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Corona: Country chief shows Merkel a new way out of lockdown - massive travel restrictions are coming

2021-01-28T12:08:12.077Z


According to a report, air traffic to Germany could soon be restricted because of the corona mutations. The finance ministers approve Corona aid for airports.


According to a report, air traffic to Germany could soon be restricted because of the corona mutations.

The finance ministers approve Corona aid for airports.

  • The 

    corona lockdown

     in Germany seems to be working - the number of cases is currently falling.

  • Chancellor Angela Merkel *

    and the government are discussing travel restrictions from areas of change

    (see update from January 28, 10:56 a.m. and 10:04 a.m.)

    .

  • A majority of the finance ministers of the federal states vote in favor of Corona aid for German airports

    (see update from January 28, 12.55 p.m.)

    .

  • This 

    news ticker

     is updated regularly.

Update from January 28, 12.55 p.m.:

The finance ministers of the federal states approved by a large majority

Corona aid for German airports

.

The

German press agency

learned this

from participants in the

finance ministers' conference on Thursday

.

The proposal goes back to

Federal Transport Minister Andreas Scheuber

(CSU) and provides for funding from the federal and state levels in equal proportions.

The corona aid provides for an amount of

one billion euros

.

Airport assistance already provided should be taken into account.

According to the

industry association ADV

, the situation at the airports is

very tense

due to the

corona pandemic

.

According to this, at least every fourth job is threatened, and several operating companies are fighting for survival.

The expected loss for 2020 and 2021 is put at three billion euros.

Entry ban for countries with corona mutations: Horst Seehofer now comments on projects

Update from January 28, 10:56 a.m.:

After several media reports

(see update from January 28, 7:11 a.m.)

Interior Minister

Horst Seehofer

(CDU)

has now

commented

on his plans.

As dpa and AFP report, the federal government wants to agree on an extensive

entry ban

from countries with a high distribution of new corona variants by

this Friday (January 29)

.

For the time being, Germany is refraining from a solution at EU level.

The proposed

travel restrictions

focus on mutation areas such as Portugal, Great Britain, South Africa and Brazil.

Entry from these states should be prohibited.

It is currently being clarified which exceptions will be allowed.

"I don't want to speculate about that now," said Seehofer.

It is "about the big goal" to contain and prevent the entry of a highly infectious virus into Germany.

According to a recent survey from the

ZDF Politbarometer

, 57 percent of those questioned are in favor of border closings between EU countries for travel.

40 percent against.

Corona lockdown: step-by-step plan from Schleswig-Holstein - approval from virologist Streeck

+

Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) is fighting the corona pandemic - Schleswig-Holstein makes a proposal for a step-by-step plan out of the lockdown.

© Bernd von Jutrczenka / dpa

Update from January 28, 10:04 a.m.:

The federal government is apparently planning

to restrict

air traffic from high-risk areas

to Germany in the

near future

.

This is reported by the

picture

.

Transport flights with important goods should be excluded.

At the request of the cabinet, Interior Minister Horst Seehofer should draw up an order and send it to the other departments by Friday.

The

travel restrictions

are intended to

curb

the spread of the

corona mutations

(see update from January 27, 9:19 p.m.)

.

The plan may be implemented as soon as next week.

In addition to stricter restrictions, strategies are also being discussed on how a way out of the

corona lockdown

could succeed.

At the beginning of the week,

Schleswig-Holstein

presented a “perspective plan” for the federal state in the north.

Virologist Hendrik Streeck welcomes these suggestions: "I found what Schleswig-Holstein proposed very good," he said on Wednesday on the talk show "Maischberger".

There are nuances that can be discussed, but a structure, a step-by-step plan is important.

“People can adjust to it.

I think that's a good long-term strategy. "

Important

cornerstones of the plan

by Prime Minister Daniel Günther (CDU): (Detailed plan on the website of the State of Schleswig-Holstein)

  • Incidence value is over 100:

    No change in measures

  • The incidence

    value is

    stable below 100 for seven days: a

    maximum of five people from two households are allowed to meet, limited regular operation in daycare centers, grades 1 to 6 at the schools start changing lessons, hairdressers can reopen

  • The incidence value is stable below 50 for seven days:

    day-care centers are in regular operation, grades 1-6 have face-to-face classes, grades 7-13 take alternating classes, final grades have face-to-face operations, practical courses are permitted at universities, retail shops can open with restrictions, other body-friendly services and restaurants can be offered open with conditions

  • The incidence value is stable below 50 for 21 days:

    Hotels, holiday apartments and campsites can also resume operations for tourist purposes - using corona rapid tests, fitness studios with capacity and usage limits are allowed to open, the limit on the obligation to notify events of religious communities is being raised

  • The incidence value is stable below 35 for seven days:

    up to ten people from several households are allowed to meet, schools switch completely to regular operations, universities can hold face-to-face courses in cohorts, libraries open subject to hygiene requirements, bars and pubs are allowed to open with hygiene concepts, excursion boats are allowed to depart, The number of participants for religious events will be increased

Corona lockdown in Germany: Discussion about entry bans from high-risk areas

Update from January 28th, 7.11 a.m

.: The proposed

entry bans

from

high-risk areas

(see previous update)

should not apply to German citizens.

This is reported by the

AFP

news

agency

, citing a

Spiegel

report.

A decision by the Federal Cabinet on the subject should be

made on Friday,

according to information from

Spiegel

and

Bild

.

Chancellor

Angela Merkel (CDU)

had already

recommended

stricter rules for

vacation travel

on Tuesday

.

Several Union politicians joined in on Wednesday.

"High-risk areas" are countries where the

incidence value

is more than

200

new infections per 100,000 inhabitants within seven days.

Countries with a particular spread of the highly contagious

virus mutants

are also listed.

The entire list can be found on the website of the

Robert Koch Institute (RKI)

.

Because of corona easing?

According to Merkel's deliberations - the first prime minister indicates an extension

Update January 27, 21:19:

The

Federal Government

is planning, according to information provided by the

mirror

entry bans

from several countries with

high spread of coronavirus mutations.

A template for a corresponding regulation is currently being


coordinated between the departments.

A spokesman for the Federal Ministry of the Interior confirmed to the German Press Agency that a corresponding decision is currently being voted on.

According to

Spiegel

information, entry and transport bans could currently apply to

Great Britain, Ireland, South Africa,

Brazil

and

Portugal

.

Soon, however, countries like

Denmark

or the

Netherlands could also be

affected.

At the moment not all details about the definition of the "mutation areas" have been worked out.

Nevertheless,

a decision

could probably be made on

Friday

.

In some departments, however, there are still concerns.

Exceptions would only

count

for

commuters and diplomats

in the event of enforcement

.

Freight traffic should also remain unaffected.

German nationals

who come from one of these areas can

also enter the country

.

Corona lockdown in Germany: First prime ministers call for vaccination summits

Update from January 27, 8:43 p.m.:

Whether there will be

easing

from mid-February

or an

extension of the lockdown

is not yet in sight.

This decision will depend not only on the

incidence values

but also on the

progress of the vaccinations

.

But the latter point is a headache.

Not all prime ministers are satisfied with the state of affairs.

The Rhineland-Palatinate Prime Minister

Malu Dreyer

(SPD) therefore wants a

vaccination summit

.

"

Vaccination roads are largely empty

everywhere in

Germany

because the promised vaccines are not delivered as promised," Dreyer told

Spiegel

on Wednesday

.

Binding

agreements on the delivery of the corona vaccines

should be made at the summit

.

"We need a clear and transparent vaccine plan for the coming months," said Dreyer.

Before that, Brandenburg's Prime Minister

Dietmar Woidke

(SPD)

had also called for

a vaccination summit from the

federal government, states and business representatives

- if possible before the end of next week, Woidke wrote on Wednesday to the chairman of the Prime Minister's

Conference

, Berlin's Governing Mayor

Michael Müller

(SPD).

The postponement of vaccination appointments creates great uncertainty.

Lockdown extension instead of easing: First federal state continues to suggest a strict course

Update from January 27th, 7:01 pm:

"Now is not the time to relax".

Hamburg's Mayor

Peter Tschentscher

(SPD) considers an

extension of the current corona lockdown

to be likely.

“I assume that the lockdown must continue beyond February 14,” said the SPD politician on Wednesday.

The number of infections has not yet decreased sufficiently.

"There

shouldn't be

an

automatic mechanism for removing restrictions

," he explained.

The new

virus mutations

are preparing the prime minister

.

The risks that emanate from these must first be able to be assessed.

“An opening concept can only be decided on this basis.” When deciding on the point in time and the sequence of steps for the loosening,

further indicators in

addition to the

7-day incidence

would have to be

included.

Tschentscher cited the

R-value

, the number of inpatient Covid-19 patients, the

utilization of the intensive care units

and the progress of the vaccinations

as examples

.

The next federal state holds out the prospect of easing - Merkel's confidante urges caution

Update from January 27, 3:50 p.m.:

Federal Minister of Economics Peter Altmaier

(CDU) warns of a public debate about easing the corona measures.

It would be the "wrong signal" to speculate publicly about easing and to set expectations that make fighting the pandemic more difficult, said Altmaier, who is considered a Merkel confidante, on Wednesday in Berlin at the presentation of the annual economic report.

There are still around 15,000 new infections a day on average.

He urged patience.

The background to this is that

Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania's Prime Minister Manuela Schwesig

(SPD)

has announced the prospect of

first easing of the currently strict

Corona protective precautions

under certain conditions.

If there are permanently fewer than 100 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants in one week,

schools and daycare centers

should

first open more strongly again

.

Schwesig said on Wednesday in the state parliament in Schwerin that opening up service providers such as hairdressers could also be considered.

Baden-Württemberg: Schools and daycare centers remain closed - Corona mutation in Freiburg daycare center

Update from January 27, 3:30 p.m.:

The

Baden-Württemberg state government

will

not open

the

elementary schools and daycare centers soon

.

A press conference to inform about the openings was canceled at short notice on Wednesday.

The reason is the occurrence of a

mutated virus variant in a day care center in Freiburg

.

Prime Minister

Winfried Kretschmann

(Greens) announced on Tuesday that if the infection situation remained the same, a decision would be made to open primary schools and daycare centers.

In the Freiburg daycare center,

two cases of the variant have

already been

confirmed, said a government spokesman.

21 other corona infections have been found and are now being checked for the variant.

The decision to open daycare centers and primary schools must therefore be postponed.

Education Minister Susanne Eisenmann

had previously

told

the

time

that she had a different opinion than

Chancellor Angela Merkel

on “whether all schools should be closed across the board”.

It is to be prevented that the young generation has to pay for the school closings.

Kretschmann

had a similar story

on Tuesday evening in the

ZDF program "Markus Lanz"

voiced.

Armin Laschet rejects: long-term corona strategy as "wrong approach"

Update from January 27, 2:11 p.m.:

North Rhine-Westphalia's Prime Minister

Armin Laschet

(CDU) has

clearly rejected

the demands for a long-term

corona

plan.

"Nobody can say today what will be opened or closed in May, June and July," said

Laschet

on Wednesday in front of the Düsseldorf state parliament.

Especially with a view to the constantly changing

vaccination situation

and

virus mutations

, it is difficult to

predict

the future.

"These are all uncertainties that make it impossible to give the impression that today, on January 27th, you know what the virus situation will be in Germany on May 27th".

A corona long-term plan is the "wrong approach".

In addition, the

CDU party chairman

stated that "it is not the time to talk about a time for the opening, but it is good to clarify the criteria in which order what will take place."

Update from January 27, 11.50 a.m.:

First wave, second wave, possibly even more corona waves?

To illustrate the danger, politicians and experts like to speak and warn of the next corona wave of new infections.

North Rhine-Westphalia Prime Minister

Armin Laschet

now used this image again in the state parliament.

“We absolutely have to prevent a third wave from occurring,” the dpa quotes him.

In a speech in the state parliament, Laschet stated that the second wave was already more violent than the first.

He has already rejected

far-reaching

easing

in speeches in recent days.

“There will be no premature openings that could endanger what has been achieved,” Laschet emphasized again.

Especially with regard to the mutated virus, a third wave would hit the country even more violently, fears the new CDU chairman.

Merkel on lockdown: is she planning to relax in secret?

Update January 27, 10:12:

". We are slipped the thing" This sentence, which

Chancellor Angela Merkel

is alleged to have said in an internal switching, recently made the rounds.

Now

Markus Söder

, Prime Minister of Bavaria,

responded

to

Bild Live

and surprisingly drew a completely different conclusion: “I cannot confirm the sentence because I was not in this column.

(...) But one thing I know is that, on the contrary, we have stabilized the situation enormously at the moment. ”The corona numbers, also in Bavaria, went down.

"That means that the current measures are working, but there is no reason to give the all-clear, because conversely the

mutation

is a serious, big challenge."

Because of the falling number of infections, calls for

the measures

to be

relaxed are getting a

little louder.

Some parties and experts have been calling for at least long-term strategies for a long time.

As

Bild

claims to have learned, Merkel is preparing a step-by-step easing plan, but only with confidants from the closest circle.

If this is true, it is not uncommon for Merkel to be afraid that the plans will be leaked to the public.

She usually prefers to have everything clearly arranged before plans are made public.

But apparently not all countries are currently involved in such considerations.

So there is

a real

risk that the

prime ministers

would not support a finished easing plan.

Schleswig-Holstein, for example, already presented its own plans on Tuesday

(see initial report)

.

Corona in Germany: Demands that the Bundeswehr must support more in the country

In public,

Chancellor Merkel

stressed

at all times that an incidence value below 50 would have to be reached in order to be able to follow up contacts again before far-reaching easing can be decided.

But in 2020 a value of 50 was often critical and the health authorities were always at their limit.

Not only for their support, for example, the FDP is calling for the Bundeswehr to be more involved.

Defense Minister *

Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer

commented on this in the ZDF “Morgenmagazin”.

Why isn't the Bundeswehr helping everywhere yet?

"At the moment it is because too little is being requested," said the CDU * politician.

The constitution forbids soldiers from sending themselves into action.

Cities and municipalities would have to request support.

“That's what I'm promoting,” said Kramp-Karrenbauer.

According to the minister, it is difficult to determine why there are still too few inquiries.

The municipalities often worry that the aid would cost money.

Kramp-Karrenbauer therefore emphasized in the interview that “the

Bundeswehr will

not issue any bills”.

Corona lockdown in Germany: Discussion about travel restrictions

First report from January 26th:

Berlin / Munich - Although the

corona numbers are

currently

falling

in

Germany

, concerns about another worsening of the situation remain.

Because of the 

virus mutations

 from

Great Britain

South Africa

 or

Brazil 

, the federal government does not want to give the all-clear

too 

quickly. 

Chancellor Angela Merkel

 continues to take strict

measures

to

contain

the

corona pandemic

*

.

Merkel apparently wants to

introduce

travel restrictions

.

On Tuesday, according to participants at a meeting of the CDU / CSU parliamentary group, the Chancellor said: "Everyone sees that it is not the hour in which we are traveling now."

According to information from the

AFP

news

agency

, Merkel suggested

“certain precautions at the border”

.

Federal Minister of the Interior Horst Seehofer

therefore went one step further.

He would like to

greatly minimize

air traffic

and

bring it

"to almost zero"

.

Corona in Germany: Merkel wants to severely restrict cross-border travel

Meeting participants also stated that Merkel had expressed

her lack of understanding of ongoing

cross-border travel

to

her

group

.

Especially tourist trips to regions with

high incidence values

and areas in which the highly contagious

corona mutations

occur frequently are a thorn in the side of the Chancellor.

Especially since the corona situation in Germany has not eased for a long time.

Merkel knows that the strict measures hit many people hard.

"We ask a lot from the citizens,"

she was quoted by participants in the group meeting.

Corona in Germany: Virologist Ciesek calls for European action against mutations

Not only Merkel sees the control of travel as an approach to get the highly contagious

corona mutations

under control.

The Frankfurt

virologist Sandra Ciesek

called on NDR Podcast "coronavirus Update" joint action by

Europe

, "because we do not live isolated on an island." The mutation in

the UK

could be due to the close proximity to the British Isles and so many contacts and different traffic routes hardly stop.

The spread is only to be slowed down.

In contrast, the variants from

South Africa

and

Brazil could be

better controlled.

According to Ciesek, these are hardly widespread in Germany.

All cases are "imported", said Ciesek.

According to the virologist, the corona mutations were only introduced via airports: "If you consistently test, follow up and are in quarantine, I think you have a chance that you can contain it for a while."

Corona in Germany: Schleswig-Holstein brings easing plan into play

According to

Prime Minister

Daniel Günther,

Schleswig-Holstein

has

developed a "perspective plan".

The CDU politician and his black-green-yellow

national coalition

brought a graduated

easing

plan into play in the event of an improvement in the corona situation in the coming months.

This provides for

four levels

, which are based on the incidence

levels

100, 50 and 35.

The situation in

intensive care units

,

vaccination rates

and epidemiological factors such as the possible spread of corona mutations also play a role in the implementation.

In addition, how long the

incidence

values ​​are consistently achieved determines whether the next stage of the relaxation plan is activated.

(kh with AFP) * Merkur.de is part of the nationwide Ippen-Digital editorial network.

List of rubric lists: © Bernd von Jutrczenka / dpa

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2021-01-28

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