Markus Söder supports the line of the federal government, it does not make him satisfied.
Bavaria's Prime Minister would like to change the strategy: "No Covid" is the name of the concept.
Markus Söder is not in line with the federal government's corona course.
Bavaria's Prime Minister is toying with his very own strategy that bears the name: "No Covid".
The concept does not envisage living with the number of infections.
The central element is the division into zones.
You can find out all the news about the corona lockdown in Bavaria in our current ticker.
Munich - Markus Söder had already noticed when he had to represent the 35 incidence as a new benchmark at the side of the Chancellor: That is not enough for him.
In the “heute journal”, Bavaria’s Prime Minister said which line he would have liked: “I myself would be a supporter of a no-Covid strategy.” Söder repeated the statement in the Bavarian cabinet on Thursday.
Only: he cannot enforce it - too much resistance from other federal states.
The concept he is referring to has only two states: red or green.
It is reminiscent of the traffic light that Bavaria introduced in October - and which has become obsolete due to the skyrocketing number of infections.
But the new traffic light works differently and comes from German scientists.
One of the makers of the “No Covid Strategy” is Clemens Fuest, Professor of Economics at Ludwig Maximilians University and President of the Ifo Institute.
Fuest also quarrels with the federal government: “There is no convincing overall strategy.
Above all, it is to be criticized that too little is done to make openings possible, ”he told the Münchner Merkur.
“You could very quickly reduce the number of infections to low levels by doing significantly more tests, for example in front of schools, discovering infections more quickly and isolating the infected.
Politicians are acting far too clumsily and passively here. ”Fuest is aware that the no-covid concept has a deterrent effect at first.
“Yes, you have to explain a lot and do a lot of persuading.” But what is it all about?
An overview.
Who is behind the No Covid Initiative?
14 scientists from various German universities and institutions, including Fuest, Professor Melanie Brinkmann from the Helmholtz Center for Infection Research in Braunschweig and Dr.
Markus Beier, general practitioner and chairman of the Bavarian General Practitioner Association.
The concept was presented on Wednesday.
What is the No Covid Initiative plan?
The authors call for a move away from the containment strategy (“living with the virus”) towards an elimination strategy.
The goal is sustained low incidences below ten - ideally zero.
“Our strategy opens up the opportunity to open openings very soon, which are then permanent,” says Fuest.
“First of all regional.
We already have many regions with incidences between 15 and 30; openings there could still be initiated in February.
With the current muddling through, I fear a permanent lockdown. "
The No Covid Initiative is not identical to the “Zero Covid” group, which calls for a far-reaching and longer lockdown.
Fuest and his colleagues consider this requirement to be a mistake because of the immense economic follow-up costs.
The no-covid concept is based on four pillars: green zones, Europe-wide implementation, testing-tracking-isolating as well as measures in the field of economy and labor market.
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Markus Söder (CSU) sits at the beginning of a meeting of the Council of Ministers in the State Chancellery wearing an FFP2 mask.
© Matthias Balk / dpa Pool / dpa
Corona traffic light: green zones and red zones
The central element is the establishment of zones.
There are green and red zones.
The restrictions can be withdrawn in green zones, but remain in red zones.
The zones could be defined flexibly - they could be municipalities, districts, but also individual apartment blocks.
In order to become the green zone, there must be no new infections of unknown origin for 14 days, i.e. corona cases that cannot be assigned to any previously discovered and isolated chain of infection.
In addition, the 7-day incidence must be less than ten.
Values below ten already existed last summer.
They didn't last.
Why should it be different this time?
“Because you have a comprehensive concept to prevent the numbers from rising again,” says Fuest.
“For example through intensive testing and quick reactions to increasing infections.
You missed that in the summer. "
Green zones are to be strongly protected by travel restrictions: People from red zones are not allowed to visit green zones.
The prospect of green zones should motivate citizens to abide by the rules.
Commuters between green and red zones and their employers should be subject to special controls and requirements.
Green zones, separated by red zones, could be connected via transit routes.
The authors believe that the red and green patchwork will become an increasingly green, sustainable, corona-free carpet.
However, the concept also means a division into zones in which life blooms again and those in which people have to continue to live in a restricted manner.
In Bavaria, that could just affect districts near the border such as Tirschenreuth, where the incidence was 333.1 yesterday.
If a corona infection of unknown origin occurs again in a green zone, the authors suggest an “effective outbreak management”.
This can include mass tests and local contact restrictions, for example for an apartment block.
In extreme cases, green becomes red again.
What else does the concept envisage?
The scientists have three more “tool boxes”.
This includes a pan-European no-Covid partnership to implement the zone model across national borders.
According to the scientists, this could succeed if there are enough like-minded municipalities - even if not all governments participate.
The third part is a comprehensive test strategy with better and faster contact tracking - including isolation of suspected cases and contact persons.
"Rapid isolation is one of the most important levers to effectively limit the infection process," write the authors.
The scientists criticize, among other things, long waiting times for tests.
In addition, tests must be carried out for the slightest symptoms - on the same day.
The fourth part consists of suggestions for the economy: The authors advocate encouraging companies to work in the home office across the board and comprehensively - without making this mandatory.
Companies should also adapt their hygiene concepts to medical standards.
If tightening of the lockdown becomes necessary, the industrial company should not hit until as late as possible.
“No-Covid” strategy: vaccinations must be carried out faster
The scientists attach “paramount importance” to vaccination and are demanding rewards for additional vaccine doses delivered earlier.
According to estimates, the benefit to society as a whole of an immediately available vaccination is 1,500 euros, while a vaccination costs only four to 15 euros.
Fuest says: "Refraining from procuring more vaccinations with targeted financial incentives will unnecessarily prolong the pandemic and the lockdown."
“No Covid” strategy: Does the concept threaten a kind of police state?
The concept provides for controls between red and green zones.
To ensure mobility, there should be designated transit locations.
There could also be so-called “buffer zones” in the green zone in a green zone that borders a red zone, in which conditions apply as in red zones.
All of this sounds like a lot of effort and control.
Is there a threat of a kind of virological police state?
“That's nonsense,” emphasizes Fuest.
“We already have mobility restrictions with an incidence of over 200, but nobody talks about a police state.
Most people stick to the rules voluntarily, the police would do random checks, as they do today.
If 90 percent of the population obey the rules, a lot has been gained. ”Today it is not even possible to visit family in the same city or to go to sport.
“The no-covid concept ensures that this is possible again faster - the more green zones there are, the faster across regions.
In addition, hardship rules can be provided, for example for visits to family members who live alone. "
List of rubric lists: © Matthias Balk / dpa Pool / dpa
