Germany and the Coronavirus: 22 March 2020

1.  Infected: 22,128 (Focus numbers)   Dead: 76 (Focus numbers)

2.  ZDF (public TV, Channel Two) had a piece from yesterday....talking over grocery operations trying to encourage customers to use bank cards more than cash. No one says it's mandatory yet, but you get the impression that some grocery operations might go to that in the next couple of weeks.

3.  ZDF did produce a decent 40-minute piece (dated from Friday night) which talked about changes (challenges) to the general public.  I would recommend the piece (all in German though): at this site.

4.  Dead in Spain: 1,400.  Still no real way to explain why the bigger number there, against Germany.

5.  One grocery manager has suggested a unique solution for toilet paper shortages.....he wants anyone buying a second package of toilet paper....to pay a surcharge.  He says five extra Euro for the 2nd package, and ten extra Euro for the 3rd.   (from N-TV).  Another guy suggested the idea that you would not be allowed to purchase more toilet paper, until you produced the 'empties'.  You can imagine this deal where you walk in with eight empties......to get to your one package of paper.

6.  The government fund to save German companies.  Right now (says N-TV) the fund will be around 600 billion Euro.  Enough?  No one can say for sure.

7.  Turkey went to a different kind of 'ban'.....if you are over 65 or have a serious condition (diabetes)....you stay in the house, period.  Everyone else?  Normal life-style.  Maybe it makes sense (don't tell Erdogan I think he's right for a change).

8.  RKI (the German Robert Koch Institute, the folks who handle the virus medical business in Germany)....is advertising for temp-help/support personnel.  If you were unemployed.....it might be your chance for real work.

9. 800 Italians died in the past 24 hours.

10.  It's an odd note....some science guru dragged out a 2007-science report that indicated that this bat-virus was going to be a big deal one day.  So already back in the 2006/2007 era....someone sat there, analyzed this, and predicted the outcome.  They even said the variety of bat that this would come from. 

11. There is a report from FAZ that the folks who make disinfectants in Germany are a bit worried.  What they are generally saying....is that the raw materials for the making of general disinfectant.....is NOT unlimited, and perhaps in the next two weeks.....some type of 'bottle-neck' will start to occur.

A big deal?  Well....for the hand sanitizer stuff, some advice.  You can make it yourself (only two ingredients) and I don't see that being something to worry about.  You can make enough for a whole month for a family of four, for less than 20 Euro (probably would have cost you 35 to 50 Euro for the normal fancy stuff). 

As for the disinfectant?  There are various alternate paths....like using vinegar-developed products.  Those folks would tell you that 'hell' could freeze over before they run out of their raw materials. 

12.  Finally, the chatter over more public bans?  There's supposed to be an assessment from the Berlin leadership based on what the cops saw from Saturday.   A Sunday meeting will occur, and they could go to some drastic far extreme position.  Or they could let things be as they are. 

It's an odd discussion because weather for Saturday was crappy throughout most of Germany.  Most folks stayed in their house or did grocery shopping. 

Here's the thing....spring is probably about two weeks away, and folks are going to be out and sitting in parks (consuming beer).....if it gets up to 15C and nice weather.  This whole ban chatter business won't work when that 'reality' occurs.