Germany worried about an increase in cases

[Rhianna1980]

www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/28/germans-urged-to-stay-home-amid-covid-19-infection-rate-fears

Looks like Germany’s cases are slightly on the rise again and they are being asked to stick to social distancing to keep R under 1.
Not surprising but it is pretty sad that this social distancing life is going to be the new norm.

[shampooandtea]

We can watch what happens and learn from their data

[Porcupineinwaiting]

It's pretty sad that this social distancing life is going to be the new norm

Yes, but hopefully only for a year or so. Which is damn sad if you are near the end of your life but for most of us, it will one day just be this strange period of our lives, not something that defined them. Most horrendous world events - wars, famines - last a lot longer.

[FiveOutOfFiveGoldblums]

Lower 6th due back in school May 11th - upper 6th already been in. I am still worried tbh.

[shampooandtea]

Five so is whole school not expected back until September. I read that on. BBC article.

[Rhianna1980]

What the UK’s R number at the moment?

[TJH130]

I think on Mondays update Chris Whitty said it was around 0.7

[dreamingbohemian]

Here in Berlin, Year 6 go back to school Monday, Year 5 on the 11th. They have no idea about younger classes and nurseries.

My son's school is breaking each Year 5 and 6 class into two so they can do social distancing. But this means they don't have enough teachers and classrooms to bring back the younger classes (my son is Year 4). My personal opinion is they will not go back until August.

I think generally people are waiting to see what happens when schools go back. A small rise in cases they will deal with, otherwise we'll go back to lockdown.

They did make face masks mandatory in shops and public transport here, maybe that will help.

[Rhianna1980]

That’s interesting @dreamingbohemian. Good idea about masks, shame masks here are in shortage.

[dreamingbohemian]

Yes, they even have vending machines with masks in the train stations apparently (just the basic masks, not proper PPE or anything).

[BigChocFrenzy]

Although that R0 has increased, that is a number calculated via theoretical equations

The actual cases and deaths are still on a downward trend:
about 1,000 new cases and 150 deaths per day

I live in Germany and imo people will want to continue getting the economy restarted
unless new cases actually start rising rapidly

We can't stay in lockdown for years - most of us need to resume work, to pay the bills for this shit

However, most of the fun leisure activities and social life may have to wait, so that's at least 10% of the economy buggered.
We've been wanred no foreign holidays likely this year and Oktoberfest has been cancelled already

So probably just 80-90% of the economy restarted over the summer months - go out to work / school and come home

[dreamingbohemian]

Yes that's all very true. They're saying already a huge number of bars and restaurants in Berlin will never reopen, except the ones who have figured out how to do takeaway.

On the plus side it's getting warmer and it will be ok to do lots of outside stuff, it's not like the UK where people can barely even go outside.

I will miss the swimming pools this summer! I don't think they will open.

[stuckindoors77]

What the UK’s R number at the moment?

Does anybody know where we find this out on a daily/weekly (?) basis like we can do with the daily new cases and deaths totals?

It must be important if Germany set more store by this than by their falling rates of new cases and deaths so can we l keep an eye on it?

[CathyandHeathcliff]

@BigChocFrenzy interested to know if you can visit family and friends yet? Or when you may be able to?

[RigaBalsam]

What the UK’s R number at the moment?

Whitty estimates between 0.5 and 1

[whatisforteamum]

BigChoc when are restaurants/pubs opening.I am a chef in the uk.

[jasjas1973]

I think on Mondays update Chris Whitty said it was around 0.7

How would he or anyone know? we've not been testing in the wider community have we?

Germany is being much more accurate, Merkel could describe exactly what a 0.1 rise either way meant in terms of their health service. Hancock thanked journalists for bringing to is attention the rise in care home deaths........