display

Berlin (dpa / bb) - Today (from 2 p.m.) the Berlin Senate is again discussing the procedure to combat the corona pandemic at a special meeting.

After the number of infections has risen significantly in the past few days, the question arises whether further measures need to be decided.

The Senate had already decided on Tuesday to extend the lockdown to contain the pandemic until April 24th.

The federal and state governments had agreed on this shortly beforehand.

Berlin's Governing Mayor Michael Müller (SPD) has emphasized several times that there is a need for further action.

The federal and state governments also agreed on a so-called emergency brake at the beginning of March.

According to this, the easing of the past weeks would have to be withdrawn within seven days with a stable incidence of over 100 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants.

In Berlin, the value was last above this mark for several days.

In his government statement in the House of Representatives on Thursday, however, Müller emphasized that he did not consider it a feasible way to turn back everything that had been fought for in the last few weeks in terms of opportunities and freedoms.

The most recent easings that could fall under an emergency brake include open flower shops and garden centers, expanded shopping opportunities in other shops, open beauty salons and open museums or galleries.

display

Müller, on the other hand, announced an obligation for companies to make more home office offers.

In addition, the Senate will, among other things, talk about tightening the mask requirement.

Federal Minister of Health Jens Spahn appealed on Friday to the federal states to consistently apply the agreed "emergency brake" in the event of a high infection rate.

He warned that the number of infections was rising too quickly and that the more contagious virus variants made the situation particularly dangerous.

"If this continues unchecked, we run the risk that our health system will reach its limits in the course of April."

© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210326-99-987571 / 2

Corona situation in Berlin