Covid-19 Pandemic
 Coronavirus is ‘tip of the iceberg,’ bat researcher warns Johnson aide refuses to quit in U.K. lockdown scandalSingapore focuses on jobs in $23 billion relief package The paradox of pandemic success By the standards of the pandemic, Germans enjoyed an idyllic holiday weekend. With the coronavirus seeming largely under control, Berlin’s sidewalk cafes were hopping. Families with picnic blankets filled parks. Easing travel restrictions raised hopes for summer vacations in the sun. But even in a country that has arguably handled the virus better than any other in Europe, political pressures over the fallout of the outbreak are rising. The small German state of Thuringia—known for its bratwurst, thick forests and winter sports—broke ranks with a plan to lift all lockdown measures after June 5. State premier Bodo Ramelow’s proposal would rely on individuals to use common sense and proper hygiene. A minister in another eastern state, Saxony, said it might do the same. Protesters have marched against restrictions in the country’s major cities, including Munich, Stuttgart and Berlin.  A protestor wears a face mask reading “Give Gates (referring to Bill Gates) no Chance” as she attends a protest against restrictions. Photographer: TOBIAS SCHWARZ/AFP The states’ defiance caused a political scuffle. Chancellor Angela Merkel postponed a cabinet-level meeting about next steps out of the lockdown from Monday to Wednesday. Some issues were “simply not yet ready for consultation,” her spokesman Steffen Seibert said—with Ramelow’s proposal in sharp contrast to a plan from inside the Chancellery that would extend social distancing rules and the use of face masks into early July. The situation Merkel finds herself in shows a central paradox of the lockdown: success controlling the virus leaves room for critics to say governments have gone too far. Germany’s pandemic science guru, Charite Hospital virologist Christian Drosten, called it the “prevention paradox” in an interview with The Guardian last month. “People are claiming we overreacted,” Drosten told the U.K. newspaper. “There is political and economic pressure to return to normal.” For now, Merkel’s government allies are holding firm. “I would expect from a politician that you lead and give orientation, and not be led by a few thousand people who show up in the streets with conspiracy theories,” Lars Klingbeil, general secretary of Germany’s Social Democrats, told the country’s biggest newspaper, Bild. But the rebelliousness brewing in Thuringia is a lesson to other governments. Even with an exemplary response to the virus—rigorous contact tracing, plenty of extra testing capacity and hospital beds—the lockdown is just the beginning, and loosening the restrictions can be even more fraught than tightening them.—Naomi Kresge Track the virus The Race for a Coronavirus Cure  What you should read Federal Workers See Risk in Reopening Push Trump is pressing states to ease lockdowns to help economy. Virus Complicates Hurricane Season Response When telephone wires go down, telecom companies repair them. Summer Camps Might Not Survive Pandemic Sleepaway camps across the U.S. are making the decision to stay closed. Golfers Skirt Virus in Private Jets to Resort Sotogrande resort plans pre-boarding tests, fewer passengers. New Jersey Beach Towns Under Threat Anything short of normal foot traffic means the end for small businesses. Know someone else who would like this newsletter? Have them sign up here. Have any questions, concerns, or news tips on Covid-19 news? Get in touch or help us cover the story. Like this newsletter? Subscribe for unlimited access to trusted, data-based journalism in 120 countries around the world and gain expert analysis from exclusive daily newsletters, The Bloomberg Open and The Bloomberg Close. Follow Us Get the newsletter You received this message because you are subscribed to Bloomberg’s Coronavirus Daily newsletter. Unsubscribe | Bloomberg.com | Contact Us Bloomberg L.P. 731 Lexington, New York, NY, 10022 |
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