Corona virus: Spahn gives hope of easing shutdown - Laschet: "Nothing will be as it was"

The shutdown due to the corona virus largely paralyzes life in Germany. Do you already have an exit strategy? The news ticker.

• 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 6:02 p.m .: NRW Prime Minister Armin Laschet again addressed in his Easter speech a possible relaxation of the measures in the Corona crisis. He called for an exit schedule to ease restrictions to curb the coronavirus pandemic. "We need a timetable that shows us the way to a responsible normality," said Laschet in his speech broadcast on WDR on Sunday evening. The willingness to renounce also needs "a prospect of normalization".

The Prime Minister said about the future in the face of the coronavirus crisis: "One thing is clear: nothing will be as it was." With "many small, careful steps", however, it is possible to "enter a new phase of our cooperation". He urged "patience, discipline and community spirit".

Proposals from a group of experts commissioned by the state government of North Rhine-Westphalia became known on Saturday. Armin Laschet agreed with the proposals for a gradual exit from the restrictions in everyday life. The federal and state governments want to discuss how to proceed on Wednesday (April 15). The continuation of the contact restrictions and the possible opening of currently closed facilities will be discussed.

Corona virus shutdown: Spahn gives hope - it gets tricky for one area

Update of April 12, 1:20 p.m .: Health Minister Jens Spahn (CDU) was optimistic about the current developments in Germany in the Corona crisis at Easter. "We got along well so far," he said in the BILD Talk. "If we do this now over Easter, then we will have created this first dynamic together, and then it will be about how we come back step by step."

Health Minister Jens Spahn holds out the prospect of relief for coronavirus measures.

© Health Minister Jens Spahn holds out the prospect of relief from coronavirus measures.

He specified specific conditions for the economy: "If certain industries show us that they can enforce hygiene and distance rules, then the areas where this can begin can return to everyday life." On the other hand, it becomes tricky for schools and kindergartens . That is why a solution will soon be needed, especially for working parents.

But Spahn also made it clear that the population had to adjust to the virus in the long term: "The virus will stay, we will have to live with it and deal with it permanently." Precautions, such as keeping a sufficient distance, could therefore still be important in the coming months .

Corona shutdown: municipalities set precondition for easing measures and call for "careful exit"

Update from April 12th, 11:38 am: The city and municipal association has mentioned comprehensive corona tests as a prerequisite for relaxing the protective measures . This includes setting up a nationwide uniform test and reporting system, CEO Gerd Landsberg told the newspapers of the Funke Mediengruppe (Tuesday editions). In addition, the test capacities would have to be expanded significantly so that 80 to 100 percent of the contact persons of infected people could be found and tested within a day.

By the end of May, the tests would have to be ramped up from the current 60,000 to 500,000 a day, Landsberg said. He also advocated a " precautionary protective mask requirement" in shops, authorities and local public transport as soon as sufficient protective masks were available. In addition, a voluntary Corona warning app could help to break infection chains quickly and effectively.

Before the reopening of schools and daycare centers, Landsberg said that there should be simulation games in the municipalities, supported by the Robert Koch Institute. The aim of these simulation games was to find out whether it would make sense to "look after the children half in the morning and in the afternoon or half in the 14-day change".

Landsberg also campaigned for special rules to be granted to all recovered people . "Why should a one-man business not be able to open again when the owner is healthy, demonstrably can no longer infect anyone and is also not considered a vector?"

The local umbrella organization called on the federal and state governments to prepare a "careful exit strategy" . There will certainly not be a short-term point in time from which everything will be the same, said Landsberg. "The special distance and hygiene rules will be with us for a long time."

The chief executive campaigned for "regional peculiarities" in the easing. Federalism had proven itself in the crisis. "The situation in the federal states and regions is very different, which is why the easing requirements have to be taken into account accordingly," said Landsberg.

Exit from corona shutdown: Laschet's team of experts provides guidelines for loosening

News from April 11: 8:24 pm: According to a media report, a group of experts set up by the state government of North Rhine-Westphalia has submitted measures and proposals for easing the strict corona restrictions . According to a report by the "Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung", Prime Minister Armin Laschet (CDU) called the proposals "transparent" and "understandable".

In a paper from the interdisciplinary group of experts, which is available from the "FAS", it is said that easing can only be considered if it is clear that the health system is "not foreseeably overwhelmed" and conditions for better "monitoring" of the crisis have been created . Then, however, the return to normality could be "gradually pushed".

One possible way could be to “gradually re-allow individual areas of public life”. This included schools, universities and retail. At schools, there should be time-shifted lessons and differences depending on age. First of all, teachers who do not belong to risk groups should work in daycare centers and in “classroom instruction”.

According to the report, the concrete steps and the speed of opening should be based on four criteria. First, it had to be determined where the risk of infection was particularly high and where less. Secondly, the question was: "Who would be particularly dangerous for an infection?" These groups need further protection. Third, it depends on what is "particularly important for the economy and society". Finally, it must be considered how well protective measures can be implemented in the respective area. However, the experts also warned against premature optimism.

Exit from the corona shutdown: "And immediately" - Merkel gets pressure from her own party

Update from April 11, 12:10 p.m .: How long should the shutdown due to the corona pandemic last? Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) only wants to talk about easing in Germany after Easter - and is therefore now receiving pressure from a wing of her own party. The right-wing conservative union of values sees the shutdown as a "risk to the German economy" and a "massive encroachment on fundamental rights".

The number of people acutely infected with #Corona decreases, the number of those who are cured increases sharply. It is time for an exit scenario from the blanket restrictions of individual # freedom and the # economy in favor of more prevention and protective measures for risk groups.

In a press release, Alexander Union leader Alexander Mitsch therefore requested that the federal government present a binding exit strategy - “immediately”. It also said: "The federal government must also create a reliable database to justify its further steps on a scientific basis." For this purpose, a national center of excellence for corona research should be established. Former Union faction leader and CDU candidate Friedrich Merz had recently distanced himself significantly from the union of values.

The Union of Values ​​sees itself as representing the conservative current in the Union. It is organized as an association and not an official party organization of the CDU.

Corona exit: Söder hints at Bavarian special route - Spahn gives hope for easing

Update of April 9, 4:25 p.m .: Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) believes that the easing of contact restrictions due to the corona epidemic is only conceivable to a very limited extent. "We have to be very, very careful," said Merkel in Berlin on Thursday. If so, then one can proceed “in small steps” and have to watch the consequences again and again. The goal is still not to overwhelm the health system at any point.

Merkel made it clear that upcoming decisions about a possible new phase "on a solid basis" of numbers should be made, among other things, about the infection process. She also referred to a study from the Leopoldina National Science Academy expected after Easter. On Tuesday, the federal government will initially advise in the Corona cabinet, on Wednesday the federal government and the state premiers will then discuss how to proceed.

A new Sunday trend, meanwhile, shows a current high-altitude flight by the CDU and CSU. Does the Union's Corona Crisis Shave Voters' Favor?

Coronavirus exit: Söder suggests a Bavarian special route

Update of April 9, 12:27 p.m .: In the opinion of Bavaria's head of state Markus Söder, the strategies of the federal states for the way out of the Corona state of emergency do not necessarily have to be completely congruent . "In fact, the situation differs from region to region - it is different in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg than in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania or Schleswig-Holstein," said the CSU boss in an interview with the German Press Agency in Munich. The infection rate there was significantly lower right from the start. "In this respect, the common concept in Germany must do justice to the different situations."

“As much as possible should happen together. Unfortunately, individual countries are already leaving. But we should keep a line in Germany, ”emphasized Söder. In general, it has to be seen whether the numbers will stabilize anyhow.

Söder warned again that loosening that was too early could take revenge later: “Those who loosen too early and too much out of impatience risk life. The EU has expressly confirmed this in its new Corona strategy paper . “The balance between freedom and security is central to him. Meanwhile, Markus Söder also has to accept criticism for his appearance in the crisis - he was even compared to Trump. *

Chancellor Angela Merkel has announced a statement for the afternoon. * She is also likely to comment on possible exit plans.

Corona shutdown: Spahn gives hope of easing after Easter - Merkel cabinet announces first steps today?

Update of April 9, 9:37 a.m .: According to Health Minister Jens Spahn, the measures against the corona crisis are showing initial success. He therefore believes that the first cautious steps out of the state-mandated standstill after the Easter holidays are possible . If the development of infection numbers continues, "we will be able to talk to the Prime Minister about a gradual return to normality after the Easter holidays," the CDU politician told the "Handelsblatt". In a free constitutional state, far-reaching restrictions on fundamental rights could only work as long as they were understood and accepted. Therefore, it is not only important to justify the action well, but also to show a perspective.

This Thursday, the Federal Government's Corona Crisis Cabinet meets for another meeting. Another issue could be the procurement of protective material, and a conceivable increase in short-time allowance. At 2 p.m., a press conference on the corona crisis with Federal Minister of Health Spahn, Federal Minister for Family Affairs Giffey, RKI President Wieler and stress researcher Adli could give the first results. Meanwhile, Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier made a television speech to the people of Germany in the Corona crisis.

Exit plan from the corona virus shutdown: smartphone app for containment comes after the Easter holidays

Update from April 8, 7.35 a.m .: By the end of the Easter holidays in Germany, a specific app to contain the coronavirus should apparently be available. This was announced by Chris Boos, one of the leading researchers in the PEPP-PT project. "I assume that we will actually have the first app live between April 15th and 19th," said the IT entrepreneur, who sits on the German government's digital council. The concept had been developed by 130 experts from eight European countries in the past few weeks and had been tested by Bundeswehr soldiers in Berlin.

Boos emphasized that so far there is no ready-made tracking app , but an open technical concept that pursues three goals. On the one hand, the system must enable a clean measurement . "We don't want to compare apples to pears." The second goal is to ensure privacy . "We do not use any location data or any data that can identify a person." In doing so, they rely on complete anonymization and pure voluntariness. The third point is interoperability between countries. "We then have a kind of roaming so that you can really open the borders again and still be able to track infection chains in an informed manner."

Boos emphasized that it was a political decision to bring the application to the app stores. He personally sees the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) as a "natural source for an app in Germany". The RKI had already published its first Corona app on Tuesday, with which citizens can donate health data from fitness trackers and smartwatches, with which scientists want to draw conclusions about the spread of the virus. The RKI was also involved in the PEPP-PT project from the beginning.

Laschet to relax the coronavirus measures

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 *.

Shutdown due to corona virus: Merkel and Söder are silent - and now even receive 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 of coronavirus measures coming

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 ease the lockdown again 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. In the meantime, Pope Francis has also spoken about the Corona crisis - and made a surprise call on TV.

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 * is part of the federal 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 / Federico Gambarini