Monday 29 November 2021
Crisis policy at “Anne Will”
“The virus does not forgive half-heartedness”
By Marko Schlichting
In view of the increasing incidence values and the omicron variant, the decisions of the traffic light coalition are becoming more and more urgent. At “Anne Will” the guests discuss what they want to do in the next few days to contain the crisis. One step: clearer contact restrictions.
The fourth corona wave strikes with full force. The incidence values are rising, more and more intensive care units are overloaded. In addition, the new virus variant Omikron is spreading. Although their effect has not yet been researched, the pressure on politicians is growing to finally take quick and hard corona measures. The traffic light parties want to decide at the beginning of December. Too late, think many people in Germany. A majority of 57 percent would like a total lockdown for “Bild am Sonntag”, according to an Insa survey. About as many respondents believe that the restrictions on the unvaccinated do not go far enough.
The decision of the Federal Constitutional Court announced for tomorrow, Tuesday, which deals with the legality of the Corona emergency brake this spring, is therefore eagerly awaited. In this way, the Karlsruhe judges could also show which measures are permitted in the current crisis. The SPD, Greens and FDP have only just changed the Infection Protection Act. An emergency brake is no longer possible. The new version of the law no longer provides for curfews for everyone and the precautionary closure of schools and daycare centers.
In the program “Anne Will” on Sunday evening, Health Minister Jens Spahn from the CDU spoke out in favor of measures to reduce contact. This included the cancellation of major events and celebrations as well as the nationwide introduction of 2G plus. “These are decisions that no Federal Minister of Health could have made, these are decisions on site,” said Spahn – and thus rejected the accusation that he had not acted in time. The minister urged an agreement between the federal government and the federal states as well as the bringing forward of the prime ministerial conference planned for December 9th.
“Countries are not exhausting opportunities”
In their federal state they are already so far, said Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania’s Prime Minister Manuela Schwesig. 2G plus is already in place, and contact restrictions will soon be added. “But there are federal states that do not implement everything at the same time,” said Schwesig, referring to Bavaria. For example, there are likely to be more spectators at football matches than are permitted nationwide. SPD politician Schwesig also called for nationwide contact restrictions.
FDP leader Christian Lindner is mad at the federal states: “The federal states are not exhausting their possibilities,” he said. “It must be our common goal to prevent a nationwide lockdown,” said the future Federal Minister of Finance. At the same time, he called for more consistent action in the fight against Corona. This week the federal-state crisis team will meet for the first time under the direction of a general. In addition, far-reaching contact restrictions would have to be planned.
Primary and booster vaccinations are even more important at the moment. “Anyone who can hold a syringe should do so,” said Lindner, who at the same time spoke out in favor of including pharmacists in the vaccination campaign. “We must protect both health and freedoms together,” he said.
Annalena Baerbock of the Greens finally announced that the traffic light coalition wanted to review the measures taken by the federal states at the beginning of the week and continue to advise them after the judgment of the Federal Constitutional Court. She, too, can imagine that the Prime Minister’s Conference will be convened before December 9th.
“Reacts too slowly when we’re in the shit”
“Spiegel” journalist Melanie Amann is all going too slowly. She spoke out on the show for a total lockdown and lamented “that one was never properly prepared for the next step of the pandemic. If we were in the shit, there was no one who could react quickly.” That was the case with the old government, and it is becoming apparent that nothing will change with the new one, according to the editor in the “Spiegel” capital office.
While Schwesig is certain that the government will quickly improve the Infection Protection Act, Jens Spahn is somehow taking too long. “We are now behind the wave. We have to get in front of the wave. The virus does not forgive half-heartedness,” he said. An insight that may come a little late for many German citizens.