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Pandemic in the USA: fear of the second wave of corona

So far, 20,000 US citizens have died from the corona virus – there could still be ten times as many. Governors in many states fear that President Trump will loosen the restrictions too soon.

By Claudia Sarre, ARD Studio Washington

A tremendous howl together – from California to Colorado to New York, as a sign of solidarity and an expression of despair: At 8:00 p.m. every day, thousands of Americans are screaming at their frustration from balconies and windows. Every night there is a collective howl.

Around 20,000 US citizens have died from the corona virus so far – and there could be ten times as many. At the same time, there is a lot of debate about when the hard-hit US economy could start rolling again.

US President Donald Trump would like to loosen the protective measures by May 1. Meanwhile, the pandemic continues to spread: After New York, the neighboring state of New Jersey is now becoming a hot spot.

Governors against early loosening

A return to normality would be great, Governor of New Jersey Phil Murphy said today on CNN: “But we have to do things in the right order. First our health system has to recover, then our economy can recover. And I’m afraid if we loosen the protective measures too early, we pour oil into the fire. “

This is the major concern of most governors in whose states the corona virus has not yet arrived properly: that President Trump is lifting the protective measures too early to prevent the total collapse of the economy – and thus to secure his re-election.

Experts fear a second, possibly much more violent wave in the summer. At the same time, the virus continues to spread. In Washington, DC, the peak of the epidemic is not expected until June, says Mayor Muriel Bowser: “Our citizens are staying at home and are helping to flatten the curve.”

African Americans and Latinos particularly affected

The situation is very different in other parts of the country: hospitals in New Orleans are overcrowded, there is a lack of respirators and protective clothing for medical personnel. Cities like Detroit in Michigan do the same. The entire Midwest is preparing for a drastic increase in infected people.

In Chicago, more than 70 percent of corona deaths are African-American and Latinos, complains Mayor Lori Lightfoot on the MSNBC television station: “In Chicago, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and upper respiratory diseases occur primarily in blacks and Latinos. And the virus also attacks these pre-existing diseases of all power. “

Lightfoot issued particularly stringent exit restrictions: For example, it blocked all beaches along Lake Michigan and all parks in Chicago.

Some churches defy exit restrictions

Despite the stringent exit restrictions, there are a handful of churches almost everywhere in the country that oppose the Easter ban.

“Satan and the virus won’t stop us,” said Reverend Toni Spell from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and invited 2,000 believers to his Easter service. Most Christians, however, followed the Easter Mass on the Internet – and the churches stayed empty.

Deutschlandfunk reported on this topic on April 12, 2020 at 6:27 p.m.




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