Timo Lenzen / DER SPIEGEL
Dear readers,
In the spring, the first corona wave rolled through Europe and brought an Italian province to sad world fame.
There it was possible to observe what loss of control means in the pandemic: exponential growth in the number of infections, collapse in hospitals, doctors who have to make the decision to let people die because they cannot treat all patients.
Bergamo became a Corona beacon.
There was some evidence this week that Germany did not learn from it.
The number of cases at the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) has reached new highs.
Since the RKI changed its test strategy a few weeks ago, there should actually be even more infections than reported in the statistics (you can read here again why this is so).
With the expected time lag, the number of deaths has now risen accordingly.
The week also marks sad records in this regard.
The situation in Saxony is particularly dramatic.
In some regions such as Bautzen, Görlitz or the Erzgebirgskreis, the incidence is over 500. There, as in many other parts of Germany, the hospitals are already overloaded.
Is it because the people in these AfD strongholds do not adhere to the restrictions?
Or is it the proximity to the Czech Republic, which is currently particularly hard hit by the pandemic?
So far, there has been little reliable knowledge about this.
One thing is clear: Bergamo was at the beginning of the pandemic and was unprepared.
We actually know enough by now to prevent such conditions.
Against this background, the egg dance of politics around the question of which measures are currently required is at least irritating.
On Sunday, the federal and state governments want to discuss whether there will be a lockdown before Christmas or not.
By the end of the week, the chorus of those demanding tough restrictions swelled.
No wonder.
Anything else would mean: off to Bergamo.
"The winter failure - half-hearted shutdown, delayed vaccination start, thousands of deaths: How Germany lost its lead,"
is the title of the new SPIEGEL
.
You can get the
digital
copy from now on
and from the kiosk on Saturday.
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For a change, good news: Corona brings a record decrease in CO₂ emissions
Photo: KAI PFAFFENBACH / REUTERS
Lockdown or not Lockdown?
Corona pandemic: Seehofer calls for immediate lockdown
Horst Seehofer does not want to wait until after Christmas in the fight against corona: An immediate lockdown is the "only chance to regain control of the situation," the Federal Minister of the Interior told SPIEGEL.
Corona pandemic: Retail warns of months of closings after Christmas
Germany is not getting the corona pandemic under control.
The trade association now fears "to get into a lockdown lasting weeks or months" - with fatal economic consequences.
SPIEGEL survey: Large majority in favor of hard lockdown
The measures against the spread of the coronavirus do not seem to be sufficient, the number of infections is rising again.
A survey now shows: More than 70 percent of Germans want the federal and state governments to step up.
Stricter corona measures: Laschet and Günther force lockdown debate
The Chancellor is urging quick decisions in the corona crisis.
The prime ministers from North Rhine-Westphalia and Schleswig-Holstein jumped in: The call for a hard lockdown is getting louder.
Leopoldina scientist: "More intensive lockdown can bring case numbers down quickly"
Will a "hard lockdown" be imposed nationwide?
If it were up to the Leopoldina experts: yes - from Monday.
The academy makes specific suggestions on how infections can be reduced.
In case you still need arguments for the lockdown
Data analysis on corona deaths: The tolerated disaster
The second wave claims significantly more victims in Germany than the first.
Why are more and more people dying in spite of the extensive mask requirement and shutdown light?
Clinic manager on the situation in the hospitals: "Load capacity no longer allows normal operation"
The University Clinic Essen is the largest in the Ruhr area.
What happens there is symbolic of all hospitals in the country.
The medical director says relaxing the rules at Christmas borders on madness.
Covid-19 in worldwide numbers
Confirmed Cases: 69,634,669
Deaths: 1,583,242
Recovered from the disease: 44,926,348
Germany: 1,272,078 confirmed sick people, 20,970 deaths
Sources: CSSE / Johns Hopkins University, as of December 11, 2020, 10:27 am;
Robert Koch Institute, as of December 11, 2020, 12:00 a.m.
Research news
Mathematician on the possible course of the corona pandemic: "Every relaxation can lead to another wave"
Maria Barbarossa simulates together with other scientists how the Covid numbers could develop due to the Christmas easing.
What is your best and worst case scenario?
Pandemic in Germany: Why are the corona numbers so much higher in the south than in the north?
There are large regional differences in the number of corona cases in Germany.
How do they come about?
Expert Thorsten Lehr on chains of infection, false securities - and different minds.
New corona study: Children really are so contagious
A large study from Austria shows: Sars-CoV-2 affects as many students as teachers - and the little ones infect adults.
Mouthwashes: gargling against corona - does that bring anything?
Health Minister Spahn has brought mouthwashes against Corona into play.
What can the solutions do?
And what do hygienists and virologists say about it?
What else was important
Combination vaccination test: the best of both worlds
At the beginning of next year, Great Britain plans to test different types of corona vaccines in combination.
The exam could also solve the mystery of an AstraZeneca study.
Over 80s and nurses first: UK starts mass vaccination
A 90-year-old was the first to be vaccinated against the coronavirus in the UK.
By the end of the year, two million British people are expected to receive the vaccine.
The military will play an important role in this.
Reading for the weekend
Sociologist on relaxation at Christmas: "We often behave like children: We find attractive what is currently prohibited"
Where can we relax restrictions?
Where do we have to tighten?
The closer the holidays approach, the more violent the argument rages.
The sociologist Armin Nassehi explains why the answer is so difficult.
Alexander Kluge on the corona epidemic: "We humans are seekers of happiness"
Can a pandemic lead to something good?
Here the writer Alexander Kluge speaks about the hope of an emergency exit.
Corona death in the family: The virus has no conscience
Losing a loved one to Covid-19 is terrible.
But how do you deal with it when you've infected it yourself?
About corona and guilt.
And the question of how responsible we want to be.
Have a nice weekend
Yours Michail Hengstenberg
What you need to know about the virus
We have put together all the answers to the most important questions about the coronavirus for you here.
You can find more current developments at SPIEGEL.de.