Corona I. - Much criticism of the decisions of the Chancellor and Prime Minister
It is common to start thinking about Christmas at the end of October, as the first cinnamon stars are already on display in the shops.
But in the past 24 hours there was an exaggerated amount of talk about Christmas:
Prospecting a reasonably normal festival
- also a reasonably normal pre-Christmas business - became a rhetorical means to promote
understanding for the tough Corona measures
that the committee from Chancellor and Prime Minister decided yesterday, and which the Chancellor called a
"national effort"
, with emphasis on "national", just to make it clear that this time she succeeded in preventing individual Prime Ministers from leaving.
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Angela Merkel with Berlin's Mayor Michael Müller and the Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder
Photo: Fabrizio Bensch / dpa
From November 2nd, only
members of two households will
be allowed to
meet in public - a maximum of ten people.
Unnecessary
private trips
and
visits from relatives
should be avoided
,
catering establishments have to close, as well as cosmetic studios, massage practices and tattoo studios
.
Professional sports
should only take place without spectators,
amateur sports
will be completely discontinued.
Theaters, operas and concert halls, as well as casinos, gambling halls, betting shops and brothels have to close
, as well as
cinemas, amusement parks and trade fairs and hotels
, at least for tourists.
The Chancellor and the Prime Ministers may have been quite in agreement this time, but the reactions outside the body were sometimes harsh.
Scientists and doctors around the virologist
Hendrik Streeck
consider it wrong anyway to shut down public life again.
Restaurateurs complained
that they had really taken care of everything, bought air purifying filters, implemented hygiene concepts - and now that.
Theater directors sent open letters
: "We think it is wrong to ban cultural events."
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People in front of a corona test center in Frankfurt
Photo: KAI PFAFFENBACH / REUTERS
In fact, restaurants, cinemas and theaters where responsible rules apply and are followed have so far
rarely proven to be sources of infection
- doing everything but not reaching the goal is always frustrating.
But even if it is really unfair for many individuals, the past few weeks have shown that the undergrowth has become too impenetrable, offered too many loopholes, that the conditions of a cold season require tougher, clearer action.
The calculation (infection rate measured by the occupancy of the intensive care beds) was simple - it couldn't go on like this.
To take the measures, to limit them to a time limit - to one month - to ensure financial compensation, all of that is correct.
If, however, the numbers should go down again,
the time gained
must be
used to carefully examine the arguments of the critics
and then, from December onwards, to go other ways if necessary.
Corona measures: These restrictions apply from Monday
Corona II. - The economy is facing a terrible November
That the infection rate should improve in the course of the next few weeks is a well-founded hope - it had already worked once in spring, but at higher temperatures - but it is already clear:
November will be terrible
.
The big wave of bankruptcies in Germany had so far not taken place, the economy had been able to recover a little over the summer, but the new situation will have consequences.
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Closed café in Berlin
Photo: Carsten Thesing / imago images / Carsten Thesing
"There is no longer a good scenario, it is only a question of how bad it will be,"
write my colleagues
Simon Book, Markus Dettmer and Michael Sauga
in the business section of the new SPIEGEL magazine, which this time will appear tomorrow and from today Online at noon.
The return of the pandemic could destroy tens of thousands of economic livelihoods.
The German Trade Association (HDE) fears that 50,000 stores could close
.
Christmas can no longer be good, a halfway limited catastrophe would be the goal.
Merkel and the Prime Ministers: four weeks against the wave
Corona III.
- Special EU summit: Will the heads of state and government create cohesion this time?
For this evening, EU Council Chairman
Charles Michel
has convened a special virtual summit so that the
heads of state and government
can coordinate
their
efforts to
combat the corona crisis
.
Almost all
EU countries have high levels
of infections.
In
a speech to the nation yesterday,
French President
Emmanuel Macron
again announced exit restrictions, in his words:
"a brutal braking maneuver"
.
Michel hopes to make progress especially on testing strategy and contact tracking.
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EU Council leader Charles Michel
Photo: POOL THIERRY ROGE / imago images / Reporters
At this evening's meeting, it will be less a matter of individual measures than of whether it is possible to establish
solidarity in principle
.
The competencies for border protection and public health do not lie in the EU anyway, but with the member states or even in their regions.
But the attempt by the President-in-Office of the Council to work informally to ensure that the EU presents a better picture in these weeks than in the spring, when, for example, borders were closed without a vote, cannot do any harm.
Impressions make a big difference.
The springtime impression was devastating.
Plan against the virus: Corona test for the EU
Winner of the day ...
... is the city of
Chemnitz
.
It was astonishing that yesterday there would still be news pictures like the one from the city in the Ore Mountains: cheers, tears of joy and in the background "joy of beautiful gods spark" when the
European jury for the "European Capital of Culture 2025"
announced that it was the Saxon city
recommends as a title winner
.
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Theaterplatz in Chemnitz during the announcement of the selection jury
Photo: Harry Haertel / imago images / HärtelPRESS
Two years ago there had been right-wing extremist riots in the city for days, and it looked rightly bad for the application.
But the city has done a lot to show that it wants to get rid of its bad reputation, is serious about it;
she deserves her chance.
Unlike Dresden, which had also applied and left a long time ago, Chemnitz is not exactly full of culture,
the city has to have it freshly produced
.
Well then, let's go, good luck.
Jury recommendation: Chemnitz should become European Capital of Culture in 2025
The latest news from the night
USA accuse eight alleged Chinese agents:
They are said to have "molested, persecuted and coerced" Chinese dissidents in the USA: the judicial authorities are indicting eight alleged agents.
The prosecutor speaks of the first case of this kind
Thousands of federal police officers should monitor compliance with the corona rules:
Interior Minister Seehofer wants to use the federal police in hotspots and large cities to enforce the corona measures.
The quarantine obligation should also be checked more closely
The Hanover tram dragged passengers along for a hundred meters:
he reached into the car to pick something up - and the door closed: In Hanover, a man was seriously injured by a tram.
The police are investigating
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Why, surely!
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I wish you a good start to the day.
Your Susanne Beyer