Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD, center), Hendrik Wüst (CDU), Prime Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, and Franziska Giffey (SPD), Governing Mayor of Berlin, want to decide on an opening plan at the upcoming meeting on Wednesday.
(Photo: dpa)
When Corona reached Germany two years ago, politicians reacted quickly and had the overwhelming majority of citizens behind them. In view of the uncertainty about the new virus, the federal and state governments shut down public life, just as neighboring countries had previously done.
The population went along – not least the depressing pictures from Italy, on which coffins were being transported in trucks, ensured this.
Two years later, it is now a matter of starting up the country again, of returning to normality. The amazing thing is that Germany is having a much harder time with this.
While one country after the other has been abolishing the restrictions for a few weeks, Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) and the Prime Ministers want to decide on a phased plan for openings at the Corona summit on Wednesday, but much of it still remains vague.
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There is not much left of the former social unity. An increasingly bitter dispute is raging between those who consider any easing to be irresponsible and those who perceive everything that does not result in the immediate abolition of the mask requirement as state supervision.
Big communication deficit at Scholz
This is also the result of clumsy and despondent pandemic management by the federal and state governments, which leaves many disoriented.
If Angela Merkel was already too sparing with explanations of her corona policy, this communication deficit has become even greater under Scholz. So far, the Chancellor has not sufficiently conveyed to the citizens why Omikron changed the rules of the pandemic and what that means for the protective measures and the way to normality.
His Health Minister Karl Lauterbach seems increasingly overwhelmed. If the federal and state governments do what Lauterbach had just warned about in one of his numerous talk show appearances, it does nothing to build trust.
The opposition is also looking in vain for orientation: Leading Union politicians vehemently called for an immediate lockdown before Christmas, while they are now leading the easing movement. The public is still waiting for an explanation of this change in course.
German Fear: The road to normality is blocked.
(Photo: Burkhard Mohr)
Also read: Lauterbach sees the peak of the omicron wave reached
Disproportionate Restrictions
Rather, the federal and state governments have made a secret readjustment, but have not had the courage to communicate this clearly. Politicians no longer want to prevent infections at any price, as they did in the first waves.
This is consistent with the approach of other countries and the recommendation of many scientists. Finally, the Omicron variant is more contagious, making containment more difficult. In addition, the collateral damage of possible protective measures now weighs more heavily because omicron causes milder disease progression.
The inadequate communication of these considerations means that the readjustment of corona policy is difficult for many to understand. It remains necessary nonetheless. Because what would be the alternative?
Anyone who does not want to bring society back to normal under the current conditions – which the hospital companies also say there is no threat of overburdening the healthcare system – will no longer be able to do so anytime soon.
However, such a course of restrictions, continued with ever new justifications, would be disproportionate. And he would quickly run the risk of losing public acceptance. In the past two years, politicians have often been accused of reacting too late to the corona developments.
She shouldn’t make this mistake again with the opening strategy.
More: Draft resolution: The federal and state governments want to largely lift corona restrictions by March 20th