Corona in Hamburg: Why Peter Tschentscher is struggling with the easing

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The skepticism about the latest federal-state resolutions was clear to Hamburg's First Mayor Peter Tschentscher.

The Hanseatic city was fully implementing the “justifiable result”, the Social Democrat said on Thursday.

But: "I hope that this does not lead to an accelerated infection rate in Hamburg." Everyone needs discipline, "that this concept is successful".

Tschentscher is aware, as he emphasized, that “the population has high expectations for openings, despite the tense pandemic situation”.

But we moved in a field of tension.

Accordingly, the opening steps would have to be carried out “with a sense of proportion” after the long weeks of lockdown.

The mayor is particularly concerned about the British mutation, which is stronger in Hamburg than the national average.

Their share in a nationwide sample of almost 25,000 positive cases from the past week is around 46 percent, according to a report by the Robert Koch Institute.

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After more than nine hours of negotiations, Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) and the state prime ministers had passed new corona resolutions on Thursday night.

An opening strategy was developed for the gradual lifting of the strict corona protective measures.

Despite the increasing number of infections and the spread of particularly contagious virus mutations, the openings should be made possible through free rapid tests and significantly more vaccinations.

In principle, all citizens should in future be entitled to regular rapid tests once a week.

The federal government bears the costs for this.

The Chancellor gave in to the "pressure of some countries," said Tschentscher.

He said: "We are not doing less, but also nothing more," said the mayor.

That means: garden centers, flower shops and bookshops could open again from Monday.

This is possible after making appointments and with the stipulation of one customer per 40 square meters of retail space.

The opening plan of the federal and state governments

Source: ZGB

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In addition to the hairdressers, there are other body-hugging services such as cosmetics and tattoos that are also allowed to open.

However, the corresponding steps should be secured with the increased use of rapid tests.

The very limited private contact options are also to be relaxed.

From Monday, up to five people from two households will be able to meet again, whereby - unlike in Hamburg so far - children are not counted.

Katharina Fegebank calls for improvements

Hamburg's second mayor Katharina Fegebank (Greens) expressed even greater "stomach pains".

She made no secret of the fact that she was “somewhat surprised” by the federal-state resolutions against the background of the “still worrying figures”.

"Personally, I think it is right that we should take these steps," said Fegebank and added: "But I would have liked stronger signals from Berlin on the issue of security if we take this step towards freedom." For them, freedom always goes hand in hand with increased security.

"If we want uniform rules in the federal government, then the framework conditions have to be right," said Fegebank.

And then they expect that tests will be delivered in sufficient quantities and that vaccinations will be pushed onto the tube.

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In the area of ​​security and protection of the population, significant improvements still have to be made, demanded Hamburg's second mayor.

Otherwise, she feared that the hamburgers would have to be told in three weeks that the infection rate had increased again.

Tschentscher added that on the one hand he did not want to be offensive and critical.

On the other hand, however: “When the countries organize something, it is a bit different and sometimes heterogeneous.

And if the federal government takes over something, it goes wrong. ”The vaccine procurement showed that.

Central decisions did not always work like clockwork.

Regarding the decision of the Schleswig-Holstein Prime Minister Daniel Günther (CDU) to completely reopen the retail trade from Monday, Tschentscher said: “That means that something is happening between Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein that is also happening in Germany - that is There are different rules at national borders. "All that remains for him is to ask the people of Hamburg to" observe the rules that apply to them and, if possible, not to set off.

According to Tschentscher, the retail trade is open for daily needs and further steps are made possible.

"It would be very helpful if shopping tours all over Germany didn't start now," warned the mayor and emphasized: "We are not on the safe shore yet." And: "We are part of an infection community and we must all be considerate of one another to take. "