Exit plan from the corona shutdown: Merkel and Söder are silent - and are now even receiving criticism from the Ethics Council

The measures taken against the corona virus largely paralyze life in Germany. Chancellor-in-Office Helge Braun now gave an insight into the government's exit strategy.

• The corona virus * continues to spread in Germany.
• Angela Merkel has extended the ban on contact until April 19.
• Little is known about the government's exit strategy.
• The guide to our corona virus reporting. Here you will find the latest news on the crisis in Germany and a map of Germany with the Corona figures.
  

Update from April 7, 8:45 pm: Is there now movement in the debate about moderate ways out of the corona shutdown? North Rhine-Westphalia's Prime Minister Armin Laschet (CDU) spoke up on Tuesday with suggestions.

In the assessment of the candidate for the CDU chairmanship, smaller shops could initially reopen . "In the bakeries, for example, the minimum distance between customers is observed almost everywhere, in my opinion," said Laschet of the Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger . "That is why an option could be to reopen the small shops where there are not many people at the same time."

When the catering trade reopens , it could also be a criterion "how well can guests and employees be protected against infection". Earlier in the day, Laschet had declared a schedule in "watchful, responsible normality" necessary. "People have to recognize a plan," he said in Düsseldorf. First of all, however, it is still necessary to follow the applicable corona requirements .

The Bavarian FDP is exerting pressure: it demands an exit strategy from Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) - and, if possible, an immediate mask requirement, as parliamentary group leader Martin Hagen emphasized in an interview with Munich's Merkur *.

Exit plan from the corona shutdown: Merkel and Söder are silent - and are now even receiving criticism from the Ethics Council

Update from April 7, 3:45 p.m .: The strict restrictions on public - and sometimes private - life in Germany will not remain forever. Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) and Bavaria's Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU), two of the most striking decision-makers in the corona crisis, make this clear again and again. Merkel - and also Söder - do not want to comment on the criteria and the ways in which these easing can happen: a debate does not seem to be desirable from the top politicians.

View of the press conference of the German Ethics Council in Berlin on Tuesday.

© dpa / Axel Schmidt

This is exactly what the German Ethics Council expressed clear criticism of on Tuesday. The communication strategy of many responsible persons is "in need of improvement", said the chairman of the Ethics Council, Peter Dabrock , in Berlin. "It is too early for easing, but it is never too early to discuss opening perspectives, " he said. It is by no means the case that people are given false hopes. "People need pictures of hope exactly when they are in a catastrophic situation like the present one," added Dabrock. "That motivates you to persevere."

Too often the debate about possible easing of the current restrictions is only about the time aspect , the theologian emphasized at the same time. "The factual and social criteria are neglected." But these should actually be in the foreground. It had to be checked again and again whether the measures were necessary and appropriate for each individual . "We have to move away from all-or-nothing thinking and acting," he said.

"We have to move away from all-or-or-nothing thinking and acting". Which measures are still suitable for everyone and for individual groups? To do this, we need a politically moderated social debate, says Dabrock (@just_ethics. # COVID19de #Bundespressekonferenz

Dabrock paid "high recognition" to federal and state governments for their achievements in the corona crisis. With a view to Merkel's recent public appearances, he also emphasized that he wanted "even more take away of the population". In this way, politics could ask people more about their assessment and what they are "giving the government along".

The submission was gratefully received by FDP boss Christian Lindner . He urged Merkel's government to follow the recommendation of the Ethics Council and now to develop a relaxation concept. "The instructions from the government not to speak about it publicly have not convinced us for some time," said Lindner. He had called for an open debate about steps out of the shutdown last week.

Exit from the shutdown: Von der Leyen wants to publish strategy - but must brake

German politics may now also be overtaken by the EU: Ursula von der Leyen, EU Commission chief, wants to propose a common European strategy to gradually relax the restrictions in the Corona crisis. The goal is a coordinated and uniform approach in the European Union, said her spokesman Eric Mamer on Tuesday.

However, the strategy’s publication, which was originally announced for Wednesday, was postponed until Tuesday afternoon. EU Commission circles said that the background was requests from some member states who did not want to send a signal too early that the restrictions could be relaxed . The Commission's strategy was ready, but would not be published until after Easter .

After all: Saxony's Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer announced that there would be a switching conference between the federal states and Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday next week (April 15) to relax the measures.

Shutdown debate in Germany: Günther sees relaxation coming - "wherever possible"

Update of April 7, 2:00 p.m .: Schleswig-Holstein's Prime Minister Daniel Günther (CDU) hopes for a gradual loosening of the corona requirements after Easter. "So we will soon start a phase in which we are likely to enable certain social things again," said Günther of the weekly newspaper Die Zeit .

“The closing of restaurants and cafes, for example, was also necessary because the distance was not kept - initially there was no awareness of the necessary rules of conduct. It is different now. Wherever it is spatially possible to keep the distance, regulations can be relaxed again. "

Günther named April 14 as the decisive date . Then the Prime Ministers want to discuss with Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) about a possible relaxation of the massive restrictions on public life.

Corona shutdown in Germany: end in sight? Parts of the exit strategy revealed!

Coronavirus - Düsseldorf

© dpa / Marcel Kusch

First report from April 6th:

Berlin - For almost two weeks now, contact bans * and other drastic measures have been in place in Germany to limit the spread of the coronavirus . Chancellor Angela Merkel recently extended the ban on contacts until April 19 and thus also over Easter.
In the meantime, it became known that Austria's Chancellor Sebastian Kurz wanted to loosen the lockdown from May 1. * However, little is known about when the shutdown in Germany could be over - let alone how the government is planning from the current situation get out.

Corona Exit: Document gives first precise plans for the exit

In the meantime, there are apparently concrete plans for the exit. The picture reports, citing a concept paper from the Interior Ministry. After that, retail and restaurants as well as schools should open again in individual regions. Other individual economic sectors without major customer contact could also re-enter the company. Larger events and celebrations were initially prohibited.

A prerequisite for easing is that the infection rate remains below one - in other words, that an infected person infects less than another person. Helge Braun also refers to other requirements (see below).

However, tightening of the measures in some areas is apparently also planned. * There should be a mask requirement in buses and trains as well as in factories and buildings.

End of corona shutdown in sight? Söder remains tough

Bavaria's Prime Minister Markus Söder, however, confirmed to Bild am Sonntag that "with April 20 (...) not everything will automatically be the same as before the crisis". At the same time, Söder was clearly against a discussion about returning to everyday life. This would play down the situation and risk a "strong relapse".

Such a discussion had been launched by several parties relatively shortly after the contact block had been issued. A number of politicians including Angela Merkel and Markus Söder subsequently spoke out against such a debate. * But other voices were also heard. For example, NRW Prime Minister Armin Laschet opposed Merkel and told the world on Sunday at the end of March: "The sentence that it is too early to think about an exit strategy is wrong" . FDP chief Lindner, for example, also considered it advisable to inform the business community when they would be allowed to work again.

We receive many offers for the delivery of med. Protective gear. It's easy now. The federal government buys FFP2 masks, surgical masks and protective gowns using the "open house" process.

End of the corona shutdown in Germany? Head of the Chancellery on exit strategy

Now Chancellor-in-Office Helge Braun commented on the current plans of the federal government. Braun told RTL and ntv that the planned mobile app for analyzing the corona infection routes * was part of the German government's exit strategy in order to gradually ease the ban on contact and other restrictions.

In addition to more intensive care beds, improved contact tracking of infected people is also needed. "The tracking app, which must comply with EU data protection, plays a decisive role in this - and more personnel for the health authorities," continues Braun. The planned mobile app for analyzing the corona infection routes will therefore be ready for use very soon - in the coming days or weeks at the latest.

Braun made it clear that a possible relaxation of the existing measures in connection with the corona virus will only be discussed after Easter. This corresponds to the statements made by various politicians, including CDU leader Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer.

A study was now trying to find out for the first time when the spread of the coronavirus in Germany could end.

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

List of rubric lists: © dpa / Bernd von Jutrczenka