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Opinion: The Stricter the Better, ‘Lawnmower Method’ is Necessary

We may be closer to the finish line than we were a year ago, because of the ongoing vaccination campaign. At the same time, Corona is hitting us yet again, mostly with a more aggressive mutation. Going back to the stricter lockdown we recently had is the least we should do.

Berlin, March 22nd, 2021 (The Berlin Spectator) — What do I have to read in German-language publications, on the day of the next Corona conference? In the ‘Welt’ daily, a commentator writes he neither wants a “stiff gradual plan”, nor does he want it to be connected to the Incidence Numbers. What else should it be connected to? Your shoe size? The ‘Welt’ man says the country could not take the “lawnmower method” anymore. Well, nobody wants the situation to continue, but it will. And it is deteriorating. The lawnmower method might help us make sure the ICUs in German hospitals will not burst.

Virus Punishes Mistakes

Since the Corona crisis began, we have seen where the flexibility the commentator mentioned above is calling for has led us. Several times, some First Ministers officially got the flexibility they wanted, or they just took the liberty to be as flexible as they wanted, in spite of contrary Corona conference decisions. In all cases, the virus punished them for their mistake. Mrs. Merkel, and other cautious politicians who take their decisions on the basis of science, of numbers, turned out to be right.

The most recent case of this kind happened 18 days ago, when the Corona conference macerated the old Incidence Number limit of 50. The latter had made sense because up to a level of 50 the local health authorities can manage to trace back all infections to their sources. Increasing it to 100 was definitely not Merkel’s idea. Nor did she want those “cautious reopening steps” that were announced on March 4th. As it turns out, those were a mistake as well. Maybe the biggest one since the first Corona infection case was reported in Germany.

Changing Rules During Game

Bodo Ramelow, the only First Minister in Germany who is a member of the far-left ‘Die Linke’, says the decision had not been a mistake. He said “we” had wanted to test what is possible and what isn’t. Well, you have the answer by now. Besides, it was a foregone conclusion. Just look at your Incidence Number, Mr. Ramelow. It stands at 209.7. How are you going to get it down? By changing the rules during the game yet again?

Not even three weeks later, the predictions of leading experts turned out to be right. The Corona pandemic is blowing up in our faces again as we speak. This is still the time for closing everything down. Reopening anything right now is irresponsible. Since when should we be easing the restrictions while the numbers are rising? Acting as if there was an immediate end to the Corona crisis is definitely not the answer.

Fiction vs. Reality

Some commentators write, the Germans needed a perspective. Well, send that demand to Mr. Corona. The last “perspective” they got earlier this month will have to be retracted. Others write, Mrs. Merkel should have stood in front of the cameras more often in the past two weeks, instead of keeping a low profile. What for? To defend the mistake some First Ministers forced through against her will?

Guys, let’s focus on the situation and leave our daydreams of a normal world aside. You want fiction? Watch a movie.

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