All of Germany has been looking at the courageous Tübingen Corona model project for a few weeks.
Now it threatens to fail, even if Mayor Boris Palmer defends himself.
Tübingen / Munich - Those responsible in Germany have been staring excitedly for a few weeks at the incidence counter of the 89,000-inhabitant city of Tübingen, which was below the national and regional average for a long time.
The city's experiment by Mayor Boris Palmer (Greens) is courageous and controversial at the same time.
“Opening with security” was the project that is supported by a large number of corona tests.
Even Markus Söder wants to launch similar model projects in Bavaria.
But doubts about Tübingen are growing.
The own pandemic officer Lisa Federle told the news channel
Welt
: "I was in town myself, it was terrible."
What she means are the crowds.
"We have so many tourists here, some of whom have not adhered to the rules of distance or mask requirements, etc. - and that just doesn't work." In addition, the tourists only have to be tested if they want to sit in cafes or go to shops.
If they only get a coffee to go, the test rule does not apply, says Federle.
Tübingen numbers rise steeply - even Palmer's Corona officer shocked: "It's terrible in the city"
Palmer classifies the statements in the ZDF interview: “What Ms. Federle rightly worries is the impertinence of foreign guests who have fooled around here, partied and walked through the city untested because the line was too long - and without Mask celebrated. ”That's why they stopped and sent the outsiders home.
“What was yesterday was definitely not possible,” said Palmer, who now no longer wants to sell day tickets to non-residents over Easter.
But is that enough to stop the pandemic?
Current figures indicate that the city of Tübingen has now exceeded the emergency brake incidence of 100 - in the district the mark had long since been torn.
But the project has by no means failed for Palmer: “First it is praised as exemplary nationwide.
Now I am asked if it all failed.
It would be correct to take a closer look at the numbers.
The formal incidence of Tübingen can no longer be compared with the rest of the republic.
Because: if you test a lot, you will find a lot. "
The incidence has now almost tripled within a week.
Palmer attributes this to three main reasons on ZDF: those who tested positive who would not have been discovered without test stations, an outbreak in the state initial reception center for refugees, and the normal infection rate in Germany.
Tübingen's project about to end?
Opinions differ
How it goes on?
Disagreement.
The end of the experiment is planned for mid-April.
While Palmer continues to receive tailwind from Baden-Württemberg's Minister of Social Affairs, Manfred Lucha (Greens), the pandemic officer in Tübingen, Federle, confesses to the dpa: If the numbers continued to rise, the project should pause.
“We can't get the tourism problem under control.” However: Federle doesn't see it as a failure.
“It was my intention to show people a different way.
I am sure that there will be a nationwide test strategy so that we do not rush into the next wave unprepared ”.
A spokesman for the Ministry of Health also expressed himself skeptically to the dpa: "If Tübingen continues to have increasing incidences and steadily approaches 100 or even exceeds this mark per 100,000 inhabitants, it must be examined to what extent the project has to be suspended." Palmer himself wants monitor the situation until Easter Monday.
He would report to the Ministry of Health a day later.
Incidentally, Lucha has rejected further model tests in Baden-Württemberg for corona openings.
"The primary goal is to contain the infection process in order to limit an increase in new infections and to prevent overloading the health system," said Lucha on Thursday in Stuttgart.
In view of a nationwide seven-day incidence of just under 130 per 100,000 inhabitants, further openings as part of model projects are not appropriate for the time being.
(mke)
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