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Original poster

German full lockdown over Christmas

70 replies

Feedingthebirds1 · 13/12/2020 16:34

For four weeks. Starts on Wednesday (15th) to the 10th January. Food shops, banks and Christmas tree sellers the only businesses allowed to open.

A maximum of five people from no more than two households can mix during the lockdown, and for CE, CD and BD up to four family members even if that means more than two households.

How on earth will they get away with it? I know the Germans are more compliant than the UK (overall) but surely even they're going to object?

OP posts:

RedToothBrush · 13/12/2020 19:52

Christmas Trees are essential. There isn't a debate to be had here.

DumplingsAndStew · 13/12/2020 19:54

@sirfredfredgeorge

Why are Christmas Trees essential, but toys or socks to go under them not?

From an economic point of view, I guess its easier to sell toys and socks online than it is to sell and deliver Xmas trees.

MarshaBradyo · 13/12/2020 20:01

Be a bit sad to get rid of the trees if they couldn’t be sold.

QueenOfTheDoubleWide · 13/12/2020 20:06

Many of the British just love putting down this country and the government and love being contrary.
Sweden is doing brilliantly and we are shit - but now it is clear Sweden are not out of the woods
Germany has got this under control and we are shit - as we see now, no.
Japan has lower rates, maybe due to mask-wearing - I'm not wearing a mask as I think I once wheezed 20 years ago so I'm exempt.
South Korea has amazing tracing and we are shit - but I'm not putting an app on my phone as I don't want to be tracked, it's against my human rights
Maybe a bit more compliance and common sense with a bit less whinging would do us good

AllPowerfulLizardPerson · 13/12/2020 20:07

@FairyFairy

Yep- lots of criticism of Merkel in the comments and even the odd conspiracy theorist

I thought all conspiracy theorists were odd by definition

peepeelongstocking · 13/12/2020 21:11

@ZaraCarmichaelshighheels

I’m in the Midlands and I’d say about half of people wear masks properly. Loads wear them under their noses and I know a lot of people with no health issues who have bought sunflower lanyards so they don’t have to wear them in shops— they’ve told me this outright.

sirfredfredgeorge · 13/12/2020 21:24

Thanks for all the serious answers...

But think of the opportunities - www.christmastreeworld.co.uk/shipping-information
Will ship them to Germany, it's just another anti-UK measure so typical of this EU who just won't do what Boris tells them.

miimblemomble · 14/12/2020 05:53

@MarshaBradyo

The french constitution doesn’t allow the gouvernement to limit what people do in private homes. Back at the start of the first lockdown they tried to limit private gatherings but the constitutional court told them this was illegal. Since then, they have made recommendations (currently 6 adults / 10 including children, with masks etc) backed up with “don’t kill granny for the sake of a family party” campaigns. They have tried to control movement instead ie you need a valid reason to be out and about and it doesn’t include going to the MIL for Sunday lunch. But this is very easy to get around. In Tuesday we swap that for a 8pm-6am curfew, relaxed on the 24th.

So if your chateau is large enough, you can still invite as many people to your Christmas bash as you like and there is nothing the government can do about it. They can only directly control events on public land / venues.

3asAbird · 14/12/2020 06:40

Germany and UK right now have similar rates of infection if you look at graphs from John Hopkins.

I honestly think other European countries will catch up with UK numbers and we won't be the worst anymore.
The 1st wave that hit some areas ir countries badly has hit them worse the 2nd wave.
Spain seems be way ahead and levels quite low right now so guess they get 3rd wave after Christmas.
France figures felt very similar to ours in fact higher a few weeks back
The virus in winter clearly an issue as eastern block and scandi counties harder hit

Skipsurvey · 14/12/2020 06:51

Italy has over taken us in amount of deaths.

It is colder in Germany, could this be the reason?

lovelemoncurd · 14/12/2020 07:04

It's what should be happening here but our pM has no guts! I'm sure the Germans will just get on with it. It's the Brits that like to cause such a fuss for one over marketed greedy day.

Waxonwaxoff0 · 14/12/2020 07:12

@lovelemoncurd pretty sure there have been anti lockdown protests in Germany also and people have posted on here that there are Germans complaining about it. It's not just "the Brits" that "make a fuss."

ChaToilLeam · 14/12/2020 07:15

Posting from Germany. In practice not much will change for us, we’re not going out anywhere anyway except for walks, Christmas shopping is all done, but the restrictions on gathering are hard. We don’t have any family here, and although everyone suggests zooming, I am sick to the back teeth of Zoom. Hope these measures will work. Shutting the schools will probably make most difference, nobody wants to say it, but it’s been the source of a lot of infections.

sashagabadon · 14/12/2020 07:21

@3asAbird

Germany and UK right now have similar rates of infection if you look at graphs from John Hopkins.

To be fair, we’re about 4th worst in Europe per million deaths now. Spain, Italy and Belgium all worse than us now and Italy worse in absolute numbers. The Eastern European countries are all catching up fast too and France not far behind. Europe seems much worse hit 2nd wave, especially Eastern Europe according to my colleague it’s due to the holiday season and that they all clapped each other on the back after doing well in the first wave.

Skipsurvey · 14/12/2020 07:49

my christmas shopping isnt all done, why is christmas shopping all done in Germany?

Ihopeyourcakeisshit · 14/12/2020 07:52

@MG2020

Lockdowns over there and here won't work if they are not robustly enforced. On the buses on the way to work, hardly anyone wearing a mask and same in shops, or not wearing it properly. I'm sure if all of that really could wear a mask did that the spread would be a lot less.

Where are you? I've not seen anyone like this.

RaggieDolls · 14/12/2020 08:24

@FairyFairy DH is a German speaker and in ordinary times works there frequently. He would wholeheartedly agree with you. The British people, just like the German people are not one homogeneous mass who think and behave the same.

@ZaraCarmichaelshighheels your experience is the same as mine. Very rare that I see people without masks in shops etc. Where I do see people with masks pulled down the wearer is outside and that is completely fine.

lucywarlowsrighthand · 14/12/2020 09:28

@Skipsurvey

my christmas shopping isnt all done, why is christmas shopping all done in Germany?

It's not - that's one of the reasons why the Dutch government is expected to announce a lockdown tonight, because otherwise Germans who live close to the border would logically do their shopping in the Netherlands (well why wouldn't you?)

Random fact: NL has already had the main gift-giving day, most of what happens here at Christmas involves food rather than giving presents.

Caspianberg · 14/12/2020 09:51

St Nikolas arrives on the 5th December in Germany. So children have already had their ‘stockings’.

Kazzyhoward · 14/12/2020 12:16

@QueenOfTheDoubleWide

Many of the British just love putting down this country and the government and love being contrary. Sweden is doing brilliantly and we are shit - but now it is clear Sweden are not out of the woods Germany has got this under control and we are shit - as we see now, no. Japan has lower rates, maybe due to mask-wearing - I'm not wearing a mask as I think I once wheezed 20 years ago so I'm exempt. South Korea has amazing tracing and we are shit - but I'm not putting an app on my phone as I don't want to be tracked, it's against my human rights Maybe a bit more compliance and common sense with a bit less whinging would do us good

Fully agree with all that. Especially with people blaming the govt for test and trace when SM is full of people admitting they gave the wrong name/number when asked for it in pubs/restaurants and some refusing to answer the phone when they think it may be the test and trace people telling them to isolate.

Like all the covid deniers in Summer who were claiming that higher infection numbers were just because of more tests - "look at the low death rates" they shouted - "most people have already had it so we've got herd immunity" they claimed. Funny that none of them are apologising now for being so stupid and not following the restrictions/precautions because they thought it was all over!

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