Status: December 6th, 2020 8:50 p.m.
While Economics Minister Bernd Althusmann (CDU) already spoke of a step-by-step plan to relax the corona measures, Stephan Weil (SPD) makes it clear: Lower Saxony is still a long way from this.
“The time will certainly come when we can talk about easing,” said Lower Saxony’s Prime Minister on Sunday evening in the NDR regional magazine Hallo Niedersachsen. Then, as in the spring in Lower Saxony, it will happen again in stages. “But we still have a lot of work to do before then.” With a view to the weekend in particular, it becomes clear that the numbers “have not developed as we would like”.
Because: “Have to come down significantly by Christmas”
16,297 people are currently infected with the corona virus in Lower Saxony, 952 are currently being treated in hospitals. “We are not dissatisfied with last week’s numbers,” said Weil. Lower Saxony was doing better than the national average. “We have significantly less than half as many infections per capita as in Bavaria.” Nevertheless, it is not going as fast as hoped.
At a low level into the new year
“We have to come down again clearly by Christmas and see how we get over the holidays. Then we have a reliable perspective for the next year,” continued Weil. If Lower Saxony were to enter at a low level, then, hopefully, we could soon talk about easing. “If we are well beyond that, it won’t work out anytime soon.”
Althusmann rushes forward
Has brought the gradual easing into play: Vice Prime Minister Althusmann. (Archive)
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On Sunday, Vice-Prime Minister Althusmann told the German Press Agency: “As I imagine it will be for the period up to March, we should allow easing step by step when the number of infections falls below a seven-day incidence of 35,” it said continue. “Our goal is to come under an incidence of 50 new infections per 100,000 people nationwide in seven days, preferably well below 35.” When this goal is reached, easing measures should be started quickly, for example in the catering and accommodation sectors.
Because about possible easing: “Have experience from the spring”
But this “class goal”, as Weil calls it, is still a long way off, said the Prime Minister. You are currently not making the progress that you need to achieve. The plans for a gradual easing would then have to be discussed with one another with a view to the concrete development. “Basically, we have the experience from the spring. We know where the risk of infection is low. You can start with that. Where it is bigger, it can only come later.”
Althusmann: Significant relaxation at Easter?
Althusmann had previously been more specific and had said, for example, that zoos, animal and amusement parks, beauty salons and perhaps fitness studios could also be reopened in the first easing stage. “If we manage to do that in January, then we will have a clear easing at Easter and the companies can then take a deep breath,” he said. It is about a “smart perspective for spring 2021”. “As soon as we recognize that the infection rate is going down, the step-by-step plan will have to be followed backwards,” said Althusmann with a view to the recently gradually tightened corona restrictions.
Further information
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