Timo Lenzen / DER SPIEGEL
Dear readers,
do you still remember the lockdown light in November?
At that time, the number of infections rose again after a Corona summer fairy tale with freedoms that are hardly imaginable today.
But the nature of the virus has not changed in the past few months (apart from the mutations).
Nevertheless, against the advice of many scientists, politics back then relied on the principle of hope.
A mistake with grave consequences, as we know today.
We are currently in a similar situation.
The tightening of the measures from December and especially from January are having an effect.
The number of cases has been falling for weeks, the infection curve is falling as steeply as it rose before Christmas.
An end to the restrictions seems to be in sight.
At the same time, an invisible threat has been swelling for weeks: The highly contagious mutations from South Africa, Great Britain and Brazil are spreading at breakneck speed; in Düsseldorf they have recently made up a fifth of all new infections.
However, the mutants are far from being detected everywhere, so their threat is as abstract as the devastating infection figures from January at the beginning of November.
Fortunately, politicians have acted smarter in their decisions this week.
Instead of opening, the lockdown was extended, even if in some areas (such as education) it may fray in the next few weeks and a somewhat obscure exception was made (the hairdressers).
We'll probably soon see whether that's enough.
But it is reassuring that the principle of hope seems to be retired as a basis for decision-making.
Icon: enlarge
Mathematician's calculation:
All the coronaviruses in the world would fit in a Coke can
Photo: AFP
The dangerous Mutantenstadl
Third wave can hardly be stopped: Mutants infect many children
Mutants are spreading in Germany
at
breakneck speed.
They puzzle the researchers: what makes them so highly infectious?
And why is B.1.1.7 looking for so many younger victims in Israel?
Coronavirus mutants: Why the falling numbers of infected people are deceptive
The numbers of infections and deaths are falling.
But virologists have long been warning of a loss of control due to the new virus mutations.
A model calculation shows how specific this risk is.
Covid-19: Almost every fifth person infected with corona in Düsseldorf carries a British mutation
The proportion of mutations in Germany is now increasing sharply in some places.
The federal government is now considering introducing border controls to mutation areas.
Sars-CoV-2 pathogen: Brazilian virus variant, according to the government, three times more contagious.
In addition to the English and South African variant, the Brazilian mutant P1 worries the epidemiologists.
It is estimated to be significantly more contagious than the original version.
The new SPIEGEL, now digital, tomorrow at the kiosk
And everyone like this: Yeah, new MPK resolutions!
What the new Corona resolutions bring: Brakes at all costs
The shutdown will be extended again, but daycare centers and schools could open soon.
The latter is welcomed by experts.
But are the resolutions enough to stop the new dynamic created by mutants?
Extended shutdown until March 7th: The federal and state governments have agreed on these resolutions,
Chancellor Merkel and the prime ministers have again extended the corona shutdown.
There are exceptions at schools, daycare centers and hairdressers.
The overview.
Resolutions on school openings: Then everyone
can
do what they want.
When can schools and daycare centers finally open again?
The Bund-Länder-Round wanted to advise on this.
But the result: nothing at first.
The countries should decide.
The reactions are clear.
Winner of the shutdown loosening: "Hairdressers are systemically relevant" Hairdressing
salons will soon be the first to reopen.
The head of the Berlin celebrity hairdressing salon Udo Walz, Carsten Thamm-Walz, is completely right.
After decisions about school openings: A little relief, little praise, a lot of criticism
In February, in March or later?
After the federal-state meeting, it is up to the respective minister-president when daycare centers and schools open again.
The reactions from parents, teachers and politicians have been mixed.
Corona resolutions: permanent shutdown with perm
Open hairdressing salons are a reason to be happy.
But above all, they are the ultimate proof of the powerlessness of German politics in the virus pandemic.
Covid-19 in worldwide numbers
Confirmed Cases: 107,883,016
Deaths: 2,370,735
Recovered from the disease: 60,396,399
Germany: 2,320,093 confirmed patients, 64,191 deaths
Sources: CSSE / Johns Hopkins University, as of February 12, 2021, 2:24 p.m.;
Robert Koch Institute, as of February 12, 2021, midnight
Research news
All-in-one vaccine against coronaviruses: The search for the super vaccine
The new coronavirus will probably not be the last to spread pandemic.
Two researchers from the USA are working on universal vaccines against the pathogen - with initial success.
Covid-19 vaccinesNo, 70 percent effectiveness does not mean that 30 percent will get sick
The three corona vaccines approved in the EU differ in effectiveness.
But the lower AstraZeneca value of 60 to 70 percent has a different meaning than many think.
Possible way out of the pandemic: With this concept, the “No Covid” initiative wants to get out of the lockdown.
Green zones, clever testing and European solutions: Scientists like Melanie Brinkmann or Clemens Fuest have worked out a detailed plan to end the pandemic .
What else was important
Comparative data analysis: The map of Europe of corona deaths
The second wave hits some countries so hard that, based on the number of inhabitants, they now have more Covid 19 deaths than Italy or Spain.
Where does Germany stand?
Mental stress: Almost every third child shows mental abnormalities during the corona crisis
According to a study, the mental health of children is not good.
Mental stress increases, especially in families at risk.
In addition, experts suspect a high number of unreported cases of child abuse.
Gastronomy despite Corona: four-course restaurants,
food on wheels exquisite: In Neumünster, a hotelier family is fighting against the loss of existence.
She serves four-course meals in the mobile home.
The landlords are permanently booked - and encourage imitators across Germany.
Was there anything else?
Oh yes, the German vaccination bankruptcy
Software development: How Germany fails in
vaccination management The vaccination campaign is also so chaotic because the federal and state governments do not use intelligent IT logistics.
Manufacturer Biontech now wants to help and is already developing software.
Have a nice weekend
Yours Michail Hengstenberg
What you need to know about the virus
We have put together all the answers to the most important questions about the coronavirus for you here.
You can find more current developments at SPIEGEL.de.