The German Association of Cities and Municipalities has asked employers to provide childcare for children after schools and daycare centers have been closed. “Employers must be expected to find flexible solutions with their employees in such a crisis,” said CEO Gerd Landsberg of “Welt”. Paragraph 616 of the Civil Code stipulates that “under certain circumstances parents may be temporarily absent from work due to illness or the need for child care”.
Landsberg pleaded for regulations at the state level: “It would certainly be helpful if the responsible state authorities would strive for corresponding agreements with the employers’ organizations.” But the municipalities as sponsors of schools and kindergartens and as employers are also required to develop flexible solutions, said Landsberg. Great crises required “common, flexible responses to prevent the spread of the disease and secure the future”.
+++ 06:57 short-time allowance secured according to the Federal Agency +++
The Federal Employment Agency (BA) also sees itself equipped for a strong increase in short-time work as a result of the coronavirus crisis. A spokeswoman for the authority said on request that no special precautions were required in the household to pay short-time work benefits. At present, 255 million euros are planned for this in the BA budget. “Short-time work allowance is a legal obligation and is therefore paid out in any case – regardless of the current budget,” said the spokeswoman. If more funds were required, these could be met from the BA’s reserve.
To protect Germany’s employees from unemployment, the Bundestag passed a bill on Friday to make it easier for short-time workers. Accordingly, from April companies should be able to apply for benefits from the Federal Agency more easily than before. In this way, companies can use short-time work benefits if only 10 percent of the employees are affected by the loss of work – instead of a third as before.
+++ 06:44 Several countries close borders for Germans +++
- Uruguay closes its borders for travelers from Germany and other “risk countries” because of the coronavirus pandemic. President Luis Lacalle Pou announced on Friday that he would quarantine travelers from nine “high-risk countries” for two weeks. Travelers from China, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Iran, Italy, Spain, France and Germany are affected. The government in Montevideo had previously confirmed the first four coronavirus cases in Uruguay. It announced the health emergency, imposed a landing ban for cruise ships and canceled public events.
- Also Colombia announced entry restrictions for travelers from Europe and Asia, which will initially apply for two weeks. The border with neighboring Venezuela will be completely sealed off, as Colombia’s President Iván Duque announced.
- The imposed entry stop in the United States has come into force for people from large parts of continental Europe. The measure has been in effect since 11:59 p.m. on Friday (4,59 a.m.CET on Saturday) for people from the Schengen area, which includes 26 European countries, including Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
- who in New Zealand has to go into quarantine for 14 days from Sunday. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced on Saturday to stop the spread of the corona virus. Only travelers coming from the Pacific Islands are exempt.
+++ 06:36 US Congress approves billions in aid package for families +++
The U.S. Congress has approved a billion dollar family aid package with a clear majority. The law, which the House of Representatives Democrats previously agreed with the government of President Donald Trump, was adopted late Friday evening (local time) with 363 to 40 votes. The US Senate, the second chamber of parliament in which Trumps Republicans have a majority, is expected to agree early next week. The president must then sign the law. Trump had declared a national emergency on Friday due to the spread of the corona virus in the United States.
“We are proud to have reached an agreement with the government,” said House President Nancy Pelosi in a letter to Democratic Congressmen. Trump wrote on Twitter that he fully supported the package. In another tweet, the president emphasized that he wanted to sign the law as soon as possible.
+++ 06:25 delivery bottleneck for pneumococcal vaccines +++
The pneumococcal vaccines recommended for high-risk groups are currently only available to a limited extent. On Friday, the Paul Ehrlich Institute (PEI) in Langen, Hesse, pointed out delivery bottlenecks for the two vaccines Pneumovax 23 and Prevenar 13. In connection with the current coronavirus epidemic, experts had advised particularly vulnerable people to be vaccinated against pneumococci to reduce the risk of pneumonia. Pneumonia is one of the main dangers in people with the lung disease Covid-19, which is caused by the novel coronavirus Sars-CoV-2.
According to the PEI, Pneumovax is expected to be available again at the beginning of May. “Even if the vaccines are available again, pneumococcal vaccinations should only be reserved for the group of people named in the current vaccination recommendations of the STIKO,” said the website of the Standing Vaccination Commission (STIKO) at the Robert Koch Institute (RKI). In the case of Pneumovax, these are patients with weakened immune systems, seniors from the age of 70 and patients with chronic respiratory diseases. Prevenar should therefore only be used for the basic immunization of infants.
+++ 06:09 sick leave should be valid for 14 days +++
In view of the increasing number of corona cases and suspected corona cases, the German General Practitioners Association has called for further relaxation of the sick leave rules. The possibility of an uncomplicated sick leave for seven days should be extended to 14 days, said the chairman of the general practitioners association, Ulrich Weigeldt, of the “Rheinische Post” (Saturday edition). Only then would the risk of infection be averted.
As of this week, patients with mild diseases of the upper respiratory tract can have sick leave for seven days after consulting the doctor on the phone. They do not have to come into practice for this. The spread of the novel corona virus also shows how important it is to relieve doctors of bureaucracy as much as possible, Weigeldt said. “This would also be helpful in quieter times and would make patient care significantly easier.”
+++ 05:45 immigration to the USA is in force +++
The entry ban imposed by US President Donald Trump for people from large parts of continental Europe has entered into force. The measure has been in effect since 11:59 p.m. on Friday (4,59 a.m.CET on Saturday) for people from the Schengen area, which includes 26 European countries, including Germany, Austria and Switzerland. This is intended to limit the further spread of the coronavirus in the USA. Trump announced in a speech to the nation on Wednesday evening that the regulation should apply for 30 days. Americans who are in the Schengen area are allowed to return to the USA, but have to undergo tests. Trump said at a press conference at the White House on Friday that given the rising number of infections in Britain – which does not belong to the Schengen area – the measure may need to be extended to that country.
+++ 05:01 China reports only a few new infections +++
With only eleven newly identified cases, the number of new coronavirus diseases in China remains at a low level. According to the latest data from the Beijing Health Commission, three more cases were registered nationwide than the previous day. However, the number of new infections has been in the lower double-digit range for days. Thirteen people died from Covid-19 lung disease, the Commission also said.
According to official statistics, a total of 80,824 people in mainland China have been infected with the new corona virus since the epidemic began in December. More than 65,000 have left the hospitals. So far, 3189 deaths have been reported in the People’s Republic.
+++ 04:12 Greens want rescue funds for cultural professionals +++
The Greens are calling for a rescue fund for the self-employed and cultural workers in the coronavirus crisis. The fund should help quickly and unbureaucratically if the economic existence is demonstrably at risk as a result of a drop in sales due to the epidemic, according to a paper that included party leaders Robert Habeck and Annalena Baerbock as well as Bundestag parliamentary group leaders Katrin Göring-Eckardt and Anton Hofreiter have signed. The Greens praise what the Federal Government has announced to support companies, but call for further relief, for example for municipalities and families. “In a crisis of this magnitude, the government and opposition must work together,” the eight-page paper said. “We offer our support to the government.”
The “Grand Princess” was not allowed to moor for days.
(Photo: AP)
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+++ 03:49 No more cruise ships start in the USA +++
In the United States, according to President Donald Trump, cruise ships will not start for 30 days due to the coronavirus pandemic. At his request, cruise companies Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian and MSC agreed to suspend cruises starting in US ports for 30 days, Trump announced on Friday on Twitter.
Princess Cruises, a Carnival shipping company, announced on Thursday that it would suspend all of its cruises for 60 days. All ships affected that should depart between March 12 and May 10 are affected. The shipping company operates the “Grand Princess” and the “Diamond Princess”. The corona virus had spread on both ships. The “Grand Princess” was therefore off the coast of California for days until she was able to moor in the port of Oakland on Monday.
+++ 03:11 New York opens drive-in test station +++
New York opens the first corona virus test station for drivers. Drivers can drive to the site, where saliva samples are taken from trained health care personnel. They then go to laboratories that make a diagnosis within 24 hours. Several of these “drive-through” are to be set up in the metropolis.
The churches were completely closed since Thursday.
(Photo: imago images / Pacific Press Agency)
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+++ 02:32 Pope manages to open some churches in Rome +++
Pope Francis criticized some churches in Rome for reopening them. This was announced by Cardinal Vicar Angelo De Donatis. The Pope had previously said in a mass regarding church closings that “drastic measures are not always good”. Services are also prohibited in Italy due to the coronavirus pandemic. On Thursday the diocese of Rome even ordered all churches to be closed. This decision caused irritation for many believers, De Donatis now admitted. Some would have felt “even more isolated” now. Some small churches in Rome should therefore be open to the faithful again. All churches remain closed to tourists.
Because all public services are prohibited in Italy, the Pope’s early masses have been streamed live from the chapel of his residence in Santa Marta since the beginning of the week. On Tuesday, the head of the church asked all priests to “have the courage” to visit people infected with coronavirus.
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+++ 01:55 KLM cuts up to 2000 jobs +++
The Dutch airline KLM is cutting up to 2,000 jobs due to the coronavirus crisis. KLM boss Pieter Elbers announced on Friday short-time work for the approximately 33,000 employees and other austerity measures to mitigate the financial consequences of the coronavirus pandemic.
KLM, which together with Air France has been part of the French-Dutch aviation group Air France-KLM since 2004, announced on Tuesday that it would cancel thousands of flights due to the coronavirus pandemic. In March alone, 3,600 connections are to be cut. Flights to China and Italy are particularly affected.
Cafes, pubs and restaurants are closed in Madrid.
(Photo: REUTERS)
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+++ 1:05 Madrid and Tyrol declared risk areas +++
The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) has now declared the Spanish capital of Madrid and the Austrian state of Tyrol to be risk areas due to the spread of the novel corona virus.
Italy, Iran, Hubei Province in China, North Gyeongsang Province in South Korea and the Grand Est region in France have all been on the RKI’s list.
+++ 00:30 Catalonia plans its own exclusion zone +++
Catalonia plans to establish a restricted area to combat the spread of the coronavirus epidemic in the north-east of the country. This measure is intended to “prevent the collapse of the (Catalan) health system,” said Regional President Quim Torra. For this he needs the help of the central government. A Spanish region cannot actually declare itself a restricted zone and then implement this measure. Catalonia, ruled by separatists, has been known for years as a “rebellious” region. That is why some media in Spain interpreted Torra’s words to mean that the restricted area was a matter of decision. “The (Spanish) state must support us and stop arrivals at ports, airports and rail traffic. We have communicated this. We are now waiting for a response to make the exclusion zone effective,” said Torra at a press conference.
The number of infected had risen from 319 to 509 on Friday, according to authorities. Six of these people died. A total of more than 5200 infections were counted throughout Spain until late at night. There have also been 133 deaths. At an extraordinary meeting of the Council of Ministers, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s left government coalition wants to declare the alarm state by decree on Saturday.
+++ 23:58: Italians make music on balconies +++
Everyone for themselves, but all together: millions of Italians have to stay at home because of the corona virus – but they can still play on balconies. Of North to South therefore stood on Friday evening at the same time people with instruments or singing on their balconies or at the windows to tune songs against fear, loneliness and boredom in isolation. The whole country was there at the “Flashmob sonoro” (sounding flash mob): harp players, flutists, pianists, children on drums, guitar players and dancing people on balconies could be seen in videos. Rome’s Mayor Virginia Raggi also joined the campaign “Show you at the window”. “Together we can do it,” she said on social media. After China, Italy is the country with the most Covid 19 victims. The whole country is now a restricted area with strict requirements not to leave the house except in necessary cases such as shopping.
For companies that stumble, there should be liquidity support.
(Photo: AP)
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+++ 23:10 Merkel: “Are financially prepared for crisis aid” +++
Chancellor Angela Merkel sees the German government financially well equipped to fight the economic consequences of the corona virus. At a meeting with business associations and unions in the Chancellery, she confirmed that she was doing everything necessary to stabilize the economy in this particular situation. “We have been doing well in recent years. The financial reserves are there,” she said. The government launched a comprehensive package on Friday, including unlimited liquidity support for affected companies.
Industry President Dieter Kempf said that the federal government had done the right thing in view of the increasing risk of recession. “It is commendable that the government does not show any financial limits in advance. So there is no need to worry about finite resources and a greyhound race.” The easier granting of tax deferrals and the waiver of enforcement measures are to be welcomed in principle. It would also be desirable to enable the unbureaucratic reimbursement of continued payments if employees were quarantined by official order.
+++ 22:29 Trump “probably” wants to be tested now +++
In his own words, US President Donald Trump “probably” wants to undergo a coronavirus test. He could do such a test “very soon,” Trump said at a press conference. At the same time, he emphasizes that he has no symptoms of illness. Trump had got in touch with one of his employees at a meeting with Brazil’s head of state Jair Bolsonaro last weekend, in which the virus was later detected. A photo posted by the employee on the Internet shows him alongside Trump and U.S. Vice President Mike Pence. So far, the White House has stated that a test is not necessary. An investigation at Bolsonaro was negative on Friday.
+++ 22:12 Germany restricts participation in military maneuvers “Defender” +++
Due to the spread of the corona epidemic, the Bundeswehr is also restricting its share in the “Defender Europe 20” military maneuver. The Bundeswehr announced that participation in exercises at the Bergen-Munster military training area in Lower Saxony in April had been canceled. 250 soldiers from the army should have participated there. The United States has now frozen the deployment of additional troops across the Atlantic. Defender Europe 20 was designed to be the largest US military relocation exercise in 25 years. According to previous plans, a total of 20,000 soldiers should be sent across the Atlantic. A total of 37,000 participants were planned.
+++ 21:50 Italian returnees should stay at home without symptoms +++
Because of the corona epidemic, the Federal Ministry of Health is asking all those who recently returned from Italy, Austria or Switzerland to quarantine themselves. “If you’ve been to Italy, Switzerland or Austria within the last 14 days: avoid unnecessary contacts and stay at home for two weeks,” says Twitter. This applies “regardless of whether you have symptoms or not”. So far, this has mostly been recommended only for people who show symptoms of Covid 19 disease, such as fever.
+++ 21:31 newspaper: Spahn wants to reactivate doctor-pensioner +++
According to a media report, Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn wants to reactivate doctor-pensioners as well as nurses and nurses who are retired. The “Bild” newspaper reported, citing a letter from Spahn to the managing directors of the German hospitals. In the appeal, the CDU politician wrote to the managing directors of the clinics: “If possible, please plan to use students and retired staff now and, if possible, train them now.”
+++ 21:13 First Bundesliga professional tested positive for corona virus +++
There is a first confirmed coronavirus case at SC Paderborn: As the Bundesliga club announces, central defender Luca Kilian has tested positive. Previously, head coach Steffen Baumgart had given the all-clear. According to the association, Kilian has not been used for a few weeks due to an injury. “In close coordination with the local authorities, the SCP07 will take extensive measures to contain the coronavirus,” Paderborns says. On Saturday, all players and members of the function team should undergo a corona test.
+++ 20:48 Cuba wants to deliver funds against the corona virus to numerous countries +++
An anti-virus agent produced in Cuba is used against the novel corona virus in China, according to Cuban information, and is now being requested by numerous countries. This is the agent Interferon Alfa 2B, as specialists in the Caribbean state report. However, the head of the Cuban pharmaceutical company BioCubaFarma, Eduardo Martínez, makes it clear that it is a therapeutic agent and not a vaccine. The drug, produced in Cuba and China by a partner company, is an anti-viral agent that restores the immune system compromised by Covid-19.
Note: The most important developments of the previous day on the current situation around the worldwide coronavirus epidemic you can read here.
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