Sunday, November 28th, 2021
Ghost games, emergency brake, MPK
Country bosses are planning drastic corona measures
Baden-Württemberg wants to advise on stricter corona measures on Monday and Tuesday. It is clear that ghost games are coming, they say. Bavaria is also calling for drastic measures – and a federal emergency brake this week.
The state government of Baden-Württemberg has announced further tightening of the corona. Government spokesman Arne Braun said the individual steps will be discussed on Monday and Tuesday. “But it is clear that there are ghost games in professional football,” said Braun.
The number of visitors to major events was recently restricted in Baden-Württemberg. The clubs are only allowed to use half of their capacity. The upper limit is 25,000 viewers. Here too, vaccinated and convalescent patients also need a test. In view of the current development, the state government is always considering making further tightenings that are possible.
“The new virus variant, the worsening situation in the intensive care units in many regions, the exponential growth that has not continued – all of this makes quick action necessary,” said Braun. And it is becoming increasingly clear that the countries urgently need the full range of instruments for extensive restrictions. Prime Minister Winfried Kretschmann of the Greens also spoke out in favor of a rapid Prime Ministerial Conference (MPK) on Friday.
Söder criticizes traffic light parties
Bavaria’s Prime Minister Markus Söder had previously asked the future federal government to take drastic measures to break the fourth wave of corona. “Unfortunately, we have to shut down the whole country even more to protect our health system,” said Söder of the “Augsburger Allgemeine”. “The Leopoldina’s warnings are a wake-up call: we now need consistent contact restrictions for the unvaccinated, a lockdown for hotspot regions, masks in all schools and football games without spectators,” added Söder. “Every day of waiting and hesitation is a wasted day. The whole of Germany is heading for an emergency, the coming federal government can no longer stand idly by.”
“A federal emergency brake has to be decided this week,” demanded the CSU boss. “We need a uniform corona management for all of Germany again and not a patchwork carpet. That is why we need a conference of prime ministers and a new law that does justice to the dramatic situation – and finally the new Federal Minister of Health,” said the Bavarian head of government.
No one can currently estimate how the new Omikron variant will affect, said Söder. “That is why all flights from South Africa must be stopped. We must not rule anything out. Incidentally, more vaccine is needed for the countries, extensive compensation for the economy as last year and a compulsory vaccination for everyone from January. This is an emergency package for Germany.”
Because for compulsory vaccination – and maybe also for lockdown
Meanwhile, Lower Saxony’s Prime Minister Stephan Weil demanded a general corona vaccination and announced stricter corona rules for the country. With the Omikron variant of the corona virus, there is a new situation, he told the “Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung”. “We will have to work hard to drive vaccination protection upwards very quickly,” said the SPD politician. “Initial studies show that booster vaccinations, in particular, can have a good effect against this mutation. This is why a general vaccination requirement is now absolutely essential. We absolutely have to increase the vaccination pressure.”
Weil also announced stricter measures for Lower Saxony. “With the achievement of warning level two next Wednesday, we will roll out the 2G-plus rule across the country, as it were.” This means that only those who have been vaccinated and recovered who have also tested negative at the moment are allowed to attend events or take advantage of services, do sports indoors, go to a restaurant or stay in a hotel. “This additional compulsory test is tedious and annoying for those who have been vaccinated and recovered, but unfortunately necessary,” said Weil.
The Prime Minister also did not rule out a lockdown. “That is a point that we now have to discuss intensively,” he said. “But it’s probably more about the time after Christmas, when it’s usually holidays and families meet.” According to Weil, it is possible to tighten the corona rules until Christmas and then impose an “extended Christmas rest”.