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The persistently high number of corona infections in Germany have raised doubts among politicians and economic experts about the easing over the Christmas holidays and New Year's Eve.
Currently, almost everywhere in Germany, only two households with up to five people are allowed to meet.
This is to be temporarily suspended between December 23 and January 1.
Each federal state decides for itself whether and how much. Depending on the state, up to ten people can come together, not including children under 14 years of age.
Bavaria's Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) said during a visit to Passau that he was considering tightening the contact restrictions - including on New Year's Eve.
After the federal and state government had decided to extend the partial lockdown to January 10, Söder raised the question of "whether this is the measure alone or whether significant improvements are still needed in some areas."
The number of infections would have to be reduced significantly, the Prime Minister later added on Twitter.
The situation in Bavaria should be assessed again in ten days, and possible tightening should then be "shorter and consequently more consistent."
"The holidays and New Year's Eve shouldn't be a new risk," wrote Söder.
In an interview with RTL / ntv, Söder welcomed a move by the state government in Baden-Württemberg, which wants to impose nightly curfews in corona hotspots.
That is "one of the possibilities" - but more distance teaching in schools must also be considered.
In view of the high number of deaths, he complained about an "ethical surrender" in the debate about the corona measures.
Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn (CDU) also said in a podcast on the news portal "ThePioneer" that he was worried about the numerous deaths.
According to a survey, a slim majority of German citizens think it is right that the corona contact restrictions are relaxed at Christmas.
This was the result of a representative survey by infratest dimap for the »ARD-Deutschlandtrend« on behalf of »Tagesthemen«.
53 percent of those surveyed said that they thought the planned easing on Christmas days would be more appropriate.
44 percent said this was rather wrong.
On the other hand, two-thirds see a loosening of the contact restrictions on New Year's Eve as critical: 68 percent think that's rather wrong, 30 percent think that's right.
If it remains serious, "shouldn't be relaxed over the holidays"
Saxony's Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer threatened further corona restrictions in the MDR.
"We are considering what we can do in the area of kindergartens and schools," Kretschmer told the MDR on Thursday: "But that will be decided when we see that the current one is not enough." Kretschmer did not include the word lockdown Mouth, school and kindergarten closings would result in a lockdown.
The SPD is also considering further steps in view of the low impact of the previous corona measures.
»The numbers are still at a high level.
If this is the case by December 20th, it should not be relaxed over the holidays.
The current restrictions should then remain until January, "said Bärbel Bas, deputy head of the SPD parliamentary group at SPIEGEL.
From the point of view of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), the daily number of corona cases is still too high.
With 22,046 new infections last within 24 hours, the number was only slightly lower than a week ago.
RKI President Lothar Wieler called the situation "still very tense".
The number of deaths related to Covid-19 remains worrying: 479 deaths were recorded within one day - the second highest level since the pandemic began.
Current measures »obviously not sufficient«
Economic experts also consider it necessary to reduce the number of infections more than before. "The current measures are obviously not sufficient to reduce the number of infections as desired," said the Nuremberg economics professor Veronika Grimm to SPIEGEL.
Because the economic recovery depends heavily on the course of the pandemic, it is important to keep the number of infections low.
Instead of a nationwide tightening of measures, the federal and state governments should therefore, according to Grimm, place more emphasis on an effective combination of regionally differentiated measures.
In addition, the provision of test options by the federal and state governments after the holidays could help to keep the infection rate as low as possible, said Grimm.
The scientist admitted that it was expensive.
The follow-up costs without a test strategy and possibly further tougher measures in January are even higher, according to Grimm.
"From an economic point of view, it does not make sense that the contact restrictions are relaxed"
Sebastian Dullien, head of the Institute for Macroeconomics and Business Cycle Research
Sebastian Dullien, head of the union-related Institute for Macroeconomics and Business Cycle Research (IMK), considers the planned exceptions over Christmas and New Year's Eve to be difficult
.
He understands people's need to meet with friends and family.
"From an economic point of view, it does not make sense that the contact restrictions are relaxed," he told SPIEGEL.
"If in doubt, it will take longer until we have the numbers so low that we can reopen the restaurant," said Dullien.
Stricter contact restrictions are the most economically viable means of combating the pandemic.
Increase in corona cases in Thuringia and Saxony
According to RKI observations, the infection rate in Germany is currently quite different from region to region: Berlin, Bremen and Hamburg recently showed a slightly downward trend.
There were slight increases in Saxony-Anhalt and Brandenburg, clear increases in Thuringia and very clear in Saxony.
The Saxon Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer (CDU) does not reckon with a certain normalcy again for six months.
"I think that as soon as summer comes we will have some basic relaxation," he said.
Then many people are also vaccinated, "so that we can lead a normal life again from May, June".
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