Before the Corona summit, the political scramble for possible easing is great.
Chancellor Merkel warns of a “third wave”, but she has specific plans to open it.
Next week, Wednesday (March 3rd), the next Corona summit is due.
Chancellor Angela Merkel * has specified her opening plans
(see update from February 24, 7:22 p.m.).
In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania there will be some openings in the
near future (see update from February 25th, 6.45 a.m.).
This news ticker is updated regularly.
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Update from February 25, 6.45 a.m.:
In addition to hairdressing salons
, gardening centers
in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania are also allowed to reopen from March 1.
In regions with a seven-day incidence * of 35 and below per 100,000 inhabitants, beauticians, podiatrists and nail salons are again allowed to receive customers.
In the other regions, these regulations will come into force one week later on March 8th.
Then visitors can come back to the outdoor areas of the zoos.
The state government of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and representatives of business and municipal associations agreed on this at a Corona summit on Wednesday.
In addition, the basics of a step-by-step plan to end the lockdown were agreed at the video conference.
Accordingly, retail should reopen with a limited number of customers as soon as the nationwide incidence value is stable below 35.
Public and private schools should then generally return to regular operations.
Museums can open a little later and markets can be held.
Exceptions are high-risk regions with seven-day incidences of over 150. With a time delay, restaurants and hotels will initially only open to guests from Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.
Specific start dates were not given.
Corona lockdown: date shopping in Saxony?
- Easter vacation in view again
Update from February 24th, 10:51 p.m.:
In Saxony, the retail trade could open again on March 8th.
Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer announced in a video conference with residents of his constituency of Görlitz that the click & meet principle will apply in future and click & collect will be replaced.
To shop, customers would then have to make an appointment in advance and could shop in the store at the agreed time.
An Easter vacation could suddenly be possible again.
Kretschmer had said last week that it would not be possible this year.
The German Hotel and Restaurant Association then went to the barricades.
Now the U-turn.
Saxony is also considering opening hotels earlier, writes the
Sächsische Zeitung
.
The prerequisite, however, is the early introduction of rapid tests.
Update from February 24, 7:22 p.m.:
A week before the next Corona summit between Angela Merkel and the state premiers, the Chancellor has announced a specific opening strategy.
In an interview with the
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
, Merkel said in an interview with the
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
, three strands would have to be considered in the event of loosening
: “One strand concerns the question of how one can loosen the currently strict personal contact restrictions.
A second strand concerns the education sector in order to bring the higher grades back into schools and to reopen vocational schools and universities.
A third strand concerns shops, restaurants and hotels, cultural institutions and sports in groups. "
Coronavirus: According to Merkel, people should be able to “test themselves” with rapid tests
It is still unclear in which order it can be relaxed.
This would now have to be worked out “against the background of the infection process”, Merkel continued.
The Chancellor clarified that rapid tests played an important role in this.
They are inseparable from "an intelligent opening strategy".
To a certain extent, people should be able to “freest themselves” in order to be able to participate in social life.
Open questions still have to be clarified and the procedure to be discussed with the Prime Minister on March 3rd.
“How long it will take to install such a system, I cannot say exactly to the day.
But it will be in March, "Merkel told the
FA Z
.
Olaf Scholz also advocates this approach.
The Federal Minister of Finance told the
Rheinische Post
(Thursday) that one had to find ways of how to “not have to keep living in lockdown”.
"That is why we could combine the next opening steps with quick tests."
Corona lockdown: Merkel names three opening "strands" - FDP calls for regulation based on the Austrian model
Update from February 24th, 7.43am
: "When testing we have to press the tube, not the brake": With a regulation for rapid tests based on the Austrian model, the FDP wants to pave the way for gradual easing of the corona pandemic.
That said the deputy Andrew Ullmann, professor at the Institute for Infectiology in Würzburg and FDP chairman in the health committee, the
dpa
.
A corresponding application is to be submitted to the Bundestag this week.
The aim is for manufacturers to "confirm by means of a simple and unbureaucratic self-commitment that a corresponding level of safety and performance is achieved when using them themselves and that the functionality and suitability for use for the planned purpose is guaranteed".
However, an approval procedure should then be carried out.
“The federal government would like to allow self-tests to be approved using the conventional procedure.
However, that takes four to eight weeks, ”criticized Ullmann.
“If we don't provide market access for self-tests soon, the market will be empty.
Then, as with vaccinations, we are back in last place. ”Test results would have to be verified and documented via the Corona warning app in order to allow more freedom.
End of the endless lockdown?
Merkel speaks of a "third wave"
Our first report from February 23
: Berlin - Around a week before the next federal-state summit, the debate about possible easing of the corona restrictions is picking up speed.
One of the voices warning against a further weakening of the requirements was the intensive care physicians on Tuesday.
The hospitality industry, however, called for the federal and state governments to develop a "realistic" scenario for the reopening of this industry.
The lockdown, which has been in effect since mid-December, is currently limited to the Sunday after next.
In view of the recent increase in the number of infections, the federal government is currently skeptical about possible further easing.
On Tuesday, the incidence of new infections per 100,000 population fell slightly in seven days, but remained just over 60.
Corona easing after federal-state summit?
Merkel urges caution
Merkel urged caution in a meeting of the Union parliamentary group in view of the increasing numbers.
It will not do anyone a favor "if we close what we once opened," said Merkel, according to participants on Tuesday at the meeting of the CDU / CSU parliamentary group.
“We cannot define away the fact that we now have a third wave.” Nevertheless, she presented possible steps for the gradual exit from lockdown.
The Chancellor also specified her ideas for cautious opening steps in combination with increased testing options.
There are three strands that you want to open step by step, said Merkel, according to information from the
German Press Agency
.
The Chancellor named the personal contact restrictions as well as the education and economic sectors.
Corona lockdown: emergency physicians demand faster vaccinations - Lauterbach sees third wave underway
The German Society for Internal Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine issued an urgent warning in March of major loosening.
Its chairman Christian Karagiannidis told the
Rheinische Post
that, according to calculations, the vaccinations were not yet fast enough to prevent a third corona wave.
The federal and state governments should be careful not to "lose the game in extra time".
According to the SPD health expert Karl Lauterbach, the third wave of the coronavirus is already unstoppable.
He therefore asked the
Passauer Neue Presse
to postpone further opening steps.
Green parliamentary leader Anton Hofreiter also urged caution.
In Berlin, he referred to the further spread of more dangerous variants of the corona virus.
There is therefore a risk "that we will enter a third wave despite the measures," he said.
Union parliamentary group leader Ralph Brinkhaus expressed himself similarly.
The CDU politician said that he was very much in favor of going "step by step".
It must be avoided to loosen up now and to take another step back in four weeks.
Corona easing?
Restaurant association calls for the development of opening scenarios
The German Hotel and Restaurant Association (Dehoga) demanded the rapid development of opening scenarios from the federal and state governments.
The hospitality industry now has "a right to a realistic opening perspective in the coming weeks," said Dehoga general manager Ingrid Hartges of the
Rheinische Post
.
Berlin's Governing Mayor Michael Müller also called for concrete opening perspectives.
It must at least be agreed: "What happens when," said Müller on
ZDF
.
A great many people would accept it if they "know what will be possible in three or four weeks".
Video: Survey: Different opinions on corona easing
SPD parliamentary group leader Rolf Mützenich supported demands not to make the incidence value the sole yardstick for restrictions or openings.
These are "important as a guide," said Mützenich in Berlin.
However, "further criteria are required" such as the utilization of the intensive care beds or the number of tests carried out.
Germany in corona lockdown: Merkel relies on a step-by-step plan
Merkel herself is obviously relying on a step-by-step plan for the gradual exit from lockdown.
In the internal CDU deliberations, the Chancellor is said to have named personal contacts, schools, sports, restaurants and culture with a view to easing the situation.
FDP General Secretary Volker Wissing urged that the top federal-state talks be brought forward.
"The entire society longs for a return to something normal," he told the
Heilbronn voice
.
Entrepreneurs in particular feared for their existence.
Left parliamentary group deputy Jan Korte insisted on an approach coordinated with parliament.
(
fmü / AFP / dpa
)
