End of the corona shutdown in Germany? New survey shows clear majority

Shutdown: When is the end of the corona restrictions in Germany to be expected? The discussions split the politicians.

• Contact lock : Because of the corona virus , far-reaching measures have also been decided in Germany .
• It is not yet clear how long the restrictions will apply - even until April 20, according to the Chancellery.
• The calls for an early end to the shutdown are getting louder.
• Here you will find the basic facts about the corona virus. You can also find current case numbers in Germany as a map.
  

Update of April 5, 7.55 a.m .: While the discussions about exit strategies from Germany's corona shutdown are getting louder, Federal Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has urged the observance of the ban on contact in Germany in view of the dramatically increasing number of deaths caused by the corona pandemic worldwide.

"A look beyond our borders shows even more dramatically than with us how deadly the corona virus is," warned the SPD politician in an interview with the German press agency. Consequences must be drawn from this: “We must continue to do everything we can to avoid spreading too quickly in Germany. Unfortunately, this also applies to the Easter days - so bitter that it is for many families and groups of friends. "

Maas was also impressed by how consistently the vast majority of people in Germany have so far adhered to the rules for avoiding contact. “This also shows how great the sense of community and solidarity are in our country. This is exactly what we have to build on to get through this crisis as well as possible, ”he emphasized.

Corona shutdown: A majority of Germans are in favor of continuing the measures

Update of April 4, 2:55 p.m .: When should the Federal Government's tough measures against the further spread of the corona virus be relaxed? Despite all fears of a recession and economic crisis in the country, a large proportion of Germans are in favor of continuing the lockdown . This is shown by a representative survey that the polling institute Civey carried out for “Spiegel”.

The researchers asked the question: "How do you rate policy measures to combat the corona pandemic?" 56 percent of the respondents replied that they thought the rules were appropriate. 29 percent even consider it "rather insufficient" or "clearly not sufficient". The surprise: Only just under 15 percent consider the government's measures in response to the corona crisis to be "rather exaggerated" or "clearly exaggerated".

2:51 p.m .: Chancellor Angela Merkel will discuss the next steps in the Corona crisis in a conference call with the Prime Ministers of the federal states on Wednesday. It will also be a question of how long the current restrictions and measures apply.

Hamburg Mayor Peter Tschentscher assumes that the duration of the measures will be set until after Easter in the conversation. "I do not expect any further measures tomorrow, but I also do not expect that we will loosen anything now," said Tschentscher on Tuesday in Hamburg. He emphasized that it is important not to jeopardize what has been achieved. "We are still in a serious situation."

A virologist, however, questions the extension of the initial restrictions in the talk of "Maischberger" (ARD) Merkel's target.

End of corona measures: Kretschmann agrees with Merkel

2.10 p.m .: Prime Minister Winfried Kretschmann warned in the corona crisis against a premature debate about an exit strategy from the strict exit restrictions. "The situation remains serious," warned the Green politician at a virtual press conference in Stuttgart on Tuesday. He could understand if many people wanted a quick return to normal life. But now is not the time for a debate about easing the measures. That is dubious. "We are still at the beginning of the crisis." Speculations about a relaxation of the rules for avoiding contact are forbidden at the present time.

The current crisis is causing dramatic conditions in Great Britain: in England, too, doctors have to make inhuman decisions because of the corona virus. *

Update of March 31, 2:05 p.m .: A scientific study has now looked at when the peak and possibly an end of the corona pandemic in Germany could have been reached. *

Corona shutdown in Germany soon to end? Merkel has a big request from Quarantine

News from March 30th:

Update 1:13 pm : Government spokesman Steffen Seibert gave a press conference on Monday. Chancellor Angela Merkel (CSU) said that the shutdown might end soon: "It would be irresponsible to raise hopes now" and "It will pass". Merkel's request to everyone is up-to-date: "Let's go with it - it's vital."

A journalist takes a close look: So the federal government does not want to commit itself when deciding on an extension? Seibert emphasizes that on March 22 the agreement was reached for a period of at least 14 days. At the time, it was clear to most of the federal states that the guidelines had to be adhered to at least until the end of the Easter holidays: "There is synchronism between the federal states."

A conference call by Merkel and the state premiers is planned for Wednesday . Then one would take an "inventory of the current situation of the spread of the virus", so Seibert.

Corona shutdown: end in sight? AKK names possible indicators for loosening

12:04: The CDU leadership has warned that a debate about an end to the corona protective measures is already underway . Corona still had "the whole of Europe and the world under control," said party leader Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, according to information from party circles on Monday in a meeting of the CDU presidium. According to the information provided, the top committee agreed that Germany was “not yet where to go” in the fight against the virus.

AKK spoke up to discuss an end to the corona measures.

© dpa / Nicolas Armer

The country would only be on the right path if the “doubling time” of the infected was ten days. Kramp-Karrenbauer also warned the party that citizens "expected good crisis management in the current situation".

The CDU top committee also spoke in favor of regulations so that workers from abroad could work in Germany - for example as harvest helpers or caregivers. Further talks with the Federal Ministry of the Interior are planned here.

Corona shutdown: loosening measures? Schwesig even speaks of tightening

Update of March 30, 2020, 9.23 a.m .: Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania's Prime Minister, Manuela Schwesig (SPD) , does not believe in the debate about easing the corona measures and even suggested in the ARD “ Daily Topics ” that “we are moving the ban on contact Easter holidays have to look at us again and, in my eyes, have to be more specific and more precise. "

Corona shutdown: Merkel reports from quarantine - and names a major goal for the end of the restrictions

10:57 am: Vice Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) also wants to maintain the protective measures against the spread of the corona virus until April 20 . In the "Bild am Sonntag", Scholz explicitly declined to put economic rather than medical questions in the foreground when deciding: "I strongly advise everyone not to relax the economic issues."

Scholz therefore stood behind the line of Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) . The head of the Chancellor's Office, Helge Braun (CDU) , also agreed on Saturday that the protective measures would continue until April 20. The Vice Chancellor and Minister of Finance said: "First of all, we have to wait and see what effect the measures will have. Hopefully we will know more by April 20. Now it is a question of us all abiding by the rules, keeping our distance and the infection slow it down."

Some politicians, especially from the Union and the SPD , are pressing for an early easing of the restrictions on social life due to concerns about a slump in the economy and business. Scholz sharply rejected this: "I oppose any of these cynical considerations that people have to put up with death in order for the economy to run. I consider such considerations unbearable," he told BamS. The restrictions are indeed "very massive", but "it is a matter of life and death".

"When public life can begin bit by bit will depend solely on how well we manage to slow down the spread of the virus so that our health system can cope with it," said Scholz. The government is "committed to humanity to do everything to stop this pandemic". A "clear moral compass" is required for this.

Sebastian Kurz has now announced stricter corona measures for Austria. *

Corona shutdown: too early for exit strategy? Laschet disagrees with Merkel

Update of March 29, 10.16 a.m .: North Rhine-Westphalia * Prime Minister Armin Laschet has spoken again in the discussion about an end to the Corona restrictions . In a guest post for the Welt am Sonntag, he clearly contradicted Chancellor Angela Merkel's statements: "The sentence that it is too early to think about an exit strategy is wrong," said Laschet. In his opinion, one should already plan for the time when the measures would have an effect.

Laschet added that criteria had to be developed that could be used to decide when the current restrictions could be withdrawn.

Meanwhile, the chancellor was backed by SPD leader Norbert Walter-Borjans. The return to normality is the goal, but "we are not there yet", the SPD politician is quoted by ntv . He warned of this by prematurely discussing the end of the measures to fuel false expectations. This jeopardizes the “painstakingly achieved behavioral changes”. This threatens "in the worst case (...) a disastrous wave of infection and an economic collapse".

Corona shutdown: Merkel reports from quarantine - and names a major goal for the end of the restrictions

Update at 11.46 a.m .: Angela Merkel spoke again about possible loosening of the shutdown currently prevailing due to the corona epidemic - with a podcast from her home quarantine . First, the Chancellor emphasized that she was aware of "how severe the contact restrictions that now apply to everyone in Germany". She was impressed by the Germans, who would have "completely changed" their behavior so quickly. " Thank you , wholeheartedly, thank you," she said to her audience.

Corona virus in Germany: Merkel calls for patience in shutdown

But Merkel also emphasized that the corona rules must continue to be strictly adhered to . “No one can say today with a clear conscience that he knows how long this difficult time will last. I have to ask you: be patient . "At the moment, the daily numbers of new infections would not give any reason to ease," or to relax the rules, " said Merkel. Currently, new infections in Germany would double approximately every five and a half days. Although this was much slower than at the beginning of the corona crisis, the period of doubling had to go towards "ten days" in order not to overload the health system, said Merkel.

Anyone who follows the rules can therefore be a lifesaver, emphasized the Chancellor. She ended the podcast with the words: "Thank you all for our country to be able to count on you."

Chancellor #Merkel sends an audio podcast from home quarantine thanks to everyone who shares the severe restrictions in the fight against the #Corona virus. #wirbleibenzuhause #StayHomeSavesLives # Covid19 pic.twitter.com/9t9CCZi1LX

Update of March 28th, 6.47am: Chancellor Helge Braun has clarified that before April 20th there will be no relaxation of the existing restrictions in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic . "We are not talking about any relief until April 20," the CDU politician told Tagesspiegel . "Until then, all measures will remain in place."

Older people, however, would have to reckon with contact restrictions for much longer than younger people. "One thing is common to all models, no matter how we choose: that the older and pre-ill people in our society need to be effectively protected from infection until there is a vaccine ," said Braun.

Coronavirus in Germany: Development of the infection rate is crucial

Braun sees the development of the rate of infection as a yardstick for a turnaround and a decision-making basis for easing restrictions. "If we manage to slow the rate of infection so that we have ten, twelve or more days to double, then we know that we are on the right track." In the end, the number of cases doubled approximately every three days . "Immediately after Easter , we will be able to say what will generally happen after April 20." He had the impression that the population adhered to the rules in an exemplary manner. "And that's why I'm convinced that we'll see their success in a few days," emphasized Braun.

According to Braun, Braun wants to use a mix of measures as practiced in South Korea . “On the one hand, they made the same contact restrictions as we are now practicing in Germany. They also used digital tracking, which you can find out almost fully automatically if you have had contact with infected people. ”The country also has a very broad approach to testing.

Corona virus in Germany: Federal President signs laws for the Corona package of measures

4:00 p.m .: Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier signed the laws for the Corona package of measures , which were passed in a rush. The Presidential Office in Berlin announced that the six templates had been drawn up. The extensive aid programs can thus come into force.

In the morning, the Federal Council approved the laws that also allow the federal government to incur additional billions in debt. They had been adopted by the cabinet on Monday and then by the Bundestag without the usual deadlines on Wednesday.

After his Covid 19 illness, Friedrich Merz spoke up and predicted a new “post-corona world”.

Merkel makes a prediction at the end of the corona shutdown - and amazes her own government with a statement

1:40 p.m .: Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) caused astonishment in her own government with a statement on the withdrawal of restrictions as a result of the Corona crisis on Friday. Merkel had said that the number of new infections in Germany is currently doubling every four to five days - but that this pace must move "in the direction of ten days" before the restrictions on protection against corona can be lifted.

The Federal Ministry of Health was surprised: "I don't know where the number of ten days from which the Chancellor is referring comes," said a spokesman. He said he knew nothing about studies that "set a clear date" on this issue. A lifting of the restrictions can only be considered "when you see that what we do works."

Vice-government spokeswoman Ulrike Demmer made it clear that the Chancellor's statement was intended to be "no fixed size".

On Thursday evening, Merkel said on the issue of lifting corona restrictions : "At the moment we are in Germany with about four to five days. We started with the fact that it only took two days for the number of new infections to double We need to do a lot more days with our actions, in the direction of ten days. "

Federal Council approves package of measures for the Corona crisis

1.00 p.m .: The Federal Council approved the government's package of measures on the Corona crisis on Friday. The federal government can use it to raise new debts amounting to 156 billion euros for support services for health care, companies and employees. The Bundestag had previously decided on the measures on Wednesday, which are now to be implemented promptly.

The supplementary budget presented by the federal government assumes crisis-related tax losses of EUR 33.5 billion and additional expenditure of EUR 122.5 billion. It means turning away from the "black zero" principle that the Federal Government has represented for years. The debt brake anchored in the Basic Law is suspended with an exception clause.

Because of the Corona crisis , the Federal Council meeting was held in a smaller group of country representatives. Speeches should only be given on record. Apart from Federal Council President Dietmar Woidke (SPD) from Brandenburg, most of the prime ministers stayed away from the meeting.

Corona shutdown: Merkel with bitter prediction at the end of the measures - Chancellor names the goal

Update, March 27, 6:42 am: In her G20 speech on Thursday, Merkel emphasized that it was not yet the time to think about an end to the measures in Germany . The incubation period lasted at least five days and could last up to 14 days, said Merkel. Since the measures decided last Sunday only came into force in large parts of Germany on Monday, one is not yet in the area where one can see whether they worked.

She therefore had to "ask the people in Germany for patience", said the Chancellor and added: "It was always clear that we can only think about the measures if we see effects". Unfortunately, one is “quite a distance away”. The aim is to reduce the infection rate in such a way that the health system in Germany is not overloaded.

The Prime Ministers Söder (Bavaria) and Laschet (NRW) had previously commented on possible weakening of the measures. Minister of Health Jens Spahn and Bavarian Minister of Economics Hubert Aiwanger had already commented on this.

The Federal Council wants to finally conclude the massive aid program in the corona crisis this Friday. It includes measures to save jobs and companies, to support hospitals and to ensure the livelihood and housing of citizens. The Chamber of States reportedly wants to wave through all the laws in one session without speaking. The first aid should reach those affected before April 1st.

Merkel at the end of the corona measures: "A long way away"

Update March 26, 10:44 p.m .: Chancellor Angela Merkel has also commented on a possible end to the corona restrictions . In a conference at the G20 summit * Merkel said when asked by a journalist that there was no time yet to talk about easing the measures. The Chancellor is in line with Bavaria's Prime Minister Markus Söder and NRW Prime Minister Armin Laschet, who had previously taken a stand on the subject.

Merkel went on to say that after the short time that the measures now apply, the effectiveness cannot be assessed.

Update March 26, 8:25 pm: NRW Prime Minister Armin Laschet has now also commented on the discussion about an end to the corona restrictions : "The date is set after the Easter holidays," said Laschet on Thursday evening in the ARD. At this point, you have to decide about the school closings, he explained. However, the politician also warned that one should not think too quickly about an end to the measures. "We are not over the mountain," warned Laschet.

Söder talks about the end of the corona shutdown: "Don't get up too early"

Update March 26, 19:51: The Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder warned in a video message on Thursday that the corona restrictions would end prematurely. Söder said in the message sent via Twitter:

"I think we can get through this, but it is important that you don't get up too quickly, as if you have a normal other illness, and start again too soon, then it can get a lot worse in the end."

And further: "If we want to be successful and if we want to get out of this crisis, we must continue on the path that we have now taken," said Söder in a video message distributed on Thursday evening.

Söder may also have responded to a statement by his deputy Hubert Aiwanger (free voters). The Bavarian Minister of Economic Affairs and Vice-Government had said on Wednesday evening on BR television that, of course, one had to “keep an eye on the exit”.

The cohesion in the Corona crisis is impressive. Now we have to hold out together. Please keep the basic exit restrictions so reliable. Only then can the measures take effect. Let's continue on the path we have chosen! pic.twitter.com/1XwR6H7MAK

When does the corona shutdown end? Linke mad at Spahn and RKI: "That is irresponsible!"

Update March 26, 4:55 p.m .: It is still unclear when the ban on contacts and exit restrictions in Germany can be relaxed again - and what effects this would have on the coronavirus crisis . But first concrete considerations are already underway in Bavaria . Markus Soder's coalition partner in the state government, the free voters , is working on plans for the period after the shutdown.

A working group "Exit Strategy Coronavirus" founded on Thursday is now dealing with "what comes after the end of the pandemic - measures that should take effect as soon as we can return to normal life," said the group. “We therefore call for a widely available antibody test that can be used to determine the basic immunization of the population. Groups of people who can expect a severe Covid 19 course must be better isolated and protected, ”said parliamentary group leader Florian Streibl .

Meanwhile, there is also a lot of debate about switching to the isolation of the elderly and risk groups. A corresponding proposal by the Green Party politician Boris Palmer has met with some violent reactions. Such considerations are also supported by a well-known philosopher.

Corona shutdown: Obviously great agreement among the population - Germans expect expansion

Update March 26, 3:35 p.m .: There is apparently a lot of support among the population for the ban on contact and the further measures against the spread of the coronavirus. 88 percent of the respondents to a YouGov survey on behalf of dpa agree with the previously adopted regulations. One in three (32 percent) would like even tougher restrictions. Only eight percent of Germans consider the measures to be excessive.

83 percent say they fully adhere to the agreed rules, 12 percent partly. Only two percent state that they do not follow the new rules at all. The older the respondents are, the more likely they are to stick to the contact block. 64 percent expressed the expectation that the measures adopted to avoid human contacts would be tightened again .

When does the corona shutdown end? Linke mad at Spahn and RKI: "That is irresponsible!"

Update March 26, 3:01 p.m .: The left in the Bundestag is heavily criticizing the federal government's crisis management in terms of coronavirus - especially with a view to getting out of the shutdown. Neither health minister Jens Spahn (CDU) nor the Robert Koch Institute were "able to make the public transparent about which criteria, such as new infection rates or hospital occupancy", should be decided about the relaxation of the measures, the group's health expert complained, Achim Kessler .

"That is irresponsible!" He added. "Of course, the situation has to be updated on a daily basis, but people have the justified right to know the ministry's timetable in times of uncertainty and massive restrictions on their freedom of movement." Decisions of this magnitude should "neither be delayed nor made in the ministerial back room".

Corona shutdown: end in sight? Scheuer wants to "wait for the facts"

Update March 26, 2:21 pm: Agriculture Minister Julia Klöckner (CDU) did not want to give a forecast at a press conference at noon about a possible end of the shutdown. "You shouldn't speculate on such a date," she said.

"I can understand the impatience in the country," said Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer (CSU) . At the same time: "We accept the situation because health comes first". One now has to wait for the facts - and ensure that the country is well prepared for a revival of the economy.

Update March 26, 1.30 p.m .: SPD health expert Karl Lauterbach also warns of a premature end of the shutdown in Germany due to the corona crisis . "We should not now accept the deaths and lifelong damage of many for a few weeks faster normality in the economy," Lauterbach warned in a tweet on Thursday. “This discussion is also about money for health. Health comes first: the economy is recovering, the dead are not. ”

We must not now accept deadly and lifelong damage to many for a few weeks faster normality in the economy. This discussion is also about money for health. Health comes first: the economy is recovering, the dead are not https://t.co/lvaIy7hT5r

When does the corona shutdown end? German cities in great concern - Minister warns: "Not okay"

Update March 26, 12:32 pm: When does the corona shutdown end ? There is already an increasingly sharp political struggle over this question. The Association of Cities and Towns (DStGB) has now appealed to the federal and state governments to develop strategies for relaxing current exit restrictions. "In the long term, we cannot paralyze the entire country," said managing director Gerd Landsberg to the newspapers of the Funke media group - even if the measures are currently "correct and necessary".

A key question was whether school operations and childcare would resume after the Easter holidays, Landsberg said. An opening of restaurants must also be considered. The restriction of larger events and special distance rules would be necessary in the long term. Landsberg warned that a total restriction could only ever be a short-term solution. At the same time, he called for financial aid in the Handelsblatt : "Nothing would be more dramatic than endangering the functioning of the municipalities in these difficult times due to a lack of financial resources".

Bundestag Vice President Thomas Oppermann (SPD) also pleaded for such considerations. "We now have to look for ways to get the business going again in the foreseeable future," Oppermann told RTL and n-tv. "We cannot now set ourselves up in a completely bleak, that-remains-now-for-months perspective."

Oppermann and his SPD party friends Hubertus Heil and Stephan Weil also dampened hopes. He believes that April is all it takes to get the knowledge he needs, Oppermann said. "A sudden return to normal is hardly conceivable," said Prime Minister of Lower Saxony Weil. At best, a "step-by-step approach" is conceivable. "To announce now, that is over after Easter, that is a wish," emphasized Minister of Labor Heil. Other demands were "not okay".

Corona shutdown: end in sight? Virologist Drosten also comments

Update March 26, 11.30 a.m .: The well-known virologist Christian Drosten has clearly dampened hopes of an abrupt end to the restrictions on public life. "Such simple demands that one simply isolates risk groups does not work," he said at a press conference with Science Minister Anja Karliczek (CDU).

Christian Drosten (right) at a press conference with Minister Anja Karliczek on Thursday.

© dpa / Michael Kappeler

Still, you have to "get out of there," of course, Drosten said. The effect of the restrictions must now be "made a little more specific". Here, too, science is asked. Politicians need model predictions. "In the near future", the regulations will probably be "adjusted", he emphasized. Karliczek also said it was "not a permanent condition".

When does the corona shutdown end? Seehofer opposes demands: "Not with me"

Update March 26, 9.45 a.m .: Interior Minister Horst Seehofer (CSU) swears the Germans, with some clear words, to continue the corona lockdown until at least Easter . The ability of the economy to function "to be restored by accepting many dead or sick people who are healed but have permanent damage is out of the question for me," he told Süddeutsche Zeitung in an interview published on Thursday. "Not with me," emphasized Seehofer.

"It is an illusion to think that a virus can be controlled step by step, so that only the 90-year-olds or 80-year-olds or 70-year-olds are affected," said Seehofer, referring to possible loosening of curfews and shop closings : "If I do so etwas höre, da werde ich verrückt." Auch Ideen, der Coronavirus-Krise über die Herstellung einer „ Herdenimmunität “ entgegenzutreten, erteilte Seehofer - wie auch viele Virologen - eine Absage. Zum einen gebe es keine Garantie für eine Immunität gegen das Virus, zum anderen bedeute diese Strategie, dass man Opfer in Kauf nehme. Das halte er für „unvertretbar“.

Interior Minister Horst Seehofer at a cabinet meeting.

© dpa / Fabrizio Bensch

However, the Federal Minister of the Interior has already indicated a possible time horizon for an end to the rigid regulations. "Great discipline until Easter is necessary". After that, a reassessment is appropriate - and bridging measures “until we have an effective medication or a vaccine”.

Among others, Union faction vice Carsten Linnemann (CDU) has called for an end to the economic break after Easter . "For the entire economy and our state, the damage will be sustainable and cannot be compensated for decades if we do not gradually start up the economy again after Easter at the latest," Linnemann told Bild . Bavaria's Vice Prime Minister Hubert Aiwanger (Free Voter) also spoke on Wednesday of the end of the measures in mid-April .

Corona shutdown: Chancellor's office becomes concrete - this is what the next steps would look like

Update March 25, 6:02 pm: For the first time, Chancellor Helge Braun has hinted at how the contact restrictions due to the Corona crisis could be relaxed: "The next phase is of course: Young people who are not among the risk groups are again allowed to focus on the But then we have to test consistently, find the infected and keep track of their contacts so that it doesn't increase exponentially again. "

Braun said this via the Jodel app when he answered questions from Internet users. Currently, a lot depends on whether the infection curve can be kept flat with the measures that have been decided. "This will show up in the next two weeks," said Braun. Then hopefully the question of an end to the restrictions could also be answered.

Spahn speaks of time after Corona - end of shutdown in sight?

Berlin - The corona virus * and the measures decided on because of the pathogen are currently paralyzing the economy and public life in Germany . So far it is not clear how long the ban on contact announced by Angela Merkel , the school closings or the exit restrictions in Bavaria * will last .

"There will be a time after Corona," said Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn on Wednesday in the Bundestag in Berlin. However, it is completely unclear when this time will come. Spahn once again drew attention to the reasons for the measures currently being taken : the nationwide contact blocks served to keep the operation of clinics and medical practices running. "The time we are gaining now protects our health care system against overload and overwork," said the minister. The willingness of citizens to help is enormous.

Spahn then offered prospects for the Federal Government to phase out the current corona protective measures for the first time . "We use this time to not only develop concepts, but also prepare them for implementation, as we can gradually remove restrictions ," said Spahn.

End of corona measures: Spahn wants concept by Easter

Spahn did not give a time frame for this . "The more determined we are now, the faster we can get back to everyday life," he said. "If we develop a new sense of belonging in this crisis, it will also strengthen us for the future - because there will be a time after Corona."

Spahn also told Die Zeit that an overall concept for a possible end to the corona measures was to be developed by Easter. Part of this could be asking older people "possibly over a period of several months to severely limit their contacts and, if in doubt, to stay at home."

Because of the corona virus, public life in Germany is idle.

© dpa / Robert Michael

Previously, FDP boss Christian Lindner long ago consequences limitations warned in Corona crisis and demanded to enable people as quickly as possible freedom. The current restrictions such as the ban on contact * are proportionate, said the chairman of the FDP group on Wednesday in the Bundestag. "But the current state contradicts human nature."

Video: What helps if no protective mask is available?

End of corona measures: Lindner calls for “exit strategy”

It does not suit an open society, endangers the economy and also social peace, "if people's acceptance could decrease in the very near future", Lindner warned. The condition must therefore be overcome "step by step, but as quickly as possible". For this, the health care system would have to be upgraded and a comprehensive test for the coronavirus provided. The government, states and municipalities would have to "do everything so that people can return to freedom as quickly as possible."

In conversation with the Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger , Lindner also called for an “exit strategy” in the corona crisis . The FDP is currently carrying a lot of measures, "but at the same time we ask every day how long these are still necessary and what is being done to make them dispensable," the FDP chief told the paper.

Coronavirus: Linnemann (CDU) demands shutdown end after Easter

Union parliamentary group vice-president Carsten Linnemann (CDU) went one step further and called for an end to the economic break after Easter in the coronavirus crisis. "For the entire economy and our state, the damage will be sustainable and cannot be compensated for decades if we do not gradually start up the economy again after Easter at the latest," said Linnemann of the Bild newspaper (Wednesday). For some companies, the limit has already been reached. The time until then must be used to contain the virus and prepare the health system for the epidemic, said the head of the middle class and economic union.

One way out of current restrictions could be to develop a vaccine * and a corona drug *.

US President Donald Trump wants to remove the restrictions in North America until Easter if possible. However, he receives a lot of criticism for this.

In Germany, the experts are now divided. A doctor's president now demands mouth protection for all Germans.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has tested positive for coronavirus.

The consumer advice center now warned of supposed healing methods. These include the controversial globules.

rjs / dpa / afp

* merkur.de is part of the nationwide Ippen-Digital editors network.

List of rubric lists: © dpa / Michael Kappeler