Germany's Severest Enforcement of Lockdown Measures
In an effort to curb a sustained second surge of COVID-19 cases, primarily of domestic origin, Germany announced a strict lockdown starting December 16, 2020. The lockdown, set to last at least until January 10, comes in response to outbreaks linked to households, nursing homes, and events, which threatened to overwhelm healthcare capacities if left unchecked[1][2].
The decision to impose the lockdown was made by Angela Merkel and the prime ministers of all federal states during a video conference on December 13. Gerald Braunberger, a commentator for Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, supports this tightening of measures to combat the coronavirus. However, Braunberger calls on politicians and citizens to abandon the belief that the German healthcare system can withstand any challenge, stating that the time for illusions must end to prevent the pandemic from spiraling out of control[1].
The response from commentators and politicians was mixed. Some scientists, such as virologists early in the pandemic, had warned that Germany risked losing control without lockdown measures, advocating for strict contact restrictions to prevent exponential case growth[1]. Politicians largely supported the lockdown as necessary to protect public health and ensure the healthcare system could manage the caseload. However, the government carefully framed the measures to avoid the term “shutdown,” emphasizing the difference between full economic closures and targeted public health interventions[1].
Over the summer, there was frequent criticism of personal freedom restrictions due to the belief that a second wave of the coronavirus would not occur. When the second wave became evident, politicians (except for Chancellor Merkel) and many citizens consoled themselves with the idea that moderate restrictions would be sufficient. This hope was another illusion, according to Braunberger[1].
The protection of risk groups, as evidenced by the catastrophic number of deaths in nursing homes, has failed. Heike Anger, a columnist for Handelsblatt, attributes the introduction of the strict lockdown to discrepancies in anti-coronavirus policies among federal states[2]. Anger criticizes Merkel for presenting the prime ministers of the federal states with faits accomplis and overprotecting them, leading to the loss of precious time in protecting against the second wave of the coronavirus[2].
With the rising number of infected and dead, and reports that the healthcare system is facing the threat of being overwhelmed, politicians have finally taken active measures. Retail stores (except for food) will close during the lockdown, and kindergartens and schools will shut down and switch to remote learning[1].
Most German media commentators support the implementation of the new restrictions and criticize the delay in their implementation. However, the lockdown has not been without controversy. Some critics accused those who doubted the wisdom of this approach of stoking panic[1].
The period from October to early November can be assessed as a phase of accelerating disaster, unlike Italy where the situation is now better because measures were taken earlier[1]. As Germany faces the challenges posed by the second wave of the pandemic, the focus remains on targeted restrictions and careful management to protect both public health and the economy.
[1] "Germany imposes lockdown to curb second wave of coronavirus," BBC, December 14, 2020, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-55294194
[2] "Germany imposes strict lockdown to curb coronavirus second wave," Al Jazeera, December 14, 2020, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/12/14/germany-imposes-strict-lockdown-to-curb-coronavirus-second-wave
- Science and health-and-wellness were at the forefront of the decision-making process, as some scientists, like early virologists in the pandemic, had warned that Germany could lose control without lockdown measures.
- Despite initial hesitation and debates about personal freedom, the general-news coverage regarding the escalating medical-conditions caused by the second wave of COVID-19 eventually led to a consensus for strict public health interventions, such as the lockdown in politics.
- The combination of science-based advice from healthcare professionals and the unfolding reality of the pandemic's impact on risk groups, particularly in nursing homes, forced politicians to address the situation seriously and take necessary measures to prevent the healthcare system from being overwhelmed.
