Coronavirus: Is Germany doing enough to slow the outbreak?

Email after email rolls in. The first is from your employer, canceling all meetings for the next few weeks. Then one from a concert organizer, announcing that your favorite artist won’t perform on the weekend. Then your parents get in touch, postponing their visit with the grandchildren — all taking precautions to stem the spread of coronavirus.

Read more: Coronavirus in Germany: Health care system under pressure

This glimpse of an email inbox is probably familiar to many by now. In Germany, as in other parts of Europe, public life is slowly grinding to a halt. Teams in the Bundesliga, Germany’s football league, first played in empty stadiums and then postponed games, playgrounds are deserted and all of a sudden there’s a lot more legroom on commuter trains and in workplace cafeterias. Most states have ordered schools and kindergartens to suspend classes as of next week, and Berlin’s mayor has announced that all bars must close. It seems only a matter of time before more restaurants and cinemas follow suit, as they did in Italy. 

How social distancing saves lives

“We now know very well that in the current phase of the pandemic we have to cut off practically all social contact if we want to have any chance of keeping the number of infected people as low as possible,” said Patrick Larscheid, the public health officer for the district of Berlin-Reinickendorf. He has called on the Berlin senate to take more decisive steps against the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, saying public life must be restricted as much as possible to protect the population. 

Read more: What you need to know about the coronavirus

The decision to cancel events of more than 1,000 people doesn’t go far enough, Larscheid said. Any place where people gather must be shut down. “Otherwise we won’t be able to control [the outbreak] anymore,” he said. Social contact — which has always been one of the cornerstones of well-being — is now considered a threat. With the virus transmitted through person-to-person contact, proximity to others can cause serious illness.

Too little, too late for Italy

Will we soon see a situation similar to Italy play out in Germany? As a measure to stop the spread of the virus, all shops in Italy except pharmacies and supermarkets are closed for the time being — which means bars, restaurants and even hairdressers have closed their doors.

“Only a few days ago I asked you to change your habits and stay home,” said Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte in a video message on Wednesday evening. “I was aware that this was a first step and would not be the last. It’s time to take another step.”

Read more: Coronavirus, cold, or flu symptoms: Should I see a doctor?

In other words, public life in Italy has been brought to a complete standstill. Germany is inching closer to this scenario. On March 3, when virologist Alexander Kekulé pleaded to keep everyone at home for two weeks — in order to contain the epidemic in its early stages by interrupting the chains of infection — the scientist was laughed at by many.

Karl-Josef Laumann, the health minister of North Rhine-Westphalia — the state most affected by the outbreak — responded by saying that politicians should not take measures “which are disproportionate and which therefore cause hysteria.” A few days later, only 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the city of Heinsberg, the most severely affected coronavirus hotspot in Germany, Borussia Mönchengladbach and Borussia Dortmund played a soccer match in front of more than 50,000 spectators.

Coronavirus reality is a moving target

In a matter of just a few days, the situation had changed entirely, and sporting events played before an audience became practically unthinkable. And we’re no longer talking about blowing things out of proportion. On March 11, also in Mönchengladbach, the first ghost game without spectators took place against FC Cologne. Meanwhile, the German ice hockey league has cut its season short, and even the Bundesliga has now called off games until further notice. 

Read more: How Germany is showing solidarity amid the outbreak

These days, German moviegoers leave a seat free between them, though many are avoiding the cinema altogether for fear of infection. Schools are shuttering, and the state of Baden-Württemberg has postponed the start of the summer semester. Cultural events — like the traditional Beethoven Festival in Bonn or the Latin America-Caribbean Week in Berlin — are being canceled, as are numerous trade fairs. Public life is being shut down, but it’s still happening in slow motion.

• How is coronavirus affecting life in Germany?

  Food donations drop

  Panic-buying has left empty shelves in supermarkets — and food banks. With Germans snapping up canned goods and toilet paper to weather the outbreak, stores have fewer supplies left over to donate to the needy, said Jochen Brühl, head of Tafel Deutschland, which supports more than 1.5 million people with surplus groceries and other donations. Brühl encouraged those who had overreacted to donate.

• How is coronavirus affecting life in Germany?

  Bundesliga behind closed doors

  Health Minister Jens Spahn has urged that all events with more than 1,000 participants be called off. The German Football League (DFL) has suspended the Bundesliga until April 2, saying health was a “top priority” and reversing a previous decision to play in empty stadiums. The derby between FC Cologne and Borussia Mönchengladbach on March 11 was the first Bundesliga “ghost match,” without fans.

• How is coronavirus affecting life in Germany?

  Cultural cancellations

  Cultural life has also taken a hit, with major fairs and trade shows canceled or postponed. Among the casualties were the Leipzig Book Fair and the Musikmesse Frankfurt, Europe’s biggest music trade fair. Numerous clubs, galleries and museums have closed across the country, and the gala award show for the annual German film and television award, the Goldene Kamera, has been moved to November.

• How is coronavirus affecting life in Germany?

  Schools set to close

  Unlike in Italy, schools across Germany have remained open. As of mid-March that is set to change as many states close schools for several weeks, some until after the Easter holidays in mid-April.

• How is coronavirus affecting life in Germany?

  Not the ‘Wuhan flu’

  The Chinese origin of the virus has led to an increase in xenophobic sentiment in the places worst hit by the outbreak. Asian restaurants and stores — not just Chinese — have reported empty tables in countries hard hit by the pandemic, and people with Asian features have experienced discrimination. At a recent Bundesliga game in Leipzig, a group of Japanese fans was ejected from the stadium.

• How is coronavirus affecting life in Germany?

  Flights grounded

  German airline Lufthansa has massively reduced its flight capacity as business and personal travel is cut back. The flagship carrier is now seeking state aid, according to a report from Germany business newspaper Handelsblatt. Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr will be attending a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, according to government sources.

• How is coronavirus affecting life in Germany?

  Car production crippled

  Car plants in China have been shut down since January, and major German automakers like Volkswagen and Daimler have said both sales and production have been hit by the epidemic. And with many automakers sourcing electric car parts from China, work at plants in Germany has also hit a stumbling block. Berlin has said it plans to financially support companies suffering coronavirus losses.

• How is coronavirus affecting life in Germany?

  Fewer tourists

  “The consequences for the German tourism sector are serious,” warned Guido Zöllick, head of the German Hotel and Restaurant Association. Already by the second week of March, 76.1% of members had reported a sharp decrease in bookings and a drop in revenue. The German parliament has banned tourists from visiting the glass dome of the Reichstag building until further notice.

• How is coronavirus affecting life in Germany?

  Border checks

  After Italy and France, Germany has the largest number of coronavirus cases in Europe. In an effort to prevent further spread, authorities in Poland and the Czech Republic have begun spot checks, measuring the temperature of travelers crossing main road borders out of Germany. Poland plans to extend the controls to other railway and port crossings.

  Author: Martin Kuebler

Are these measures enough?

Passenger numbers at the Frankfurt airport fell by 14.5% in the last week of February. The taxi industry is reporting revenue losses of up to 40% — a loss they’re trying to make up for by offering deep discounts to people with annual or monthly public transit passes. To take the bus in Berlin, you may only board using the back entrance, so as not to infect the driver. And cleaning staff are working overtime: Long-distance trains will now be cleaned every two hours instead of every four, and doors, handholds and luggage racks are being thoroughly disinfected.

Read more: Who is particularly at risk and why?

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the head of the World Health Organization, has accused several countries of insufficient measures to contain the coronavirus pandemic. “We are deeply concerned that some countries are not approaching this threat with the level of political commitment needed to control it,” the director-general said in Geneva on Thursday. The question of which countries he was referring to remained unanswered — but it’s very possible that Germany could have been counted among them.

• Coronavirus: Timeline of the global spread of COVID-19

  Pneumonia-like virus hits Wuhan

  On December 31, 2019, China notifies the World Health Organization of a string of respiratory infections in the city of Wuhan, home to some 11 million people. The root virus is unknown and disease experts around the world begin working to identify it. The strain is traced to a seafood market in the city, which is quickly shut down. Some 40 people are initially reported to be infected.

• Coronavirus: Timeline of the global spread of COVID-19

  First death in China

  On January 11, China announces the first death from the coronavirus — a 61-year-old man, who had shopped at the Wuhan market, dies from complications with pneumonia. Like SARS and the common cold, scientists identified that the new virus is in the coronavirus family. It is temporarily named 2019-nCoV. Symptoms include fever, coughing, difficulty breathing, and pneumonia.

• Coronavirus: Timeline of the global spread of COVID-19

  Virus reaches neighboring countries

  In the following days, countries such as Thailand and Japan begin to report cases of infections in people who had visited the same Wuhan market. In China, a second fatality is confirmed in the city. By January 20, three people have died in China and more than 200 are infected.

• Coronavirus: Timeline of the global spread of COVID-19

  Millions under lockdown

  China places Wuhan on quarantine on January 23 in an attempt to limit the spread of the virus. Transportation is suspended and workers attempt to quickly build a new hospital to treat infected patients, which total over 830 by January 24, as the death toll climbs to 26. Officials eventually extend the lockdown to 13 other cities, affecting at least 36 million people.

• Coronavirus: Timeline of the global spread of COVID-19

  A global health emergency?

  More and more cases are confirmed outside of China, including in South Korea, the US, Nepal, Thailand, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and Taiwan. As the number of infections rises, the World Health Organization on January 23 determines that it’s “too early” to declare a global public health emergency.

• Coronavirus: Timeline of the global spread of COVID-19

  Coronavirus reaches Europe

  On January 24, French authorities confirm three cases of the new coronavirus within its borders, marking the disease’s first appearance in Europe. Hours later, Australia confirms four people have been infected with the respiratory virus.

• Coronavirus: Timeline of the global spread of COVID-19

  Lunar New Year holiday extended

  The Chinese Lunar New Year begins with subdued festivities on January 25. Officials cancel many major events in a bid to contain the outbreak, as millions of Chinese travel and take part in public celebrations. By late January, 17 Chinese cities, home to more than 50 million people, are in lockdown. Lunar New Year holidays are extended by three days to limit population flows.

• Coronavirus: Timeline of the global spread of COVID-19

  Borders with Mongolia, Hong Kong, eastern Russia close

  Cambodia confirms its first case, while Mongolia shuts its border with China for cars and Russia closes its borders in three regions in the Far East. The cost to global tourism is put in the billions and oil prices also plummet. The death toll rises to 41, with over 1,300 infected worldwide — mostly in China. Scientists hope to have the first coronavirus vaccines ready within three months.

• Coronavirus: Timeline of the global spread of COVID-19

  Germany braces for virus

  On January 27, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas says Germany is considering evacuating German nationals from Wuhan. There are no reported cases in Germany yet but officials are preparing to fight the virus. German researchers in Marburg are part of international efforts to work on a possible vaccine for the coronavirus. The death toll in China reaches 81, with 2,700 affected worldwide.

• Coronavirus: Timeline of the global spread of COVID-19

  First cases confirmed in Germany

  On January 27, Germany announces its first known case of the virus — a 33-year-old in Bavaria who contracted it during a workplace training with a visiting Chinese colleague. He is put under quarantine and observation at a Munich hospital. The following day, three of his colleagues are confirmed infected. The death toll in China reaches 132, with around 6,000 infected worldwide.

• Coronavirus: Timeline of the global spread of COVID-19

  International evacuations begin

  On January 28, Japan and the US are the first countries to evacuate some of their citizens from Wuhan. Four of the Japanese passengers are taken to the hospital with fevers on arrival. Australia and New Zealand say they will also send planes to bring their citizens home. Global cases mount to nearly 6,000 infections, more than the 2002-03 SARS outbreak that killed roughly 800 people.

• Coronavirus: Timeline of the global spread of COVID-19

  WHO declares global health emergency

  On January 30, the UN’s World Health Organization (WHO) declares coronavirus a public health emergency of international concern in a bid to protect countries with “weaker health systems.” However, WHO Secretary-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus does not recommend trade and travel restrictions, saying these would be “an unnecessary disruption.”

• Coronavirus: Timeline of the global spread of COVID-19

  First death outside China

  The first death linked to the novel coronavirus outside of China is reported in the Philippines on February 2. A 44-year-old Chinese man had traveled from Wuhan to Manila before falling ill and being taken to hospital, where he later died of pneumonia.

• Coronavirus: Timeline of the global spread of COVID-19

  Bad ending to a cruise

  Also on February 3, the cruise ship Diamond Princess is quarantined off Yokohama in Japan after cases of the new coronavirus were found on board. As of February 17, the number of people infected has grown to more than 450, the largest cluster of cases outside of China. Several of the 3,700 passengers and crew onboard the ship are being or have been flown back to their home countries.

• Coronavirus: Timeline of the global spread of COVID-19

  New methodology, new statistic

  On February 13, China’s Hubei province registers the highest-ever one-day total of infections. This comes, however, after authorities announced that they had begun including people diagnosed using new clinical methods — CT scans for lung infections instead of the previous nucleic acid tests — in official statistics.

• Coronavirus: Timeline of the global spread of COVID-19

  ‘Cult-like’ South Korean church linked to outbreak

  South Korea experiences a surge in coronavirus cases, now designated COVID-19 by the WHO, with their first death on February 21. Fingers are pointed at the “cult-like” Shincheonji Church. Half of the cases in South Korea are linked to the group. Thousands of worshipers spread the virus during services. On March 2, authorities announce they would investigate the church’s leader.

• Coronavirus: Timeline of the global spread of COVID-19

  Italy under quarantine

  Cases in Italy rise dramatically, with 77 deaths and thousands of confirmed cases by March 3. Many countries instigate travel restrictions to northern Italy and tourist numbers plummet. On March 8, the Italian government put the entire Lombardy region into quarantine, affecting 16 million people. March 10 sees 168 fatalities in Italy, the highest in a single day.

• Coronavirus: Timeline of the global spread of COVID-19

  Economic woes

  European and US stock markets slump on March 6, leading to the worst week since the 2008 financial crisis. The effect on global business has been significant, with many companies reporting losses and the tourism industry and airlines badly hit. The EU pledge €7.5 billion ($8.4 billion) on March 10 in an investment fund to try to stop the Eurozone falling into a recession.

• Coronavirus: Timeline of the global spread of COVID-19

  Pandemic: Merkel warns 70% of Germans could be infected

  As worldwide cases top 127,000 and deaths pass 4,700, the World Health Organization designated the global outbreak as a “pandemic” on March 11. US President Donald Trump announces a travel restriction on people coming from the Schengen Zone in Europe, annoying the EU. German Chancellor Angela Merkel announces that Germany 70% of the population could get the virus. Four Germans are now dead.

  Author: Cristina Burack, Elliot Douglas, Dave Raish, Kate Martyr, Timothy Jones

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