Today it is about the European opening trend, which is slowly reaching the Federal Republic of Germany.
We also deal with the easing for vaccinated people, the success of the German vaccination campaign and we take a look at Madrid, the Sweden of the south.
The European easing trend is reaching Germany
Spring is now also arriving in Germany: After most of the neighboring countries have announced openings or have already implemented openings,
a tentative exit from the lockdown
is also becoming apparent in several federal states
. The
official incidence
has already
fallen
below 100
in many counties, especially in the north
. And then the federal emergency brake ends and each federal state is again responsible for its own course. Today wants to be in particularly strict
Hamburg
the Senate to deal with the question of the curfew - after the incidence here fell below 100 for the first time.
In Lower Saxony, too, they are thinking about easing, in Bavaria they have been announced for next week.
Often it is about the opening of the restaurant terraces (which is already a reality in parts of Saarland and Schleswig-Holstein).
This is
a consequence of the falling numbers across the country
: They are developing much more graciously than some of the scientific modelers had predicted.
Enlarge image
Soon also more in Germany?
A street scene from Venlo, the Netherlands, from last week
Photo: Christoph Reichwein (CREI) / imago images / Reichwein
Easings have been in force for some time in other European countries - for example
in Denmark, Italy and the Netherlands
.
In all of these countries the terraces are already open again.
The most massive openings
came into force in
Switzerland
two weeks
ago, against the advice of the scientific task force and in disregard of the government's opening criteria: even indoor events are allowed there again.
Nevertheless, the numbers are currently falling.
It's too early to tell if the Swiss government will win their daring bet.
However, it seems that the European easing trend is now arriving in Germany with some delay.
Those who have been vaccinated and those who have recovered will soon be able to do more
Enlarge image
The vaccination pass is still yellow - it will soon be replaced by a green EU vaccination pass
Photo: Marijan Murat / dpa
Throughout Germany,
targeted easing for vaccinated and convalescent people is to
come
quickly
- which has even already been decided in many federal states.
As early
as next weekend
, nationwide
curfews and contact bans
for citizens who have been completely vaccinated or who have recovered in the past six months could be eliminated.
You would then no longer need any tests for visiting the hairdresser or in shops.
Vaccinated and convalescents are also to be treated with a negative test result when entering the country, and in most cases they no longer have to be in quarantine.
The
EU Commission
recommends the same
the 27 member states: They should open the borders to vaccinated tourists in the summer.
And finally that:
The vaccination rate in Germany is now one of the highest in the world
.
In many federal states, priority group 3 has already been called up and the vaccination sequence has already been completely dissolved in many places.
Soon 30 percent of Germans will be vaccinated once, according to the Central Institute for Statutory Health Insurance it could be half by the end of May, and three quarters by mid-June.
In short:
there hasn't been so much reason for optimism for a long time as there is now.
The summer can come.
Corona pandemic: Spahn is aiming to relax those vaccinated this week
Is herd immunity unattainable?
Enlarge image
Vaccination Station in New York City
Photo: Mary Altaffer / AP
However, if you look at the
USA
, which is way ahead of us when it comes to vaccination, one thing becomes clear:
The number of vaccinations is stagnating there
, the country is practically swimming in vaccine - and around a third of the population is rather skeptical about vaccination, above all republican men. The herd immunity, which so many dreamed of at the beginning of the pandemic, could therefore be unattainable - up to 80 percent of the population would have to be vaccinated for this. That means:
The virus will probably stay
, even if the number of infections drops massively.
In Germany, too, the vaccine could soon exceed the number of those willing to be vaccinated.
Nevertheless, my colleague Julia Merlot dares to make the forecast: schools, restaurants and shops could reopen in summer, smaller celebrations and events with a hygiene concept would be possible
The crux of the matter is the willingness to be vaccinated: Soon we will all determine herd immunity
Story of the day: Madrid - the Sweden of the south
Enlarge image
Good mood on the streets of Madrid
Photo:
Pablo Blazquez Dominguez / Getty Images
Bars, restaurants and fitness studios have been open
in
Madrid
for a long time: Regional
President
Isabel Díaz Ayuso
has made the Spanish capital the party capital of Europe - in the middle of the pandemic.
With her decidedly relaxed corona course, the conservative politician wants to win the regional election today.
Our Spain reporter Steffen Lüdke walked through the bars in Madrid on a normal Friday evening, listened to a concert and accompanied the candidate during the election campaign.
Read his report here:
Loose corona course in Madrid: The Sweden of the south
Laschet and the problem of climate protection
Enlarge image
CDU party leader Laschet on Monday
Photo: Michael Kappeler / dpa
Chancellor
Angela Merkel
already wants to
talk to her government partners about a new climate protection law - after the Federal Constitutional Court found the old one to be inadequate. And
CDU boss Armin Laschet
now also wants to go on the offensive - but that's not easy because
Markus Söder
made life difficult for
him
with a rival proposal in advance. Söder demanded that Germany should become climate neutral by 2040 - instead of 2050, as previously planned. Laschet, on the other hand, only has a vague "well before the middle of the century" to offer - and he says nothing about phasing out coal.
In his analysis, my colleague Kevin Hagen describes how Laschet simply does not want to take the lead in terms of content.
The climate issue could become decisive in this election campaign - and at the same time it is a difficult problem for the CDU leader.
Because in his party the representatives of the different wings all want something different.
CDU Chancellor candidate Laschet: Where are you going to leave?
Loser of the day ...
Enlarge image
President Macron with his wife Brigitte
Photo: Ludovic Marin / AP
... are
20 retired generals of the French army
who expressed sympathy for a
military coup
in an open letter to the population
. Yes, that's right: for a military coup in France. Namely: to
restore
French civilization
, which is threatened, the nation is threatened with destruction by Islamism and the "hordes of the banlieue". It warns of a "race war waged by the hateful and fanatical supporters of a certain anti-racism."
If President Macron did nothing, the army would have to intervene to prevent a
civil war
that left thousands dead. The alarming thing is not only that very old generals actually wrote this letter and that more than a thousand other ex-military officers, including 18 active ones, signed it. And not only that the right-wing populist Marine Le Pen assured the generals of her support. Rather, according to a representative survey, 58 percent of the French questioned also support the generals - and 49 percent support the demand for military intervention. The military leadership now wants to take disciplinary action against the signatories. But the frightening impression remains that French society is
a year before the presidential election
is so permanently destabilized that one can only worry.
The latest news from the night
Bill and Melinda Gates are getting divorced:
They were married for 27 years - now Microsoft founder Bill Gates and his wife Melinda go their separate ways.
Both have announced this in a joint statement
Series of »NSU-2.0« -drohmails before the investigation:
Since 2018 threatening letters under the abbreviation »NSU 2.0« have been sent to politicians, journalists and lawyers, among others.
Now the alleged author has been arrested.
But questions remain
Joe Biden quadruples the US upper limit for the admission of refugees:
Joe Biden had even heard a lot from his own party - now the US president is correcting himself: significantly more refugees should be admitted.
But with restrictions
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I wish you a good start to the day.
Your Mathieu von Rohr