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Shopping street and pedestrian zone in the city center of Mannheim in March 2020
Photo: Ralph Peters / imago images
For weeks, the development of the number of cases has always shown the same picture: The numbers rise and rise and rise.
The corona virus is now even spreading exponentially again.
The 7-day incidence of 50 infected people per 100,000 population has been exceeded in many metropolitan areas.
The whole of Germany has long been above this mark on average.
As a result, the hospitals have to do more with corona patients again, including the intensive care units.
For weeks, Germany's politicians, physicians and virologists have been discussing measures to stop this uncontrolled spread, tripping the ban on accommodation, confusing with sometimes different, sometimes even contradicting measures.
It is a public struggle, in some places an open surrender.
In any case, there was no success.
Those responsible had long tried to avoid the term shutdown, it seemed.
But now the situation has worsened so much that Chancellor Angela Merkel is consulting with the Prime Minister this Wednesday about shutting down public life for just under a month from the beginning of November.
Catering establishments should close, cultural life should be restricted further, only schools and kindergartens should remain open - unlike the first shutdown in spring.
What would a shutdown of a few weeks mean for Germany's society, for young and old alike?
What effects would it have on the economy, especially on gastronomy and tourism?
And how much does it affect professional and popular sport, but also cultural activities such as cinemas and theaters?
And, last but not least, what does this mean for the spread of the virus itself?
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