Life coming out of lockdown: week 11

I feel that my “lockdown diary” is coming to an end, unless the situation precipitates and the lockdown measures need to be reinstated. When I started writing, life was very different from how it is now. As many other cities around the world, Berlin had turned into a ghost town. The streets were empty. Everything was closed, except for pharmacies, supermarkets and bike repair shops. The fear of a deadly virus was palpable. People turned to panic buying (Hamsterkäufe in German), amid growing anxiety about an invisible enemy. Supermarket shelves were stripped bare, as shoppers hoarded toilet paper, soap, disinfectant, pasta, flour, yeast and tinned food. Face masks were in short supply, but we were told that they were not necessary. There were almost no planes in the sky, as global air traffic had largely come to a standstill. There was only one story in the media: the coronavirus.

 

Just over two months have passed. Supermarket shelves are now well stocked, face masks and disinfectant are available for sale in pharmacies and many of the lockdown restrictions have been lifted. Beer gardens were full at the weekend. Open-air swimming pools reopened this week, although the weather has been a little chilly recently. Hotels are also open again, but there is no buffet breakfast. Air travel is resuming gradually: my parents have finally managed to get back to Sicily after being stranded in England for three months! Even pubs (Kneipen in German) are allowed to reopen from 2 June in Berlin. I find it rather ironic that pubs and fitness studios will reopen on the same day. You’d think that keeping fit would be a priority. Cinemas will restart on 30 June, but clubs and discos remain closed for the time being. However, for some establishments the relaxation of the lockdown rules has arrived too late.  I was sad to hear that the Colosseum Cinema in Prenzlauer Berg has filed for insolvency. I watched quite an eclectic mix of films there over the years, from Berlinale shorts to Shaun the Sheep.

 

Despite the lockdown relaxation, life has not gone back to how it was before the coronavirus. Strict hygiene rules and social distancing continue to shape our lives. Yes, schools have reopened, but most pupils only go to school for a couple of days a week at the moment. Shops have all reopened, but shoppers, shop assistants and cashiers all have to wear masks or other protective face gear. We also have to wear face masks on public transport. Not all sports clubs have reopened and large public events like festivals are banned until at least the end of August. There is still concern about a possible second wave of the virus and the R value (or reproduction number) keeps fluctuating. If there’s anything we have learned from this pandemic, it’s that we can't take anything for granted.

Life coming out of lockdown: week 10

While in some countries, children will not go back to school until September, in others the reopening of schools is a daily topic of debate. In Germany, schools have reopened, but there are differences depending on each Bundesland, or federal state. In Berlin secondary schools reopened on 27 April, while primary schools restarted on 4 May.  Schools in Berlin all have to follow a set of rules, namely hygiene and social distancing rules, but the actual planning and organisation is left to each school.

 

Last Wednesday my seven-year-old went back to school for the first time since 17 March, when schools in Berlin were closed due to the coronavirus pandemic. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so eager to go to school, except for when he played in the football tournament a year ago. When I picked him up just before midday at the school gates, he and his classmates looked bewildered, but they were clearly happy to have spent the morning together. They hadn’t been to school and hadn’t seen each other for over two months. No wonder they seemed confused. The teacher looked pleased, while the other parents looked tired and relieved. As one mother pointed out: «Ab jetzt geht es bergauf», i.e. «Things are starting to look up». Clearly, the two months of lockdown have been a trying period for many children and their parents.

 

However, it was not school as usual. The first part of the morning was spent discussing the new rules, especially re-enforcing the message about keeping a distance. Class sizes have been halved, so the children only saw half of their friends. Normally they would all arrive at the same time, but now they have been allocated slots depending on their year so as to avoid overcrowding at the entrance. They all have to queue up patiently to enter the school building in an orderly and socially distant manner, or as my son said: «ordentlich und nach den Abstandsregeln», one at a time. There are lines on the floor indicating where to stand and wait.

 

Once inside the classroom, the children sit at separate desks and the desks are 1.5 m apart. One window is always open (it was only 12°C this morning! Since the lockdown was relaxed the weather has changed for the worse). There are rules for regular handwashing and for going to the toilet. At break time the children are divided into different groups so that they have enough space to move around. They are allowed to run and play in the playground. Playing football is permitted, but only if you keep a 1.5 m distance from others. Meanwhile, Bundesliga players don’t have to follow these rules. It does seem rather unfair.

 

School hours have been reduced and only core subjects are being taught; the school day is a lot shorter than usual. Lunch is normally in the school canteen, but now it’s eaten in the classrooms at a distance. Each child has to bring its own cutlery from home. When it’s time to leave, after an early lunch, parents wait at the school gates for their children to appear accompanied by their teachers. Parents are not allowed inside the school grounds.

 

The return to school has been a gradual and challenging process. The plan here is to get all children back in school by the end of next week. When primary schools restarted on 4 May, only Year 6 pupils attended school in the first week. The surprising and unexpected decision for Year 1 pupils to go back to school on 11 May was made at a political level. Schools were given only one day to prepare, causing chaos and confusion. As a result, one journalist suggested that parents, teachers and their pupils all needed starke Nerven, or strong nerves.  

 

I must admit that I was rather sceptical when I heard about the plan to reopen schools in Germany. Like many other parents, I was worried about the coronavirus and whether it was wise to send children back to school. I also doubted about the benefit of going to school for only a few hours a week. However, after Wednesday’s experience I now believe that even three hours of lessons a week in school is better than no school at all, both from a social and an educational point of view. When I asked the teacher how the morning went, she seemed very positive and said that the children had followed the rules. Sometimes they needed reminding not to get too close, but that was understandable.

 

Obviously going to school for one or two or three mornings a week is not a long-term solution. How can parents work when their children are in school for only a few hours per week and the rest of the time they are expected to learn at home? Still, it’s a step towards some sort of normality. We still don’t know the plan for June and the summer holidays are due to start in exactly one month’s time. A lot can happen in one month, as we know. As I read this morning, the R value (or reproduction number) has gone up again in Berlin. Watch this space.

*Image created by Sophie Cane. Submitted for United Nations Global Call Out To Creatives - help stop the spread of COVID-19.

Coronavirus confusion

Are you having trouble keeping up with the constant flow of information and studies regarding Covid-19?

Unprecedented times call for unprecedented communication. Over the past five months, since the first reports of a deadly coronavirus outbreak in China, we have been bombarded with information, a lot of it contradictory. No wonder you might be feeling a little confused.

Here’s a summary of the some of the most significant contradictions.

 

There is no human-to-human transmission – There is human-to-human transmission.

It’s like flu – It’s worse than flu.

The virus originated from a market in Wuhan – The virus was synthesised in a lab.

Only old people are at risk – Children and young people are also at risk.

Wash your hands for 20 seconds – Wash your hands for 40 seconds.

Wash your hands with hand sanitiser – Wash your hands with soap and water.

Now is the time to go into lockdown – Now is not the time to go into lockdown.

A distance of 1 m from others is safe – Keep a distance of at least 1.5 m from others – Keep a distance of at least 2 m from others.

Keep hand sanitiser in the car – Don’t leave hand sanitiser in your car overnight.

Face masks are useless – You must wear a face mask.

The coronavirus spreads on surfaces – The coronavirus does not spread easily on surfaces.

It's dangerous to take Ibuprofen – It's safe to take Ibuprofen.

Be productive during lockdown – Don’t be productive during lockdown.

Herd immunity will protect us from Covid-19 – Herd immunity will not save us from Covid-19.

Herd immunity will be achieved in weeks – It takes years to achieve herd immunity.

Warm weather will stop the spread of the coronavirus – Warm weather will not stop the spread of the coronavirus.

You can’t get Covid-19 twice – You can get Covid-19 twice.

Children are super-spreaders – Children are not super-spreaders.

It’s too dangerous to reopen schools – It’s safe to reopen schools.

Runners are super-spreaders – Runners are not super-spreaders.

Inject disinfectant (if you believe Donald Trump) – Don’t inject disinfectant.

Vitamin D protects you from Covid-19 – Vitamin D does not protect you from Covid-19.

Vitamin C protects you from Covid-19 – Vitamin C does not protect you from Covid-19.

Now is the time to come out of lockdown – Now is not the time to come out of lockdown.

Sweden was right not to go into lockdown – Sweden was wrong not to go into lockdown.

You can’t go on holiday – You can go on holiday.

Temperature checks at airports are essential – Temperature checks at airports are useless.

Now is the right time to introduce a quarantine for international arrivals – Introducing a quarantine for international arrivals now makes no sense.

A vaccine will be available in September – We might never have a vaccine.

Writing a blog is a good idea – Writing a blog is a terrible idea.

 

The list is endless. Please let me know if I left anything out.

*Image created by Ruth Burrows. Submitted for United Nations Global Call Out To Creatives - help stop the spread of COVID-19.

Life coming out of lockdown: week nine

It is now two months since the lockdown measures were introduced in Berlin. Though many restrictions have been lifted, our new way of life is being dictated by strict Hygieneregeln, or hygiene rules, and Abstandsregeln, or social distancing rules. Nevertheless, life is slowly returning to the German capital. If it wasn’t for all the people wearing face masks on public transport and in shops, or around their necks on the streets, and the 1.5 m gaps between people in queues, it would almost look like life had returned to normal.

 

It has been a week of changes, starting with the most important development (at least if you’re a sports journalist and have only been commenting on virtual sporting competitions over the past weeks), the return of the Bundesliga. Football matches can be played again in Germany, albeit behind closed doors and players have to find new ways of celebrating when they score a goal (elbow bumping seems to be a popular option). The eerily empty streets have been replaced by eerily empty stadiums and football fans are not overly pleased. You can now hear the sound of the ball being kicked rather than the fans cheering.

 

This week has seen the return of year 1 and year 5 pupils to primary school, for a couple of days at least. The plan is to get all children in Berlin back to school by 29 May, even if only for a few hours. Primary schools in Berlin reopened on 4 May, but only year 6 went back in the first week. From next week yet more pupils will return to school, including my son for one day. Although schools have restarted, it is hardly school as usual. Class sizes have been halved and strict hygiene and physical distancing  measures are being enforced to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus. Distance learning (or homeschooling) is not over yet.

 

Since Friday restaurants and cafés have also reopened and not only for takeaway. You can now go and have a meal in a restaurant, as long as you comply with the regulations. You can even sit at a table with a friend or friends, as long as it’s not more than two households and you keep the required distance. Since the end of last week, we are in fact allowed to meet up with friends from another household (only two households at a time), both outdoors and indoors, but at a distance. This has been a most welcome change.

 

Museums and art galleries have also reopened or are in the process of reopening, but cinemas, theatres, concert halls, pubs and clubs still remain closed.

 

Despite all the ongoing concerns about the Coronavirus, the future is starting to look brighter, as the borders between countries in Europe are expected to reopen from mid-June. Perhaps some of us will be able to see our families this summer after all. Fingers crossed. 

Life in lockdown: week eight

This week has been an emotional roller coaster ride. On Monday I was fed up with the whole lockdown situation, especially the uncertainty about the summer. At some point in the afternoon my son pointed out that I had schlechte Laune, i.e. I was in a bad mood. In the evening when my husband got home from work, he suggested I do something relaxing. I washed up while listening to loud music, while he dealt with bedtime. That’s when I came up with the tips for surviving the next phase of lockdown. In a sudden burst of creativity, I rushed backwards and forwards from the kitchen sink to my notebook, while reciting the mantra “tomorrow will be a better day”. By the time little one fell asleep it was past 10 pm and we were pretty tired ourselves, but we decided we needed something to help us switch off from the world. I would definitely recommend watching “The Dawn Wall” if you want to escape from it all.

 

By Tuesday evening I was feeling exhausted and mentally drained after trying to juggle homeschooling (or distance learning, as we are supposed to call it in Germany) with household chores, while fitting in some writing and looking after my own mental and physical well-being, as well as that of the other family members. Of course, it’s not all bad. I really enjoy spending time with my son and we laugh a lot together. It’s just that I need a break every now and then.

 

Then on Wednesday we started to see the light at the end of the tunnel with the announcement that Berlin, as the rest of Germany, was taking further measures to relax the lockdown. There were several confusing and worrying moments. For example, it would seem that while the federal governments are keen to ease the lockdown, Angela Merkel thinks it’s premature. So, will they have to shut everything down again in a few weeks’ time? Possibly.  There was also a surprise announcement about first-year pupils going back to school on Monday, followed by all other years. Nobody had seen it coming, so the schools in Berlin were thrown into chaos and given effectively only one day to plan, as Friday was a public holiday.

 

I spent most of Thursday wondering how it would work out until I received an email from the school in the afternoon with “the  plan”. School will only be for a few hours and a few mornings this month. Each class will be divided into two groups so that the children can keep the required 1.5m distance from each other. At this point I still don’t know if my son is in group 1 or 2 so I still don’t know when he will go to school. He's hoping it won't be next week, as he actually prefers being at home than in school.

 

Friday was an exceptional one-off public holiday in Berlin (not in the rest of Germany) to mark the 75^th anniversary of the end of the second world war and the liberation from the Nazi regime.  Some people in Germany would like this to become a national public holiday, but not everyone agrees. We decided to escape the city to the green countryside. 

 

On Saturday my son and I finally managed to get a haircut. Luckily, I had made the appointment first thing on Monday morning, because my hairdresser is now fully booked until July. I thought she meant June, as Juni and Juli sound quite similar in German, but no she definitely meant July. Now that hairdressers (and their customers) are required to wear a mask, they look more like surgeons about to perform an operation than actual hairdressers, but at least you don’t need an anaesthetic to get a haircut. By the way, we had to take it in turns to go in, as there can’t be more than four people inside the salon at the same time and I had to write down my contact details before I left, in case the hairdressers or one of the customers tests positive with Covid-19.

 

Now it’s Sunday, the last day of another welcome long weekend and also Mother’s Day in Germany and in many other parts of the world. It’s also supposed to be the last warm and sunny day for a while. The temperature is expected to drop by 15 degrees tomorrow. The weather is also a roller coaster ride at the moment.

 

 

  

 

How to survive the next phase of lockdown (because let’s face it, it’s not over yet)

After roughly two months of lockdown, many of us are feeling fed up and frustrated. The effects of long-term isolation from family and friends and/or spending too much time in close proximity with others, have taken their toll. When the social distancing measures were first introduced, we had to tell ourselves that this was a) necessary and b) temporary. Though the lockdown in several countries is starting to be relaxed, we’re still living through challenging times. Although some of us can now get a haircut while wearing a face mask or go jogging in the park or even meet up with another family at a distance, many of us still have no idea when we will be able to see our parents, grandparents, children, grandchildren and other close family members again. We are hoping it will be this summer, but we don't really know. Moreover, for many parents, lockdown will not be over until schools and nurseries fully reopen. Even if schools are restarting in some places, distance learning or homeschooling is still a reality. Finally, the coronavirus is still out there and infecting people, though hopefully at a slower rate, and we still don’t have a vaccine. 

 

So, here are a few tips to help you get through the next few days and weeks:

 

1)    Do whatever works for you. Just because your neighbour enjoys baking fresh bread every day, it doesn’t mean you have to do the same.

2)    Try to ignore the pressure to be productive: this is all about survival. You don’t have to be the next Shakespeare.

3)  On that note, ignore advice if it's irritating (except for your government’s advice, but even then, don’t swallow or inject disinfectant).

4)    Exercise can help, especially if you find an activity you enjoy. If running is something you would only normally do when being chased, you don’t have to take up jogging just because everyone else around you has become a professional runner.  

5)    Find something to help you relax at the end of the day; that includes washing up while listening to music.

6)    Read books or watch films and tv series that you enjoy and that help you forget about everything else. Escapism is your goal.

7)    Try not to feel bad or guilty if your kids watch more telly than usual or play video games.

8)    It’s impossible to look after someone all day (and night) and not to lose your patience. You are only human after all.

9)    Give yourself a break, even if it means locking yourself in the toilet for a few minutes.

10) If you’re having a really bad day, tell yourself that tomorrow will probably be better.

Life in lockdown: week seven

We have entered a new phase of quarantine

As in other European countries, the lockdown is gradually being eased across Germany. While measures are being relaxed, experts warn that lifting the lockdown too quickly could lead to dire consequences. One of these experts is Christian Drosten (Germany’s coronavirus guru), who in recent months has become a prominent public figure. He directs the Institute of Virology at the Charité Hospital, here in Berlin, and has been advising the German government since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. In particular, he has expressed concern about a second wave of the virus. According to Angela Merkel (the German chancellor has recently made the headlines as “the politician who understands numbers”), «We are treading on thin ice». As life slowly returns to some degree of normality, there is a general feeling that things are improving. However, one can’t help being worried that the situation could deteriorate quickly.

Changes to our daily lives

When the lockdown measures first came into effect and our lives were turned upside down, I tried to avoid, or at least limit, reading newspapers online because the news was all about the Coronavirus and it was worrying and depressing. Seven weeks later, the news is still all about the Coronavirus and it remains worrying and depressing, with the occasional glimmer of hope. Nevertheless, I find that I have to keep abreast of developments because of the constant changes affecting our daily lives.

Face masks and playgrounds

For instance, on Tuesday, Berlin became the last Bundesland to make wearing face masks (or any piece of material that covers the nose and mouth) compulsory in shops, effective the following day. This includes children over the age of six. Berliners weren’t given much warning! At least BVG, the transport company, had given us a few days to prepare. My husband was actually turned away from the supermarket on Wednesday because he’d forgotten to take his mask. While face masks were not a common sight on the streets of Berlin until recently, they are now the ultimate fashion statement. If you’ve got to wear one, at least you want to look stylish. There were other changes this week, as several playgrounds in Pankow reopened on Thursday. It felt strange to wander into a playground again and we didn’t stay long, although it was far from crowded. Also, the zoo, the Tierpark (that is the animal park; not to be confused with the Tiergarten, which is the park in the centre of Berlin) and the aquarium have reopened.

May Day and other demonstrations

May Day was a rather quiet affair this year, as the Myfest (a very lively street party held in the alternative district of Kreuzberg on 1 May) was cancelled. There were demonstrations in several parts of Berlin. The biggest was in Kreuzberg, where around 1,000 people took to the streets defying a ban on public gatherings of more than 20 (as mentioned last week, said gatherings are only for funerals or baptisms). They were protesting against capitalism and calling for greater solidarity (#leavenoonebehind). There have also been demonstrations against the lockdown measures in recent weeks in Berlin, especially around Rosa Luxemburg Platz.

 

Enjoying a long weekend

Personally, I kept well away from the demonstrations and went for a bike ride through the Schlosspark in Pankow with the family. Even though the weather wasn’t great and there wasn’t much going on, it felt good to have a long weekend. Except for the days when I take part in digital yoga classes, the days in partial lockdown are almost all identical: homeschooling in the mornings and outdoor exercise for the little one in the afternoons. The weekends are different because we don't do any homework and my husband is at home (if he's not working), so there is more time for playing, writing and resting. 

Social distancing

Though the lockdown is being lifted, social distancing is still the buzzword of the day. We must keep a distance of 1.5m from others at all times. We have got used to the fact that we can’t see our friends, but when we occasionally do see a friendly face on the street it feels rather unnatural to walk towards them and then suddenly stop, because we have to keep a distance. When will we be able to embrace our friends? When will we be allowed to shake hands again? Will we be too scared to attempt any physical contact? When will we stop looking at strangers with suspicion, wondering whether they might be carrying the virus? As summer approaches, will we be able to go on holiday? On Thursday, Angela Merkel dashed our hopes by stating that international travel will not be possible this summer. So, I still can’t answer the question my son asked this week: When will we see Granny and Nonno (Grandad in Italian) again? We might have to wait several more months for that unfortunately.