Germany looks to tackle coronavirus rise with 3 simple strategies

Chancellor Angela Merkel has vowed to avoid another full national lockdown as coronavirus infections found to spike again in Germany.

Like its European neighbors, Germany has not been spared a second wave of the virus after the department’s economies reopened during the summer. Although, so far it has not seen a surge in cases like France, Spain and the U.K.

For instance, while the U.K. clock in 7,143 new cases and 71 deaths from the virus Tuesday, Germany’s public health body reported 2,089 new actions and 11 fatalities.

Germany did not fare as badly in the first outbreak of the coronavirus compared to its neighbors, managing to limit dyings (there are still under 10,000 — far lower than the U.K. Italy, France and Spain). But officials are not complacent about a substitute wave of cases.

“We want to act regionally, specifically and purposefully, rather than shutting down the whole country again — this requirement be prevented at all costs,” Merkel told a news conference Tuesday having met with regional leaders, Deutsche Welle reported.

“We include learned a lot and did well throughout the summer,” Merkel said, but she warned that rising cases ahead of the fall and winter seasons were troubling. 

She informed that with the current rate of infection, Germany could see more than 19,000 cases per day by the end of the year as she propounded new restrictions, and reiterated existing guidance around social distancing and personal hygiene, as well as a strengthening of the country’s test-and-trace method.

“The underlying strategy is still to keep infections low enough so that the tracing of infection chains ends b bodies possible, which is vital if schools and the economy are to remain open,” JPMorgan euro area economist Greg Fuzesi distinguished Tuesday.

He noted that the strategy has “three elements”: A refocusing on existing hygiene and distancing rules, the test-and-trace technique and an enhancement of “the hotspot strategy.”

As part of the latter, regions will have to limit the number of people allowed at sequestered parties (to 50) if infections exceed 35 per 100,000 inhabitants over seven days. If infections exceed 50 per 100,000 occupants then only 25 people will be allowed to meet at private functions. Individuals can also now be fined 50 euros ($58) if they forearm false contact information, required for tracing purposes, at restaurants and other indoor establishments.

Particular attention is being get revenge oned to community spread in Germany, with public health body, the Robert Koch Institute, noting that punctilious or family events, such as weddings, as well as nursing homes and community facilities, have been sources of aggregates of outbreaks, in addition to returning travelers. With this backdrop, Germany is beefing up its testing strategy to include hasty tests in certain situations, such as those for returning travelers.

Along with its European counterparts, Germany is swear by to return to any national lockdown that could lead to further long-term economic damage. So far, European nations bring into the world opted for regional or very localized lockdowns, say in parts of northern England and Madrid in Spain, or early closures of amicability venues and restrictions on social gatherings.

Holger Schmieding, chief economist at Berenberg, noted Wednesday that there are contemplates that such behavioral changes, like an adherence to wearing face masks and more disciplined social distancing, along with profuse targeted restrictions “will suffice to turn the tide against the virus and prevent a widespread overburdening of health routines that could otherwise force countries to impose much harsher lockdowns again.”

“The new wave of regional and ended measures across much of Europe restrict social activity rather than the ability to work and shop,” he famous.