The omicron variant spreads faster than knowledge about it. Even if it is therefore unfair and gastronomy seems to be preferred in Bavaria: It would be a mistake to allow more spectators to attend cultural events now.
Who else should see? Hospital traffic lights, hospitalization index, regional hotspot lockdown, time slot ticket, R value, 25 percent occupancy, 3 G, 2 G, 2 G plus – these are just a few of the key words people have to deal with every day. Anyone who vaccinated themselves into a restaurant quickly learns what almost all table conversations are about: Corona and who has been infected, about lateral thinker demos and the whole hopeless mess that the pandemic has created in two years.
And now there is also the “Omikronwand”. You can therefore bet on it: Whatever the state government is currently deciding or not – in four weeks the situation will be completely different again. On Tuesday, State Chancellor Florian Herrmann announced that Bavaria would refrain from introducing the 2-G plus rule for restaurants. Nobody can say how the risky decision will affect the infection process.
Landlords react relieved, but cultural managers are annoyed because they are only allowed to use their theater to 25 percent and the audience also has to wear FFP2 masks during the performances. A maskless après-ski party lasting several hours in a poorly ventilated pub, on the other hand, is considered to be compliant with the rules. Is that fair? No. But should one therefore increase the number of spectators at events? Now of all times, at a point in time when the pandemic with the Omikron variant is possibly approaching the grand finale? That would be irresponsible and would mean that theaters have to close again completely.
The omicron variant spreads faster than knowledge about it. For this reason alone, politics has no choice but to muddle through with new measures. Some are well founded, some less so. People therefore have to take responsibility for their own health themselves – and if in doubt, stay at home for a few more weeks.