Germany at a turning point with Corona virus

Nazmun Nesa Piari from Berlin

Germany is at a turning point what regards the corona virus situation. Because of the lockdown since Christmas 2020 the number of new infections have gone down by more than fifty percent. But since a week they don’t go down anymore. The numbers are now 60 new infections among 100.000 inhabitants in seven days. Government is pushing for 35 new infections to be able to open the economy. It does not seem likely because more and more of the  mutated virus from Great Britain, South Africa has entered Germany. Their mutations are more infectious and more dangerous. Another problem is that the neighboring countries like Czech Republic and Austria have much higher number of infections.  Germany had to close down the border although principally there freedom of movement exist in the European Union.

Public society in Germany more and more pushing for opening lockdown. People are tired and sick of a  restricted life for such a long time. Only barber shops are allowed to open 1st March. In the german States (Laendern) kindergarten and schools for young children are beginning to open up. For many weeks there was heavy snow falls and freezing temperier in germany. Now snow has gone and with the spring temperature germans like to go out and sit in restaurants — eat good food and go shopping.

On 3rd March the governments of the Republic and the states will have to decide how to proceed in the future. They are caught between pressure for opening economy and fear of third wave of the virus.