Enlarge image
Sign on a cafe in Saxony
Photo: Robert Michael / dpa
Researchers expect the new corona wave to have significantly negative effects on economic development in Germany.
At least in the winter half of the year the economy will be "noticeably slowed down", said Michael Grömling from the employer-related Institute of the German Economy (IW) to the editorial network Germany (RND).
"We have to significantly reduce expectations for the fourth quarter," he said.
He sees problems in two important areas: Because of the production disruptions in many sectors, no more impulses can be expected from industry until the end of the year, said Grömling.
He also expects that the personal service sector in particular will be hit hard by the pandemic again.
Even many younger people hardly dared to leave the house, for example, shying away from attending concerts and other events.
Doubts about existing measures
The economy Veronika Grimm also sees a great braking effect of the fourth wave here.
"A dynamic pandemic is likely to restrict economic activities, since consumption is being avoided in many places out of concern about contagion," she told the RND.
An expansion of the 2G rules - i.e. the admission of only vaccinated or Covid-19 recovered people to certain locations and events - as well as compulsory tests at the workplace could help to weaken the pandemic.
However, it is doubtful that the measures taken so far are sufficient, said the economist, who is a member of the Advisory Council on the assessment of macroeconomic development.
Leading economic research institutes only lowered their economic forecast for this year in mid-October.
Since then, the pandemic situation in Germany has worsened significantly.
The Bundesbank has also given a pessimistic outlook on economic development.
On this Tuesday, several state cabinets want to discuss stricter rules.
In Bavaria, Berlin and Brandenburg, the state governments want to decide, and a new corona regulation is also to be presented in Lower Saxony.
Baden-Württemberg is expected to introduce the 2G plus rule on Wednesday at all events in culture, leisure and sport.
Then vaccinated and convalescent people would also have to show a negative test.
In view of the high incidence, the US is now even warning against traveling to Germany.
mmq / dpa / AFP