Concerns grow over disparities in economic revival as lockdown restrictions ease
In a meeting on November 18, 2021, Chancellor Angela Merkel, Chancellor-in-waiting Olaf Scholz, and the 16 state premiers agreed upon a nationwide uniform criteria for reopening businesses in Germany [1]. This framework aims to provide a clear and consistent standard across all states, reducing the risk of a patchwork of strategies and minimizing economic impact.
The key benchmark for this framework is the hospitalization incidence rate. This rate is measured as the number of COVID-19 patients hospitalized in the preceding seven days per 100,000 residents. Based on this rate, different rules will apply to public leisure facilities and other businesses.
If the hospitalization incidence rate exceeds:
- 3 hospitalizations per 100,000: Public leisure facilities operate under the “2G” rule (only vaccinated or recovered individuals are allowed).
- 6 hospitalizations per 100,000: Facilities operate under the stricter “2G+” rule (vaccinated/recovered plus tested).
- 9 hospitalizations per 100,000: Additional measures such as contact restrictions are implemented.
This shift to hospitalization incidence was intended to be more reliable and less criticized than the previous reliance on infection incidence [1].
The potential consequences of the lockdown, including job losses, insolvencies, fewer training places, a decrease in the number of new foundations, and the loss of attractiveness of many city centers, have been a concern for the associations involved in the preliminary talks. They believe that a clear and predictable perspective for the reopening of closed businesses is necessary to prevent further economic damage.
Sufficient rapid tests are considered crucial for reopenings. Companies and associations are urging state premiers to establish nationwide uniform criteria for reopenings at a conference on March 3. Openings must be planned and prepared in advance to minimize disruptions.
This uniform framework aims to reduce mobility and social contacts across branches, not at the expense of individual branches or businesses. Special regulations may still be required in areas with particularly high infection risk. The goal is to strike a balance between public health protection and minimizing economic disruptions.
References: [1] Bundesregierung (2021). Pressemitteilung: Einheitliche Kriterien für die Öffnung von Geschäften. Retrieved from https://www.bundesregierung.de/breg-de/news/einheitliche-kriterien-fuer-die-oeffnung-von-geschaeften-1895624
This news article was generated by Mistral AI.
- The consensus on uniform criteria for reopening businesses in Germany has arisen due to concerns in the associations involved in preliminary talks, as the potential consequences of lockdowns, such as job losses, insolvencies, and a decrease in new training places, could have significant effects on the business and finance sectors.
- As the framework for reopening businesses relies on the hospitalization incidence rate, there is a strong connection between education and public health, as schools and universities may need to implement additional measures if the rate exceeds certain thresholds. Moreover, the shift to hospitalization incidence is expected to have an impact on the political landscape, as decisions regarding public health and the economy will need to be balanced carefully.
