Lockdown: Altmaier moves away from incidence as the sole yardstick

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Federal Economics Minister Peter Altmaier (CDU) and the economics ministers of the 16 federal states want extensive opening steps from the lockdown as early as March - at least in the external area.

They are moving away from the incidence value as the sole benchmark for easing, as reported by the “Handelsblatt” and the “Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland” (“RND”), citing an opening concept coordinated with Altmaier's business community.

This also calls for a “clear and predictable perspective” with regard to further opening steps.

"Achieving a general nationwide or regional incidence of 35 or below is currently not considered necessary given the additional security measures," the media quoted as saying.

Above an incidence of 50 infections per 100,000 inhabitants of a federal state, a district or an independent city, relaxation is permissible if it is justifiable in connection with additional protective measures in individual cases. 

The incidence indicates how many new infections per 100,000 inhabitants were registered in the past seven days.

According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), the corresponding value nationwide is currently 65.8.

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Altmaier announced on Friday that he would present an opening concept coordinated with the economy.

It is intended to serve as a basis for the talks between Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) and the Prime Minister next Wednesday.

Altmaier emphasized on Friday that the economy “could not afford” an unchanged continuation of the corona restrictions.

It is about the "substance of the economy". 

The minister said that an opening concept must take into account more criteria than just the incidence - such as the number of new infections, the ability of the health authorities to work or the utilization of the intensive care beds.

According to "RND", the paper from the Ministry of Economic Affairs also states that the availability of a sufficient number of rapid antigen tests and self-tests can make a decisive contribution to maintaining the work of production facilities and enabling openings.