After the Corona summit, Germany is heading towards lockdown again.
In other European countries, the mood is sometimes very different - from emergency to opening.
The German opening strategy has failed: After the Corona summit on Monday, all signs point to lockdown again.
But what is the situation in other European countries?
In Denmark and Great Britain, for example, easing is taking place or is within reach.
France, on the other hand, is also stumbling back into lockdown.
An overview.
Munich - Again it's time for a Corona summit in Germany - and this time it's about closing instead of opening.
Just 14 days after the first tentative easing began, a nasty question arises: Have the federal and state governments screwed up?
With a frivolous promise only worsen the pandemic situation - or even missed the decisive course?
A look at other European countries does not provide a clear answer on this matter.
But it opens the horizon a little.
The tendency: It is difficult everywhere and Germany is not that bad at all.
But you can deal with the Covid requirements a little more inventive and coordinated than the Chancellor and Prime Minister ... An overview from Sweden to France and the Czech Republic.
Denmark: Corona easing freshly in effect - and the numbers are hardly increasing
Corona numbers from Denmark: 7-day incidence: 85.1 * / vaccination rate: 5.37% ** / total deaths: 2,401 *
Germany locks up - Denmark opens up.
The country has agreed on a long-term plan to move away from the applicable corona measures.
The agreement between the social democratic government and almost all other Danish parliamentary parties envisages the goal that the restrictions on public life, with a few exceptions, will be completely lifted as soon as all risk groups and all people over 50 who wish to have their first vaccination against Covid-19 have received.
For certain areas, however, restrictions are expected to remain, for example for major events and nightlife.
As can be seen from the framework agreement published late on Monday evening, hairdressers and comparable service providers are allowed to reopen nationwide from April 6th - i.e. after Easter.
There will also be further easing in schools: After the pupils have been back in the classroom for a long time up to the fourth grade, half of the fifth to eighth grades are now allowed to return to face-to-face classes - that means every other week.
Other corona measures are provisionally extended until April 20.
A currently developed corona pass with vaccination and test data should play a central role in many further opening steps.
After peaking in mid-December, the number of new infections in Denmark has fallen significantly.
Most recently, in the comparative figures of the EU health authority ECDC, when scaled down to the population, they were roughly at the level of Germany, but the number of Covid-19-related deaths among the Danes is lower than almost anywhere else in Europe.
The previous easing of the corona measures have not caused the Danish numbers to skyrocket again so far.
France: Macron wants to sit out problems - and fails
Corona numbers from France: 7-day incidence: 254.1 / vaccination rate: 3.62% / total deaths: 92,119
For weeks, French President Emmanuel Macron had blocked a new lockdown, despite all warnings from virologists.
Ultimately, however, the third corona wave forced the government to act.
At least regionally: Since Saturday (March 20), around 21 of a total of 67 million citizens have been subject to hard conditions for the third time in the pandemic.
Macron had hoped to make it into the summer without major lockdowns thanks to vaccinations.
When the Paris area exceeded all alarm levels at the end of January, nothing happened.
Even when the incidence in the area with twelve million residents soared over the mark of 400 in March, Macron was playing for time - to the displeasure of people in other regions of the "Grande Nation".
The hospitals groaning under the immense number of corona intensive care patients and more than 91,000 deaths left the president no choice.
From the weekend, almost all non-daily shops in the greater Paris area and in parts of northern and southern France will have to close again.
People are only allowed to leave their homes for valid reasons, such as shopping or going to the doctor.
Schools should however remain open.
Sports and walks in the open air should also be possible for the first time in France without strict time limits, and hairdressers and bookshops will also remain open.
Great Britain: Johnson steps on the "one-way street towards freedom" - protests are made anyway
Corona numbers from Great Britain: 7-day incidence: 55.5 / vaccination rate: 3.35% / total deaths: 126,393
Great Britain is thinking of opening up: Prime Minister Boris Johnson had already stepped onto the “one-way street towards freedom” in February - he also currently wants to stick to easing plans.
"We are on the way to getting back what we love," he said.
The first beer gardens and non-essential shops are scheduled to reopen in mid-April.
Before each loosening, however, the infection situation should be checked.
+
Boris Johnson (l), Prime Minister of Great Britain, thumbs up after receiving the first dose of the AstraZeneca corona vaccine.
© Frank Augstein / dpa
Nevertheless, Johnson also expects the third corona wave on the European continent to have an impact on Great Britain.
The conservative politician said on Monday when visiting a company in Preston, Northern England.
“The people in this country should not be under any illusions.
Experience shows that a wave that hits our friends will also land on us, ”said Johnson.
For this reason, the vaccination program will continue at full speed.
The development and manufacture of vaccines are international projects that require international cooperation, he emphasized.
Vaccination remains the main topic in the UK: meanwhile every second adult has already received the first vaccination dose.
But recently there were also delivery delays in Great Britain.
Exports could again become an issue of contention with the EU.
And on the island, too, there is displeasure about Corona measures: Although protests are currently prohibited, several thousand lockdown opponents gathered on Saturday.
They moved with posters and banners from Hyde Park to St. Paul's Cathedral and through the government district.
More than 30 people were arrested for allegedly attacking police officers.
Austria: Kurz defends openings - but now things are getting tight for Vienna too
Corona numbers from Austria: 7-day incidence: 226.2 / vaccination rate: 3.62% / total deaths: 9,074
Also in Austria on Monday at a Corona summit there was a dispute about how to proceed in the Corona crisis: Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (ÖVP) stands by his - from a German perspective, daring - concept.
The number of infections would increase linearly, but not exponentially, it said in advance.
The previous path will be continued in most federal states, government circles announced on Monday.
However, further opening steps were not ruled out.
These should be possible after Easter if the development in the intensive care units remains stable.
Health Minister Rudolf Anschober (Greens) only pointed out the worsening situation, especially in the intensive care units in the eastern federal states, on Sunday.
The more contagious British virus variant is responsible for 95 percent of all new infections there.
In order to prevent the intensive capacities from being overloaded, especially in Vienna, which is particularly affected by high numbers of infections, the federal states of Vienna, Lower Austria and Burgenland would discuss this week together with the Ministry of Health, it said.
As soon as a district reaches a seven-day incidence of 400, regionally tailored measures should be implemented.
The incidence in Austria is about twice as high as in Germany.
On Monday, 2412 new infections were recorded in Austria within one day - the highest Monday value since mid-December.
In individual federal states such as Vorarlberg or Tyrol, the situation is much better.
There are again increasing indications of a large number of unreported cases among the infected.
In Vienna, half of all those who tested positive were symptom-free at this point in time.
Meanwhile, the country has said goodbye to incidence as a central brand: In future, not only the incidence value will be used to assess the situation, but above all the occupancy rate in the intensive care units and the vaccination rate of those over 50.
Sweden: “Sonderweg” sometimes feels like a lockdown - large museums are now reopening
Corona numbers from Sweden: 7-day incidence: 314.3 / vaccination rate: 3.77% / total deaths: 13,262
In the Corona crisis, Sweden took a special route that was widely recognized internationally with relatively loose restrictions on public life and appeals to the common sense of the citizens.
However, there were and are isolated corona measures with the Swedes - albeit not as strict as in Germany or elsewhere.
Among other things, since the end of November only a maximum of eight people have been allowed to gather for public meetings and events.
In addition, with a pandemic law passed in January, the government created the possibility of stricter measures against the spread of the coronavirus.
But a lot continues to run on the principle of voluntariness.
In Sweden, some facilities or leisure activities have recently been reopened: According to the TV station SVT, some well-known museums have recently reopened their doors, including the Nordiska Museet in Stockholm on Thursday, the Moderna Museet is to follow - it had been closed since the beginning of November.
Indoor sports had also been paused in many places at the decision of the associations or because the sports halls were closed.
According to research by the station P4, many older young people have just given up training and have not reappeared at their clubs after the restart.
Switzerland: Confederates are pulling the easing emergency brake - but more contacts are possible
Corona numbers from Switzerland: 7-day incidence: 115.1 / vaccination rate: 5.07% / total deaths: 10,213
The Swiss government has also stopped planned easing steps for next week due to increasing corona infections.
The epidemiological situation does not allow that, said Health Minister Alain Berset on Friday.
Only at private meetings does something change: From Monday ten people will be able to meet inside instead of just five.
As in Germany, the hospitality and event industry has been under increasing pressure for weeks to reopen quickly.
"Please be patient," said Berset.
Whether the opening of the restaurant terraces or relaxation at sporting and cultural events is possible will be considered again in mid-April.
The government hopes to have made further progress with vaccinations by then, Berset said.
In Switzerland, the focus is not only on the incidence: the government orients itself on four benchmarks on which decisions to open the door depend.
This involves the change in new infections, the number of reproductions, the occupancy of the intensive care beds and the positive rate in tests.
Czech Republic: Corona emergency in the neighboring country - the interior minister sees a small streak of light
Corona numbers from the Czech Republic: 7-day incidence: 628.4 / vaccination rate: 3.38% / total deaths: 24,667
The Czech Republic is still in a deep Corona crisis: The minority government in the Czech Republic wants to extend the Corona emergency by one month until April 27th.
That was decided by the cabinet in Prague on Monday.
You have to "lead the fight to an end," said Interior Minister Jan Hamacek.
Parliament has yet to agree, but could opt for a shorter period.
Based on the state of emergency, freedom of movement is restricted, among other things.
People are currently only allowed to leave their district in exceptional cases.
The corona situation in the country with 10.7 million inhabitants is improving, albeit slowly.
At the height of the crisis, the Czech Republic asked other countries such as Germany and Poland for help in treating corona patients.
These requests have now been withdrawn, said Hamacek.
"At the moment it looks like we can handle the situation with our own resources."
(
fn / tk / dpa / AFP
)
* All data on incidence, vaccination rate and deaths based on material from the Johns Hopkins University, the incidences being processed by the LMU Munich. As of March 22nd, 6:00 p.m.
** The data on the vaccination rates refer to complete (i.e. double) vaccinations.
