First of all, I would like to thank all those brave people who are keeping our society running.
While many of us are able to work from home, safe from the coronavirus outbreak, we should all be grateful to those doing vital work that leaves them exposed to the virus.
It’s not just everyone working in health care, although they’re certainly the front line, but also a number of others keeping things functioning. It’s the delivery guys, the workers and cashiers in grocery stores, the workers in the pharmacy and many, many more. They are taking the risk so that we can keep our fridges stocked and ensure that those of us who need medication have what they need.
Thank you to all for your hard work, despite the risks and fears.
The Coronavirus
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the coronavirus outbreak, which originated in Wuhan, China, a global pandemic.
As of 22 March, more than 13,000 people worldwide have died of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. According to Johns Hopkins University, more than 311,000 people have been tested positive for COVID-19.
What is coronavirus?
According to the WHO, coronaviruses are a family of viruses that cause illnesses ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as severe acute respiratory syndrome and pneumonia.
The name coronavirus comes from the Latin word corona, meaning crown. Under an electron microscope, the virus has the characteristic appearance of a crown.
What are the symptoms?
According to the WHO, signs of infection include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties. In more severe cases, it can lead to pneumonia, multiple organ failure, and even death.
The incubation period – the time between infection and the first signs of symptoms – range from one to 14 days. Most infected people show symptoms within five to six days.
However, infected patients can also be asymptomatic, meaning they do not have any symptoms despite having the virus in their systems.
Even young people can get infected
Many young people mistakenly believe that this disease is only something that older people catch and think they will not catch the virus because of their age. Many young people are not following the government’s social-distancing rules.
The WHO said the truth is that young people are catching the coronavirus and becoming ill or dying from it. Also, they are spreading the disease to their parents, grandparents and other people.
Chancellor Merkel speaks to the people
Chancellor Merkel addresses the citizens of Germany in a speech. „It is serious. Since German reunification, no, since the Second World War, there has not been a challenge to our country that depends so much on our joint solidarity,“ the Chancellor emphasized.
What is the German government doing?
The German government has provided up to 50 million euros to enable German travellers stranded abroad to return to Germany in the next few days.
New restriction have come into place that that resulted in the partial shutdown of public life. Citizens have been urged to stay at home whenever possible to slow down the spread of the coronavirus.
On Friday, Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke with representatives of business associations and trade unions about the effects of the coronavirus. She said before the meeting that the federal and state governments were willing to „do everything that is necessary and that Germany needs in order to get through this crisis as well as possible“.
Federal Finance Minister Olaf Scholz and Federal Economics Minister Peter Altmaier have presented a comprehensive package of measures to cushion the effects of the corona virus. They announced an unlimited credit program for companies.
The KfW Special Programme 2020 is launched: It supports companies that have temporarily run into financing difficulties due to the corona pandemic. Small, medium-sized, and also large enterprises can now submit applications through their main bank.
I hope you all stay healthy during these trying times!