Thursday, February 17, 2022

Eleven Observations over Germany, 'Freedom-Day (20 March), and Covid

 1.  If you get amongst working-class Germans....they will mostly all admit that they've had their fill of Covid regulations/mandates.  All of them now have questions that they'd like for the government to answer.

2.  Is this really on the 20th of March....the 'end'?  I would speculate that masks linger around for all of 2022, and that when the virus swings upward in November....some idiots in the health world will want to bring mandates/shutdowns back. 

3.  Are people going to make trip planning now?  If you go around and bring up the topic (especially among vacation-shops)....there's more activity in 2022, than in 2021.   I won't predict we return to 2019 numbers, but I think most all Germans will take some kind of trip this year (RVs and camping will again be popular).

4.  Pro-feelings over Minister of Health Lauterbach?  Well....the news media has sharpen their questions, and he's getting a rough time.  If I had to pick one minister who'd either leave or be fired in 2022......he's the person.  I will point this out....it's the news media who hyped Luaterbach all of 2021...dumping on Spahn (the Health Minister at the time).  

5.  Will the Monday night marches (anti-Covid regulation crowd) end after 20 March?  Just me saying it....but I think by the end of March.....there's no enthusiasm left if it's clear that the mandates ended.

6.  Medical folks/rest-home personnel still under the immunization mandate?  Yes. I would suggest that chaos and thrilling manpower shortages will occur in March, with no clear way of fixing the problems....except to admit the mandate needs to be cancelled.  If I were in my 80s and in a rest-home presently here in Germany.....I'd probably be asking some questions.  

7.  An Omicron-variant likely to be announced any minute now?  Absolutely.  It's a absolute bet that something will be announced by the end of March.

8.  Maxed out on immunizations?  If you go by governmental stat's.....it's around 75-percent who are presently vaxed-up.  Will this group all get a fresh vax on schedule....to continue the 75-percent number?  Unknown.  

9.  Anything sure on the 'recovered' status business (3-6-9 months)?  Depending on which government official you talk to.....you get a different answer.  Right now, it looks like 9 months will be the set number (after you've had a Covid infection)

10.  Government under a lot of pressure to run a normal Oktoberfest, and a normal Christmas season?  Well....politicians don't want to discuss this until mid-summer, but I think there's intense pressure to just let the events happen with minimum rules/regulation.  Would I go to the Oktoberfest, with the normal big crowds and hang out with a fair sum of drunk Germans....while Covid lingers?  I'm not that sure about that.  

11.  Home office popular now?  I don't know the numbers but I would suggest that the majority of Germans who've done it.....got used to it, and like it to some degree. 

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