Germany Mulls Easing Curbs as Europe’s Virus Struggle Progresses
(Bloomberg) --
Germany may agree on a tentative easing of restrictions on public life later Wednesday as some Danish children return to school in another sign Europe is slowly making progress in its struggle with the coronavirus.
Chancellor Angela Merkel will consult with Germany’s 16 regional premiers by telephone and is expected to hold a news conference during the late afternoon to detail any relaxation of curbs on activity, possibly including a gradual opening of some businesses and schools.
“We must have a step-by-step return to normality,” Families Minister Franziska Giffey said Wednesday on ARD TV, when asked whether German nursery schools could remain closed until the summer vacation.
In Denmark, babies are returning to daycare centers, kindergartens are opening their doors, and primary schools are resuming in-class lessons for children up to the age of 13. The government says the move will let parents focus on their jobs and keep the economy going, though it has drawn a good deal of criticism, with some parents saying they don’t want their children used as “lab rats.”
Governments across Europe are trying to balance the need to limit the economic damage against the risk of a resurgence of the disease. The number of new cases in Europe has stabilized in recent days, though more than 50,000 people have died and the fatalities continue to climb.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will brief reporters Wednesday in Brussels alongside European Council President Charles Michel as the EU attempts to roll out a coordinated strategy on getting the continent back to work.
In guidelines to be unveiled Wednesday, the commission will caution leaders that they must be prepared to re-impose lockdowns if the number of infections starts to increase again.
Any easing should be gradual and begin only when infections significantly decline for a sustained period; hospitals have enough beds, drugs and equipment; and large-scale testing, tracing and quarantine capacity is in place.
Aggressive Measures
Germany has won plaudits for its aggressive measures to combat the pandemic. Comprehensive testing and relative progress in protecting its more vulnerable population has resulted in a lower fatality rate than European nations such as Italy, Spain and the U.K.
The number of new cases in Germany fell for a sixth day on Wednesday, according to figures from Johns Hopkins University. There were 2,138 new infections, the lowest increase this month, bringing the total to 132,210.
Merkel and state leaders will weigh recommendations this week from country’s National Academy of Sciences, which laid out a blueprint for managing a return to regular social life and economic activity.
The 19-page report envisages the reopening of schools and suggests shops and restaurants could be reactivated as long as social-distancing measures are adhered to rigorously.
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