Corona crisis
Company concerned about new lockdown
A sign reading “2G” in front of a shop in Potsdam. Photo: Christophe Gateau / dpa
© dpa-infocom GmbH
If businesses had to close nationwide again due to the increasing corona infections, that would be catastrophic for many companies. Warnings to politicians are getting louder.
With drastic warnings, medium-sized businesses and retailers are looking at a possible new lockdown in view of the rising number of corona infections. The Federal Managing Director of the Federal Association of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, Markus Jerger, speaks of an “economic super-disaster”.
The managing director of the SME group, Ludwig Veltmann, sees a “dramatic perspective for Germany as a business location”. The trade association HDE spoke out in favor of compulsory vaccination for the first time on the first weekend in Advent.
Jerger from the Federal Association of Medium-Sized Enterprises called on politicians to absolutely prevent an impending corona lockdown. He told the German Press Agency: “If companies and retailers had to forcibly close again during the important Christmas business, we would have the economic meltdown: Entire industries would be affected and a large number of medium-sized companies would not economically survive a renewed lockdown.”
For the companies it follows that the 3G rule must be strictly controlled or 2G must be introduced – that would mean: Access to companies only for those who have been vaccinated and those who have recovered. “In plain language: employees unwilling to vaccinate, with the exception of medical exemptions, must then feel the consequences of their actions in the wage packet,” says Jerger. “Overloaded hospitals and postponed operations cost lives, and the virus does not take personal sensitivities into account.”
The corona virus is once again ahead of politics, criticizes Jerger. Current and future federal governments should not lose any more time, but must act immediately and consistently. There is no getting around the quick introduction of a general compulsory vaccination. “It comes too late to fight the fourth corona wave, but it spares people and the economy from worse. In view of the dramatic development of the pandemic, this is the only way to avert an impending lockdown. “
Also HDE for compulsory vaccination
The HDE trade association has now also spoken out in favor of compulsory vaccination: “Particularly with a view to the currently discussed restrictive measures for society and the economy, compulsory vaccination must be pursued accordingly,” writes the HDE in a letter to Executive Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU ), which is available to the German Press Agency. A “prompt introduction of a constitutionally designed general compulsory vaccination with clearly defined exceptions” is required. Because currently the vaccination quota is not sufficient to contain a fourth wave sufficiently.
In Berlin, this Saturday – the first weekend in Advent – the 2G regulation also came into force in retail: Most stores are only allowed to be vaccinated and convalescent, with the exception of supermarkets, drugstores and pharmacies. Nils Busch-Petersen, General Manager of the Berlin-Brandenburg Trade Association, criticized the consequences for the employees: “The employees have to give the auxiliary police and endure confrontations with customers during the controls.” In addition, he expects sales losses of 15 to 30 or 40 percent. “We are already seeing a drop in frequency,” said Busch-Petersen.
Veltmann from the Mittelstandsverbund told the German Press Agency with a view to a possible lockdown: “Many small and medium-sized companies in particular would be catapulted out of the competition for good. Hundreds of thousands of employees would also be affected. “
Politicians must keep their word and not allow a new lockdown. “With the consistent short-term use of comprehensive digital rapid test systems that can be connected directly to existing digital tools such as the Corona warning app and provide the health authorities with all the current information they need, the infection process could finally be localized and then targeted.” A general shutdown of public life and entire areas of the economy would then be dispensable.
Veltmann criticized politics: “Instead of finally systematically recording the routes of infection digitally, traditional methods that are too slow are still being used, with which the pandemic can ultimately not be controlled.” According to Veltmann, entrepreneurs from numerous trade and service sectors at their local locations would be wrongly to suffer. «Renewed short-time work would encourage frustration, fluctuation and a shortage of skilled workers. A dramatic perspective for Germany as a business location. “