End of the lockdown: retailers criticize Peter Altmaier

display

Before the Prime Minister's Conference with Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU), retail is calling for all shops to be opened as soon as possible.

"Safe shopping is also possible under pandemic conditions," said Stefan Genth, managing director of the HDE trade association, to WELT.

Everyone should learn to live with the virus.

"That includes openings before the incidence value reaches 50," said Genth.

Grocers and drugstores have been proving for months that this is possible if strict hygiene and distance rules are observed.

According to HDE, four out of five customer contacts in retail take place in the grocery and drugstore.

In this context, Genth expressed criticism of Federal Economics Minister Peter Altmaier (CDU), who warned in an interview with “Bild am Sonntag” against “publicly outdoing himself with easing schedules”.

Altmaier promised at least the catering trade in one and a half months at the beginning of spring, possibly even at the beginning of April at Easter.

Praise for step-by-step plans for opening

display

"That can't be serious about the economics minister, I expect that he stands up for the interests of the economy," said Genth.

It is about the existence of thousands of companies.

“Many businesses will not survive a lockdown until Easter.” Until then, the government aid, which has already been sparse, would not be enough. 

Genth welcomed step-by-step plans for an opening, such as those presented so far by Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia and Schleswig-Holstein.

Politicians must stop thinking only for the worst of all cases.

"We need clear statements as to when the measures will be scaled back in compliance with strict hygiene and distance rules," said Genth.

All possible scenarios would have to be used as a basis, not just a “worst-case scenario with a strongly exponential increase in infection due to virus mutations”.

Hospitality relies on minimum clearance

display

The trade association also formulated its demands in a letter to Chancellor Merkel.

The lockdown of entire economic sectors must be "replaced by an intelligent concept of targeted and regionally differentiated individual measures for effective virus containment," says the letter, which WELT is available. 

The German Hotel and Restaurant Association (Dehoga) also urgently demands prospects for its member companies for next Wednesday.

"If the infection situation allows, we must also be able to open in good time before Easter," said General Manager Ingrid Hartges to WELT.

Above all, it depends on nationwide opening steps.

This is the only way to increase acceptance of the restrictions among guests and entrepreneurs.

display

From the hospitality industry's point of view, compliance with the minimum distance is central.

Additional criteria such as occupancy rates would have proven impractical and would not have any advantages in terms of infection protection.

“Offers such as buffets, wellness, pool and sauna must also be possible if minimum distance and hygiene rules are observed,” says the “Dehoga guidelines for a successful restart in the hospitality industry”.

This includes regular intermittent ventilation and powerful ventilation systems.

Rejection of small-scale detailed rules

Limited opening times, however, would have no effect.

"The risk of infection does not depend on the time of day, and longer opening times even help to equalize guest demand and thus reduce contact," it continues.

When the bars and pubs closed, the meetings would move to the uncontrolled, private area.

The same applies to the ban on alcohol in restaurants.

This is also counterproductive in terms of protection against infection, since compliance with the AHA + L rules cannot be checked in the home. 

The association made it clear that the industry is by no means closing itself to measures that can be proven to bring something.

Pragmatic solutions, such as Plexiglas panes as an alternative to the minimum distance and mask requirement, would also have to be approved.

This helps especially small businesses with little catering space to serve more guests and still significantly reduce the risk of infection. 

From Dehoga's point of view, the federal states should say goodbye to detailed rules that are too small, such as the extent to which table decorations are permitted or magazines may be displayed in hotel rooms.

"The statutory ordinances of the federal states should regulate the essentials that undoubtedly serve to improve infection protection," said Hartges.