Coronavirus statistics:
- There have been 8344 confirmed cases in Berlin to date.
- So far, 7349 people have been declared recovered from Covid-19.
- Of those infected so far, 4089 are male, 4250 are female. Five did not specify their gender.
- 121 people are currently in hospital as a result of the virus, 26 are in intensive care.
- The total number of casualties lies at 214, 15 of them were under 60 years of age. The average age of the deceased was 81.
- Today’s R number* lies at 0.54, the number of weekly new infections per 100,000 Berliners is at 8.30, with 2.0 percent of ICU beds taken up by Covid-19 patients.
*The R number is the average number of people an individual with the virus infects. While a useful indicator of how fast Covid-19 is spreading, the number can be skewed by small local clusters of infections.
Cinemas reopen, Wilmersdorf pool closes and no to free tests for all
As of today, cinemas in Berlin are open to the public, albeit with new corona etiquette. Mask- wearing is obligatory when moving around the cinema and buying tickets, but not while moviegoers are in their seats. Most cinemas are opening at 20 percent capacity to comply and encourage social distancing measures. If you could use a guide to the best spots to catch English-language screenings and which measures apply, subscribe to our newsletter and get our overview straight to your inbox tomorrow!
After an employee tested positive for Covid-19, the Sommerbad Wilmersdorf has decided to close. “We immediately decided on this far reaching measure in order to keep the risk for our customers as well as our colleagues who worked with the sick person as low as possible,” said Dr. Johannes Kleinsorg, head of public pools operator Berliner Bäderbetriebe. Customers who’ve paid in advance are entitled to a refund. When it will be reopened depends on ongoing coordination with the local health office.
After some confusion about Berlin’s test strategy, Mayor Müller SPD) eyeing up options to get free testing for all and Health Senator Dilek Kalayci (SPD), the official coordinator has spoken out. The Charité’s Valerie Kirchberger has made clear that widespread testing “ currently doesn’t make sense”. Those who have symptoms and are a part of select groups, such as teachers and care providers, will be closely watched to find cases amongst those who are deemed most likely to come into contact with the disease.
New pension law, COVID hospital on death row and utility companies cash in on VAT reduction
The Bundestag passed a new basic pension law intended to improve small pensions for around 1.3 million people. Pensioners who want to benefit will have had to contribute for at least 33 years. When the scheme starts as of 2021, those who are eligible will receive a maximum of almost €400, on top of what their pensions already pay out. Time to plan your German retirement?
The temporary COVID-19 hospital at Messe Berlin could be dismantled to make way for an international trade fair early next year. InnoTrans, a four-day expo for traffic technology that hosts 150,000 visitors, was originally planned for September this year, but the coronavirus meant it was pushed back to April 2021. The clinic cost €50 million to build and houses 500 beds. As of last night, only 2.7 percent of Berlin’s total ICU beds were occupied. “We need this leading trade fair,” Senator for Economic Affairs Ramona Pop (Greens) told Tagesspiegel.
As one of its measures to lighten the economic burden of the Corona crisis on the general public, the federal government has lowered the VAT from 19 to 16 percent as of yesterday. FDP politician Sibylle Meister was quick to find out that Berlin’s state owned utility companies, such as the BVG, are not passing on the tax reduction to customers. That’s right, your U-Bahn ride won’t get cheaper any time soon. Water companies have also been called out for their slow reaction to statutory change.
Climate protest and Kleingarten scandal
The coal-exit strategy soon to be passed into law has been dubbed by Extinction Rebellion (XR) and Greenpeace as a “farce”. XR activists held a sit-down protest on the road outside the SPD headquarters on Thursday, and yesterday Greenpeace activists climbed the roof of the CDU building and unfurled a huge banner. The planned “coal-exit: strategy actually commits Germany to another 18 years of coal reliance, which would drastically harm Germany’s ability to meet its own stated climate goals.
As the population of Berlin has risen, the number of gardens has not kept up – and there is not much space to create new ones. So, what can be done to keep a desirable ratio of gardens to residents across the city? The Senat wants to divide up existing Kleingärten! There are currently 877 garden sites, hosting 70,593 individual plots, the occupants of which might not be thrilled to hear of the Senat’s idea. For any new gardens, the plan is to cap the size at 250sqm, and when possible gardens will be cut down to this size, down from the current 400m limit. A vote on the proposed changes will be held soon.