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The situation is reminiscent of the situation at the beginning of the year: After the second wave, Germany's neighbors set the course. They opened. As a result, there was increased pressure on the federal government from society and business to also allow normality. At the end of February the debate was dominated by discussions about easing. Chancellor Merkel felt compelled to proclaim a new phase of the pandemic, “which we cannot enter with carelessness, but with justified hopes”.
Federal Minister of Health Jens Spahn also noted a "longing for normality". The Prime Minister's Conference thereupon adopted a complicated step-by-step plan with which this should be satisfied. Many steps were not even reached, because the third wave came quickly. That was also the case in the other countries. But the reaction to this could hardly be more different.
With the “Federal Emergency Brake” coming into force in the coming week, Germany will be a lonely island in the middle of Europe.
85 percent of the German rural districts have an incidence of over 100. Everywhere there, people's freedoms are being restricted even more severely than they are now.
In many other European countries, exactly the opposite is happening: there is a lot of relaxation and in some cases a return to complete freedom is planned.
Austria
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The infection rate in Austria after the second wave can be easily compared with that in Germany.
But after the openings in February, the country then slipped faster into the third wave.
A hard lockdown was only imposed in Lower Austria and Vienna in April.
In the rest of the country, with the exception of restaurants and hotels, all shops and many service providers have been open since the beginning of February.
Source: WORLD infographic
Now the infection numbers have approached those of Germany again.
At 183, the 7-day incidence is slightly higher than that of Germany.
For Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, the slight relaxation is already an occasion for openings.
“Freedom is within your grasp,” he said on Tuesday on ORF.
All industries would finally need a step towards normalcy again.
On Friday he wants to announce the corresponding easing for gastronomy, culture and sport for May.
The opening steps are to be accompanied by an even more extensive test strategy and the introduction of a “green pass” for vaccinated, tested and recovered people.
The government in Vienna is also planning to lift the corona restrictions completely by June and July.
Italy
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The Italian infection curve is almost identical to that of Austria.
In other words: The third wave was also much more pronounced in Italy than in Germany.
Accordingly, Italy responded with tough lockdown measures - tougher than the Germans.
Until the end of April, the country is divided into red and orange zones.
Shops, hairdressers and beauty salons are only open in the latter.
Schools, restaurants and bars are closed everywhere.
A curfew applies nationwide.
The third wave has now weakened slightly, but the number of new infections every day is still high.
As in Germany, the seven-day incidence is 160.
Source: WORLD infographic
But the situation in Rome seems to be assessed differently than in Berlin.
Instead of tougher measures, Prime Minister Mario Draghi surprisingly announced easing measures on Friday.
From Monday, a distinction will again be made between yellow zones in Italy.
Means: In regions with lower infection rates, the curfew will be abolished, schools will open and the restaurants and bars will be allowed to serve their guests outside.
That is a "calculable risk," said Draghi.
Because: "It is possible to look to the future with cautious optimism and confidence".
Switzerland
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The infection curve in Switzerland is identical to that in Germany.
Slight easing was initiated in March.
Shops, museums and sports grounds were allowed to reopen.
As in Germany, these openings were the starting point for the third wave.
Today the seven-day incidence is 164. This makes Switzerland's decision to go one step further this week all the more astonishing: outdoor restaurants, cinemas and fitness studios have been open again since Monday.
And that although only one of the five self-imposed opening criteria was met.
Source: WORLD infographic
But the Swiss Federal Council could no longer withstand the pressure from business and the population.
The situation has been going on for over a year and many people simply cannot anymore, said Health Minister Alain Berset.
Netherlands
The government in The Hague actually wanted to end the lockdown this week.
But Prime Minister Mark Rutte had to row back.
It was still too early for that, the increasing numbers of infections did not allow that, he said in mid-April.
On Tuesday evening, Rutte then stepped in front of the press and announced something surprising: There would be far-reaching easing, even this month.
And this despite the fact that the seven-day incidence has continued to rise.
At currently 310, it is almost twice as high as in Germany.
Source: WORLD infographic
But the pressure on the Dutch government was simply too great.
Already during the second wave there were violent protests against the restrictions.
“Society longs for freedom,” said Rutte.
On April 28, the controversial curfew, which was in place for three months, will be lifted.
Outdoor catering is allowed to reopen and shops are allowed to receive their customers again without an appointment.
Denmark
When Denmark eased for the first time at the beginning of March, the number of new infections per million people was on a level comparable to that in Germany - around 95. But then the trend diverged.
Denmark did the impossible and kept the numbers down while Germany slipped into the third wave.
The seven-day incidence in Denmark is currently 89.
Source: WORLD infographic
On Wednesday the government in Copenhagen took the next step.
Shopping malls and outdoor restaurants have been able to receive guests again since Wednesday.
At the same time, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announced extensive openings for the end of May.
It is expected that all over 50s will be vaccinated by this time.
The opening is then accompanied by the introduction of a corona passport: Vaccinated and negative tested people get back all their freedom.
A strategy that SPD Health Minister Karl Lauterbach described as a “spectacular mistake”.
This would lead to many "long covid" illnesses in the young and deaths in the elderly who do not want to be vaccinated.
Stay in lockdown
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But there are also countries in which the infection situation is much more dramatic than in Germany and which therefore adhere to a strict lockdown. But even there there is talk of easing.
The infection rate is also high in France, but Health Minister Olivier Véran has already announced an opening perspective.
The country is currently in a month-long lockdown.
The French are not allowed to walk more than ten kilometers from their home without good reason.
There is a curfew in the evening.
Daycare centers and schools are closed until April 26th.
Shops and restaurants are also closed.
President Emmanuel Macron had rejected a lockdown in February at an incidence of 300.
But when this rose to 500, he ordered a shutdown for April.
Even then, he promised the prospect of reopening in May.
Source: WORLD infographic
In Prague, too, politicians are already talking about openings. The Czech Republic was the only country that was already at the height of the third wave at the end of February, when everyone else announced the first easing. The incidence was over 1000. On March 1, the government in Prague even tightened the lockdown. The situation has eased somewhat in the meantime. The first cautious easing took place in mid-April. The curfew was lifted, the contact restrictions softened and kindergartens reopened. According to Interior Minister Jan Hamáček, further openings could be considered at the end of April - “if all goes well”.
Poland is the only country that has not yet had a broad discussion about opening up. The country had peaked the pandemic in early April with an incidence of 760. On April 8, 956 people died in one day - a sad record. The health system has collapsed: the situation in the hospitals is dire, people can no longer be treated. The lockdown in Poland is tough. Schools, restaurants and retail are closed. The seven-day incidence is now 275. Only day-care centers have reopened this week.