New informations from our ENGS Members in Germany and Finland
Christa from Hamburg
According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), the number of infections in Germany is developing positively. “The number of reported infections continues to fall. This is very good news, ”said President Lothar Wieler. But the previous recommendations would have to be followed to keep the number of infections low. “Keeping distance is the new daily routine,” he said. The number of people infected with the corona virus in Germany are 163,860. The RKI has recorded 6831 deaths so far. The number of those recovered was approximately 135,100.
In several german countries, however, there is sharp criticism of the uncoordinated advance. Baden-Württemberg’s Prime Minister Winfried Kretschmann (Greens) emphasized: “You can’t stay together if everyone has decided beforehand what to do.” Some countries may have given some the impression that carefree encounters are possible again.
In Hamburg the playgrounds are open and church services are allowed again. Museums, memorials and zoos may also open subject to conditions. Individual sport outdoors is possible.
Visits to nursing homes continue to be prohibited and many residents suffer from loneliness and depression. The Hamburg Greens consider the strict ban to be wrong and are discussing the conditions under which easing may be possible. Some nursing homes have found creative solutions. The restrictions affect not only older people, but also young people with disabilities and restrictions.
Reino from Finland
The virus has now killed 240 Finns. Situation is quite good – intensive care facilities are still available because restrictions have been strict.
Most of the dead are elderly, as in all other countries. As I wrote earlier, defining who has died of corona and who of other diseases is not easy. In some countries, the number of deaths might include all deaths, not only deaths for corona.
The government of Finland is considered to have made three mistakes in managing the corona.
1. In the early days of the disease, ski tourists returning from Alps and other areas were allowed to continue their journey from the airport without supervision and guidance. Some left in their own cars, but most walked from the airport to bus or train. Only after a few days the public transport users were directed to a week of quarantine at the airport hotel.
2. There are not enough protective masks in emergency stocks, even for the use of medical staff, let alone ordinary citizens. Their acquisition was a serious failure by the Security of Supply Center. It ordered millions of masks from two shady entrepreneurs and even paid in advance. And finally, most of the masks turned out to be unsuitable for the purpose.
3. The government promised economic help for companies that would suffer the most from restrictions. The subsidies were started from small entrepreneurs who employed at most five people. The money was distributed by an agency called Business Finland, according to loose criteria. The Agency was established to support innovative companies and money was given e.g. for desk drawer companies without net sales, IT and media consultants, etc. A few public figures also received money to make TV programs, games, etc. Delicious material for the yellow press and TV. And, of course to the opposition.
Now the public debate shifted to the following topic: coronaexit. Yesterday (May 4), after two days meeting, the government announced the first steps to lift the restrictions. They were as follows:
• Libraries open immediately
• 14.5. kindergartens and primary schools are opened, work travel from Estonia is allowed and outdoor activities are opened
• 1.6. schools of second stage and universities are opened, restaurants will be opened as long as distances are taken care of, sports competitions will be allowed – without the public, museums, theaters, youth and club facilities, swimming pools and other indoor sports venues will be carefully opened and the gathering limit will be raised from 10 to 50 people; big events for more than 500 people will remain prohibited at least until 31.7.
The recommendation to use telework, where possible, remains valid. For people over the age of 70 the recommendation to avoid physical contact remains in force.
A still well-known philosopher said about 150 years ago: “Practice is the criterion of truth” and: “Theory becomes material violence when it engages the (human) masses”.
Even the inevitability of the death of every biological being is hardly doubted, rather the theoretical hope of an “eternal life” in any other virtual world of belief.
After centuries of brutal religious wars of faith, freedom of individual belief in the democratic state is an important achievement on the way to a peaceful world that is sought by all philosophers. This applies to Judaism (“Shalom”), the first Abrahamic monotheistic world religion, as well as Christian (“Dona nobis pacem”), Islam (“Salem”), Marxism (“abolition of all class opposites”) and other utopias of socialism, communism, as well as many other beliefs and beliefs.
Only in relation to the ideology of selfish capitalism hardly anyone dares to link the exploitation of humans and all natural global resources in the interest of the maximum profit of a vanishing minority with the overwhelming majority’s pursuit of peace.
The current Federal Defense Minister, Frank Anna Kamp-Karrenbauer, commonly known as AKK, has described the fight against CONORAVIRUS as a “marathon”. The Sachsen Marathon e.V. and all those active in the Peace Marathon had the same thoughts.
Everyone was aware of the risk, but anyone who wants to live up to the ideal of a decent peace and to ensure a meaningful, healthy and fulfilling life should act according to the motto: “Those who fight can lose; who does not fight has already lost!”
“Passive or active immunization” against infectious diseases?
In the current crisis situation, 95% of the world’s population seems to focus exclusively on the wrong variant. There is only talk of isolation because there are no vaccines available yet. Those who have only relied on passive immunization so far will of course have bad cards with the current threat.
The medical ethicist Giovanni Maio also sees the corona crisis as a health policy wake-up call. The settlement according to the flat rate per case led to a regime of scarcity, he said in Dlf. A new system was needed to give doctors the freedom to make decisions based on purely medical and health-promoting criteria.
Time pressure and staff shortages have become almost normal for hospital staff and their patients. In times of particular stress from the COVID-19 pandemic, such ex
isting problems are exacerbated.
Coronavirus-Erkrankung (COVID‑19)
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