fixed: major events at which contact tracking and compliance with hygiene regulations are not possible should not take place until at least the end of December 2020. A working group at the level of the heads of the state chancelleries is set up to ensure that spectators at nationwide sporting events are dealt with in a uniform manner and should submit a proposal by the end of October. The German Press Agency learned this on Thursday from the consultation round between Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) and the Prime Minister.

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• 16:04

  
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  This message just came through the ticker. It shows that the Germans are apparently very satisfied with the Corona policy in the federal states and at the federal level: According to a survey, an overwhelming majority of German citizens are of the opinion that Germany has done its job well in dealing with the corona crisis. 88 percent expressed themselves accordingly, according to a survey published on Thursday in Washington by the research institute Pew in 14 industrialized countries. Germany is – on par with Canada – behind Denmark and Australia, where 95 and 94 percent respectively said they were positive about their country’s handling of the crisis.

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• 15:45

  
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  Even if Merkel, Söder and Tschentscher are a long time coming, an agreement has come out again: Accordingly, the federal and state governments have agreed that this year, legally insured persons who are entitled to child sickness benefit will be granted five additional days to care for a sick child. Single parents should get ten additional days for this.

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• 15:44

  
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  While it has already been leaked that major events in Germany should not be allowed in the long term, the Swedish health authority agreed to the government’s proposal to allow more audiences to attend public events. As long as the audience kept a meter away, the number of people could be increased from 50 to 500, said state epidemiologist Anders Tegnell. Assuming there are numbered seats, such as in football stadiums.

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• 15:37

  
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  The pandemic is rolling again tremendously among our neighbors: That is why the French government declared 19 additional administrative districts to be “red zones” on Thursday, as Prime Minister Jean Castex announced. There are now a total of 21 risk areas. The classification enables the authorities to expand the corona measures. The government is reacting to the massive increase in the number of infections.

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• 15:27

  
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  Hard to believe, but true. The corona consultations between the federal and state governments are still dragging on. It seems really difficult to find uniform rules.

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• 15:24

  
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  This point should be important for parents: the federal and state governments have agreed to that this year legally insured persons entitled to child sickness benefit will be granted five additional days to care for a sick child. Single parents should get ten additional days for this.

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• 15:19

  
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  And for such a change in the law there is a need for good reasons, namely a natural disaster or a similar force majeure event.

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• 15:18

  
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  Corona is already threatening to affect the federal election: The grand coalition wants to take precautions in the event that the parties cannot put up their candidates for the federal election because of the corona pandemic in election meetings as previously prescribed. So that candidates can also be determined in online conferences or by postal vote, the Federal Election Act must be changed,

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• 15:13

  
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  Something again for in between: According to the French association, the French soccer world champion Paul Pogba has been infected with the corona virus and is therefore missing in the national team’s line-up for the upcoming international matches. “He took a test yesterday, which unfortunately turned out to be positive this morning,” said national coach Didier Deschamps when announcing his squad.

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• 15:01

  
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  In the capital, meanwhile, the ban on the large demonstration next Saturday is spreading further: In response to the ban, around 1,000 new demonstrations have been registered with the police in the capital. The officials expect that the number will continue to rise as calls for this are circulating on the Internet, according to a police spokeswoman.

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• 14:58

  
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  However, here too: The city of Cologne does not (yet) want to know anything about it. “We haven’t received any official rejection so far,” said a DPA spokeswoman. Rather, there should be a discussion tomorrow with the operators of the four largest Cologne Christmas markets. Did someone chat too early?

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• 14:54

  
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  And while politics cannot bring itself to the appropriate decisions, one makes in Cologne apparently nails with heads. There the Christmas market at the cathedral is canceled this year. “We canceled the market and informed the tenants about it in a letter,” said the managing director of the Cologne Christmas Society, Monika Flocke, when asked. “We considered for weeks whether we could design the market in such a way that there would be no contagion. But ultimately we did not find a solution,” said Flocke.

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• 14:50

  
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  This extends our overview of the resolutions that may soon be announced:

  50 euros minimum fine nationwide
  Private celebrations should be limited to 25 people
  Free tests when returning from non-risk areas should end with the summer vacation
  End of quarantine for travelers returning from risk areas at the earliest after five days of testing
  Major sporting events without spectators until the end of the year
  No decision on Christmas markets and carnival

  We are still awaiting the relevant confirmations.

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