Status: 21.12.2021 02:47 a.m.
After the urgent warning from the Expert Council, representatives from the federal and state governments are meeting today to discuss further corona policy. You will probably bring further tightening of the corona rules on the way.
As a reaction to the new Omikron variant, the contact restrictions could soon be tightened for those who have recovered and who have been vaccinated – at least that is one of the proposals for today’s federal-state meeting. Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz expressed himself in this way.
There are also other restrictions on personal contacts so that we are well prepared when the new variant of the virus spreads across Europe.
According to the proposed resolution, which the ARD capital studio is available, private get-togethers for vaccinated and convalescents should also be limited to a maximum of ten people from December 28th. This should apply to private indoor and outdoor meetings, but children up to the age of 14 are not counted.
As soon as unvaccinated people are present, more restrictive rules apply – as they do now: Meetings are limited to one’s own household and a maximum of two people from another household.
No lockdown before Christmas, but contacts should be reduced
Hanni Hüsch, ARD Berlin, daily topics 11:15 p.m., December 20, 2021
No big New Years Eve parties
The new rules would not affect the Christmas holidays, but New Year’s Eve, according to North Rhine-Westphalia’s Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst.
I think the big New Year’s Eve party cannot take place this year – unfortunately not again. But Omikron will not forgive us negligence if we are not careful now.
With the federal-state meeting called at short notice, politicians are reacting to the first statement of the new expert council of the federal government, which warned of an explosive spread of Omikron. Not only health care needs to be prepared for this, said Chancellor Scholz at a meeting with his Italian counterpart Draghi in Rome.
This is happening in Germany in particular with a view to the critical infrastructures that we have to prepare for such a situation.
Expert advice warns of problems for critical infrastructure
The Expert Council had warned that the simultaneous infection of many people with the new Corona variant could endanger the workability of important facilities – from hospitals to the police and fire departments to electricity and water suppliers. Against this background, the operators of the critical infrastructures are requested to “immediately review and adjust their pandemic plans and ensure that they can be activated at short notice”, as stated in the proposed resolution for the meeting.
In order to be able to adapt the policy to the corona development in the short term, the Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder has again asked the federal government to expand the legal framework for the corona policy.
Is it a wave or a wall coming our way? And how does the country have to react? I think the most important thing would be to throw old ideological clutter overboard. That goes for the traffic light, and so it would be best to restore the epidemic situation.
In this case, a general lockdown would also be possible again, i.e. a closure of shops or schools. Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach had ruled out such a measure for the period up to Christmas. The green health politician Janosch Dahmen could then imagine them.
I believe that if what experts have predicted and what we are seeing in neighboring European countries is confirmed, then we can no longer rule out a general lockdown that includes everything, from the economy to the education sector and many private gatherings.
Worry about a new lockdown
In the opinion of Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner of the FDP, however, such drastic steps should be avoided as far as possible.
General closings of schools or shops should only be the last resort.
Like Chancellor Scholz, Lindner also pointed out the importance of the booster vaccination campaign and compliance with corona protective measures in everyday life. If this is done consistently, it could be possible to maintain social life and avoid a lockdown.
The federal and state governments are discussing further corona restrictions
Hans-Joachim Viewger, ARD Berlin, December 20, 2021 11:59 p.m.