Everyone can find out immediately whether the new corona measures are effective

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Already in March: Little understanding for the virus (Dortmund, March 19, 2020)

Photo: INA FASSBENDER / AFP

November had not even started when the questions arose: Would the measures really only last until the end of the month?

Why should restaurants, cultural and sports facilities have to close, but church services can take place?

Couldn't there be other ways to protect vulnerable populations?

Could we still afford this renewed shutdown of public life?

Impatience and reluctance everywhere - although no one can deny that the number of infections is growing exponentially.

Although the restrictions that have been in force since Monday are comparatively mild compared to those in many of our neighboring countries and also compared to what we have already experienced here in spring, before the big Corona summer break.

The Chancellor did her best.

The only question is whether your best is still enough

The Chancellor will have felt that it took an unusual appearance to motivate the Germans to practice self-discipline one more time.

In the past she has often been accused of inadequately communicating her policy: too little explanation, too coldly presented, everything has already been decided and there is no alternative in any case.

Angela Merkel did everything possible to dispel this impression during her visit to the federal press conference.

She had an urgent response to every question about the new Corona measures, and became downright emotional (for her circumstances), for example when she referred to her oath of office, which obliges her and the government to avert harm.

Once she even lost the thread because, according to her own admission, she had become "enraged" - of course she had to find out for herself, otherwise nobody would probably have noticed.

And she even offered alternatives to the current rules: Why would one have to close while the other could stay open?

You could of course treat everyone equally - but then everyone would have to close.

The Chancellor did her best to get the Germans to comply with the new restrictions.

The only question is whether your best is still enough.

Only a drastic contact restriction will reduce the number of infections again, and not a prescribed, but a self-imposed contact restriction for each and every individual.

But the virus is as dangerous as it was in the beginning, but it has worn out psychologically.

Nobody can live in constant tension, at some point they get used to it, with some fatalism, with some sausage, with quite a few a frustration about the dreary present and the gloomy prospects that can hardly be contained by appeals of reason.

The new exponential threat, which has exponential growth to it, can hardly be noticed until it is inevitable.

It would be rational to understand the numbers - as abstract as they may seem -, to take the threat seriously and therefore to forego practically everything that defines life apart from duty.

Emotionally, however, this is hardly bearable in the long run.

In surveys, an astonishingly large number of respondents confirm their approval of the Corona restrictions, Angela Merkel also referred to this at her press conference.

Surveys won't stop the virus, however.

Will the measures be effective?

Anyone can give the answer today, very privately for themselves. It is the same as to these questions: Will you heed the measures?

As strict as in March?

Can you still?

Do you still have enough strength?

And fear?

Without a survey: in a few weeks we will know the answer from the majority.

The virus will give them to us.

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