Jena and Erfurt demand stricter corona measures from the state
"It doesn't go fast enough or far enough"
The cities of Jena and Erfurt welcome the fact that the Thuringian Cabinet finally decided last night on tighter measures to contain the corona pandemic. At the same time, Erfurt's Lord Mayor Andreas Bausewein and Jena's Mayor Christian Gerlitz criticized the catalogue of measures as insufficient.
"The state government is moving in the right direction, that's good. But unfortunately it is not moving fast enough and not far enough", said Andreas Bausewein.
"We see the situation worsening in the municipalities every day. If we don't act quickly, the number of infected people will explode," added Christian Gerlitz.
Both local politicians are therefore demanding that the state
- the corona protection measures will take effect as early as the beginning of next week and not - as previously decided - from Saturday, 19 December,
- Introduction of distance learning for all classes at Thuringian schools as soon as possible,
- to include contact restrictions in the private sphere (meetings of a maximum of five adults from a maximum of two households)
- not to allow any relaxation for private celebrations over the Christmas holidays and New Year's Eve/New Year.
The city leaders also criticize that the measures proposed by the state government to support the health departments are already lived practice in the municipalities.
"Therefore, this measure will hardly help to reduce the incidence of infection", said Bausewein.
Christian Gerlitz added: "In particular, the many new infections in nursing homes leave us not one day more to take countermeasures now".
Just like the clinics, the municipal crisis committees are describing an increasingly uncontrollable development in the incidence of infections.
"Other federal states may have a few days more time to react, but there the previous regulations were already much stricter. We can see that the situation in Thuringia, which was relatively calm for a long time, has completely reversed in recent weeks," says Andreas Bausewein.
"The state government must not hesitate any longer, but must move forward. And, of course, the economic sectors affected by the closure must be helped quickly. However, it is now forbidden to weigh up human lives against restrictions on public life," said Christian Gerlitz.
The majority of Jena schools will be going into nationwide distance learning starting Monday. The elementary schools have taken a uniform approach and have asked parents to allow distance learning, while at the same time ensuring the possibility of childcare in the school.
"That's what I would have liked from the state", said Jena's mayor Gerlitz.