GERMANY’S highly praised praised method of dealing with the coronavirus was driven by the need to address social inequalities exacerbated by lockdown, according to one of the academics behind it.
Professor Jurgen Renn, a member of of the Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, told the Sunday National: “All aspects of society are affected, the economy is affected, but also social equality is affected.”
Germany’s approach the coronavirus pandemic has been much admired in Europe. It acted fast and carried out widespread community testing – a decision credited for its relatively low death rates. More than 155,000 people have tested positive, almost 100,000 of whom have recovered. Deaths are under 6000.
Last week it started to lift its lockdown restrictions but with a huge amount of caution. “No one likes to hear this, but we are living at the beginning of the pandemic,”Angela Merkel said in an address to the Bundestag, the lower house of Parliament. “We cannot return to life before the pandemic,” she added. “Our everyday lives will be different.”
READ MORE: Scotland should look to Germany for advice on lifting lockdown
Both German government’s approach to testing or gradual lifting of restrictions, commentators have made much of how closely Merkel has been by the scientific advisors.
It was research carried out by the Academy of Sciences Leopoldina– the world’s oldest scientific academy –that has helped build Germany’s reaction to the crisis.
Its recommendation to focus on testing capacity has seen Germany test more than 1.5 million people by April 12. The German approach to lifting lockdown has been largely led by the academy too.
Professor Renn said: “There was a feeling that the whole school system is very important in terms of supporting the future of young people without risking too much in terms of infection. Children have fewer symptoms of the infection.”
With that in mind restrictions are lifting there as quickly as possible. Those sitting exams did so from 20 April, with year 10 pupils returning tomorrow and primary pupils as well as those at key transition stages going back from May 4.
Social distancing measures mean most will attend part-time with all children and young people paid a budget of €150 towards the equipment they will need for additional distance learning at home.
Renn said it was still uncertain how long this situation would last. “It all depends on the figures,” he said. “We still need to observe this carefully. Yes in Germany there is a lot more testing but a lot more statistical work and modelling has to be done in order to try to approach containment.
READ MORE: The lessons from Germany's very different coronavirus strategy
“If you look at a country like Taiwan they have managed to do that. That’s a different stage, one you can reach when you can trace infections and contain. Until you can get to these more targeted measures then you need these global measures.”
While the work on vaccines across the world continues at pace, he claims even the most optimistic view puts that into 2021, meaning we have to learn to live with the virus in our midst for some time yet.
Meanwhile, he says, we also need to continue to look with a long view, keeping the climate crisis we face in coming year firmly in focus. “Our entire societies will change,” he added. “There are a lot of measures to keep the economy going but for many small restaurants, many small shops this is a catastrophe.
“At the same time there are huge amounts of money being invested. The recommendation of the Academy is to invest them into a sustainable, Green economy.
“In Germany we are coming from a pretty good economic situation but we will be going into a recession and we cannot spend these resources twice.”
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