Back to lockdown

 

The partial lockdown that was supposed to save Christmas has turned into a full Christmas lockdown. 

Today is the last day of lockdown light. As of tomorrow, we will be in a hard national lockdown. From 16 December everything except for essential shops, pharmacies, doctors and dental surgeries will be closed, including schools. Restaurants will remain closed, although they will still be allowed to sell takeaway food. However, outdoor alcohol consumption will not be permitted. So no more drinking Glühwein from outdoor stalls! 

Parents all over Germany are bracing themselves for the hard task of having to entertain children at home during the extended Christmas holiday with little or no contact with friends or family. My survival strategy, at least initially, will involve lots of baking with my son, assuming that flour in supermarkets doesn’t run out, as it did the first-time round. I’ve already seen several people out on the streets carrying huge bags of toilet paper so that is rather concerning. I’m not even going to think about home schooling at this stage.

The national lockdown was only announced on Sunday, giving people little or no time to prepare. Since Monday customers have been queueing outside hairdressers and barbers not knowing when the next chance to get a haircut will be. Luckily I managed to get my hair cut just in time! The lockdown is supposed to last until 10 January, but given the high number of Covid cases and Covid deaths, it may well last longer.

Bookshops are allowed to stay open as they are considered to be “systemically relevant”. So if you haven’t yet done all your Christmas shopping, in Germany you can at least buy books from your local bookshop to avoid using Amazon!

Once upon a time Berlin used to be famous for its cultural and party scene, but nowadays the posters advertising gigs, plays and club nights have been replaced by adverts for Covid test centres. Even the KitKatClub has been turned into a Covid test centre. Where clubbers and fetishists once used to queue up before partying the night away, they now queue up to find out if they are Covid positive. This is the new normal in the year 2020. The only glimmer of hope is that the coronavirus vaccine may soon be approved in the EU as well, so that we might start to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Life in “lockdown light” – week 2

Mexico City or Berlin?

The second week of “lockdown light” is coming to an end, but you wouldn’t know it walking around the streets of Berlin. There are plenty of people out and about. At least during the daytime - I haven’t been out in the evenings. There are people inside shops (wearing masks of course) and there are queues outside fast-food and other restaurants serving takeaway. There are also plenty of bikes and cars on the streets and people waiting at tram and bus stops. I have been avoiding public transport, but I hear that S-Bahns and underground trains are pretty full. Of course, bars, cinemas, theatres, museums, fitness studios, etc. remain closed.

When the partial lockdown was announced, it was supposed to be in place for at least four weeks, but it may well last longer. We should find out more on Monday 16 November, when Angela Merkel is due to hold a meeting with regional leaders to discuss the current situation. Meanwhile, the number of Covid infections in Germany continues to rise, but at least the reproduction number (or R value) has fallen below 1 – a positive sign. However, these figures may be misleading as the testing strategy has changed since early November. Patients with colds no longer get tested, because the testing capacity is stretched, so we might be comparing apples with pears.

The Christmas season will feel very different this year. Christmas markets are one of the staples of the festive season in Germany, but many have been cancelled. In Berlin, the traditional Christmas markets at Gendarmenmarkt and Schloss Charlottenburg, as well as the Lucia-Weihnachtsmarkt and the Alt-Rixdorfer Weihnachtsmarkt, won’t be happening this year. The Christmas Garden has also been cancelled. Where will we drink our Glühwein (mulled wine) and eat our waffles with cinnamon sugar, just to mention a couple of the delicacies on sale at the markets?  The simple answer is - at home. I guess I will have to invest in a waffle-maker, or my son will be disappointed.

The most awaited news since the beginning of the pandemic came from Mainz, where the German company BioNTech is based. Together with US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, they announced that their jointly developed vaccine is 90% effective in preventing people from getting Covid, according to early results from Phase 3 trials. This news was welcomed all over the world: hope is in sight! BioNTech was founded by husband-and-wife team Prof Sahin and Dr Türeci, both children of Turkish immigrants, or Gastarbeiter, as they are called in Germany (literally “guest workers”). Tell that to AfD voters! In case you don’t know, AfD is a far-right anti-immigrant party.  

If you are looking for Netflix recommendations, the series The Queen’s Gambit is one of the best I’ve seen recently. It’s about chess, but don’t be put off by that. It’s very stylish and beautifully shot. Although the action takes place in the US, Mexico City, Paris and Moscow, many of the scenes were actually filmed in Berlin. Filming locations include the Bode Museum, the Friedrichstadt-Palast (pictured), Rathaus Spandau, the Palais am Funkturm, the Berlin zoo, several locations on Karl-Marx Allee in Friedrichshain, including the bar at Kino International, and even the Humana secondhand and vintage shop at Frankfurter Tor. It might feel like Paris or Moscow in the late 1960s, but don’t be fooled, it’s Berlin!

Life in “lockdown light” – week 1

The first week of “lockdown light”, as it’s being called in Germany, is almost over. Compared with the first lockdown in the spring, when almost everything was closed, this is only a partial lockdown. Meetings are restricted to two households (a maximum of 10 people), both indoors and outdoors, and if you meet someone from a different household you must keep a distance of 1.5 m. Cafes and restaurants can only open for takeaway (thus producing more rubbish than ever, but they need our support to keep going). Bars, cinemas, theatres, operas, concert halls, museums, fitness and yoga studios, swimming pools, nail bars, beauty salons, tattoo studios, etc. have been closed since Monday 2 November. Unlike the previous lockdown, all shops and hairdressers are open, as are libraries and playgrounds, though the number of people allowed inside a shop is limited. 

Crucially schools and nurseries remain open and are not expected to close unless the situation worsens dramatically. As I mentioned before, there is a stage-plan for Berlin schools based on the Corona Ampel, or traffic-light coronavirus-warning system for the city. The Covid situation for each school and district is assessed at the end of the week and parents are informed of the required measures before the start of the following week. At the moment, face masks don’t need to be worn inside classrooms in primary schools, but if the traffic lights were to change that would be the next step. I was surprised to find out that swimming lessons will still take place, as they are part of the school curriculum in year 3, even though pools are closed to everyone else. 

Thus, this lockdown affects primarily the leisure, culture, beauty and catering sectors. Some argue that the closure of shopping malls would have been preferable to shutting down the arts and culture sector, but the government reckons that we tend to socialise more when we go out to the cinema or to the theatre than when we go shopping. The aim of the lockdown is to reduce social contacts by a significant amount to slow the spread of Covid-19. Even though it isn’t as restrictive as the previous one, the word lockdown has very negative connotations. Some of us still have nightmares from the previous lockdown. Others might have coped well the first time round but may be feeling low this time. Of course, the colder weather and shorter days don’t help, at least in the northern hemisphere. 

If you are currently living in full or partial lockdown, here are some more suggestions to help you get through these difficult times. 

Make sure you take care of both your mental and physical wellbeing. The two often go hand in hand. It’s normal to feel anxious or worried at this time. If you are experiencing severe anxiety, panic attacks, or other symptoms make sure you seek help. Talk to a friend about how you feel and consult a doctor and/or a psychologist. They can help you.

Try to get out as much as possible and exercise regularly. Walking, running or cycling are all great ways to keep active, especially in nature. Head to your local park, forest, lake, beach, hill or mountain. Even though fitness centres and swimming pools are closed, there are alternatives. For example, I’ve gone back to yoga and pilates lessons via Zoom. Although it’s not the same as exercising in a room with other people, there are significant benefits to digital exercise. 

Try to find distractions to help you switch off from all the negative and worrying news. This week the cliffhanger “US presidential election 2020” has provided a welcome source of distraction and entertainment. I can’t wait for Netflix to make the second season! What’s that? Are you seriously suggesting this is not a tv-series, it’s for real? 

Here are some other suggestions: read a book, watch a film, listen to music, bake a cake, look after your plants or buy a plant, call a friend, whatever helps you relax. 

Meanwhile, the list of recommendations to avoid the spread of Covid-19 gets longer and longer, as I discovered while cycling past this advertising board the other day. 

It used to be AHA, an abbreviation that stood for distance, hygiene and masks. Now it’s: 

• Keep a distance

• Wash your hands

• Wear a mask

• Ventilate regularly 

• Reduce contacts

• Use the app

Just to give you an idea of what they mean by “ventilate regularly”, classrooms need to be aired every half hour. That means opening all the windows, as well as the door, for five minutes every 30 minutes.  As the weather gets colder, schools and parents are considering investing in air filters for each classroom to avoid freezing when the winter really hits. Of course, the most effective air filters tend to be a lot more expensive. I’m waiting to see if they find a solution.

The much-delayed airport has opened with hardly any flights and passengers

At last Berlin has a new airport, but it couldn’t have come at a worse time. 

Only 8 years and 4 months since the previously announced opening date of June 2012, the new Berlin-Brandenburg Willy Brandt Airport (BER) airport has finally been completed.  With the travel industry in crisis due to the global Covid pandemic and airlines facing the prospect of bankruptcy, Saturday’s unveiling of the “new” airport is rather ironic. 

When I first heard that the long-awaited airport would be finally opening its doors to the public on 31 October 2020 my reaction was: "I’ll believe it when I see it". The second was: "Halloween, the spookiest day of the year. What a bizarre choice of date". At that time, we still had no idea that the world would be turned upside down by a global pandemic caused by a coronavirus.

As Germany braces itself for a second, albeit “lighter” lockdown, BER airport opened on Saturday with only about six scheduled arrivals and amid climate protests. On the one hand, it’s hard to believe that they actually managed to finish it. I have to admit that I had my doubts as to whether it would ever be completed. On the other hand, you can’t help but think that the timing of it is a joke. 

The opening gala had to be cancelled because of the growing number of Covid cases in Berlin and in Germany.  Though it wouldn’t have been a big party anyway. Apparently, the managers and engineers of the airport felt too embarrassed to celebrate the over 8-year long fiasco.

Meanwhile, the list of countries and regions at high Covid risk (in German Risikogebiete, as compiled by the Robert Koch Institute) is getting longer and longer, meaning that if you go on holiday almost anywhere in the world you now have to go into quarantine on return. Moreover, from Monday 2 November the whole of Germany is going into partial lockdown and travelling is strongly discouraged.

For the past years Berlin has been a laughing stock because of its airport. I’m afraid it will take a long time for it to turn its image around.

In case you're wondering what will happen to the other airports, Tegel airport (pictured) is scheduled to close next week. This time it's for real. The last ever flight from Tegel is due to depart at 15:00 on 8 November for Paris. As a result, the Berlin district of Pankow will notice a significant reduction in noise pollution. The other remaining airport, Schönefeld, will continue to operate as part of the new BER airport and will be known as Terminal 5. Tempelhof airport was closed in 2008.

The dark times are coming

Summer time is officially over. On Sunday we turned back the clocks, so this means that it is now a little lighter in the mornings, but over the next few weeks it will be getting darker and darker in the afternoons. This is not a good prospect, considering that we are currently facing the second wave of coronavirus and things are only expected to get worse. 

While Angela Merkel has been telling us to stay at home and to reduce social contacts, many in Berlin seem to be ignoring her advice. On Saturday night, the police broke up an illegal party in Mitte. In a tweet, the police suggested that “for the 600 guests the fetish party probably ended unsatisfactorily”. If you can read German, I would recommend following Polizei Berlin Einsatz on Twitter. Not only are their latest tweets entertaining, but they also show that the police are being kept busy by people failing to observe the AHA rules.

By the way, it is now AHA + A + L (Abstand, Hygiene, Alltagsmaske + App + Lüften), i.e. distance, hygiene, masks + Corona warning app + fresh air. Meanwhile on Sunday, roughly 2000 people gathered at Alexanderplatz to protest against the Covid rules.

The end of summer time this year coincided with the end of the autumn half-term or Herbstferien. As schools in Berlin restarted today, the question every parent and teacher will be asking themselves is: how long before things start to change? So far schools have been functioning fairly normally, but we have been advised of a stage-plan for Berlin schools based on the Corona Ampel, or traffic-light coronavirus-warning system for the city. The three lights correspond to the reproduction number (or R value), the number of new infections per 100,000 inhabitants and the number of beds occupied in intensive care. Currently one of the lights is red and has been for some time (the number of new infections), one is yellow (R value), while the other one is green so overall the traffic light is yellow. Presumably we will know more later this week, as the situation evolves. 

Meanwhile, you might want to make a trip to the shops if you’re running low on toilet paper. After months of normal supplies, toilet paper shelves have started to look bare again, as panic-buying returns. Next time I go shopping I’ll check on soap and hand sanitiser levels!

Aha! The new normal

The summer in Berlin ended two weeks ago, when thermometers recorded a spectacular drop of 20°C. One day we were heading to lakes and outdoor pools for relief from the heat and the next we were rummaging through our wardrobes for cardigans and raincoats. Although the summer is technically not over yet, there is an autumnal feel in the air. The mornings have turned decidedly chilly, while the fallen leaves on the ground are getting more noticeable. As the coronavirus summer ends, the coronavirus autumn begins.

Aha!

Some of us were lucky enough to enjoy a proper summer break, perhaps even going abroad, while others opted for a staycation. For most of us, though, the holiday time is over and it’s back to old routines, well not quite. The new normal in Germany is represented by the AHA rules. In this case Aha is not an exclamation to express satisfaction or surprise - Aha! So that’s how you defeat coronavirus! - and it also doesn’t stand for alpha-hydroxy acid. Moreover, it doesn't refer to the Norwegian pop band that was popular in the eighties (Take on meee!). In the year 2020, AHA is an abbreviation of Abstand (distance), Hygiene (hygiene) and Alltagsmasken (daily masks). 

Going back to school

While children around the world are returning to school or are preparing to go back to school in the coming weeks, here in Berlin children have already completed their fourth week of school. The first week was dedicated to learning the AHA rules obviously. Apart from the compulsory masks, the social distancing (not in classrooms) and hygiene rules, school here is pretty much back to normal. We even managed to have an Elternabend or parents’ evening (a general meeting about the class) in the assembly hall, where we were all sitting 2m apart and wearing masks.

It's virus time

As life gradually returns to normal, albeit under the AHA rules, and recreational and cultural activities pick up, what can we expect? Viruses of course! However much we wash our hands and keep away from crowded places, viruses will reach us, especially if we spend time with children. As GPs and paediatricians are keen to point out, there are plenty of viruses out there, in addition to the infamous one. 

After three weeks of school, the first virus made its way into our home, in the form of a sore throat, runny nose and fever.  I spent last weekend wondering whether it was coronavirus and where to get tested. When I finally managed to get through to the paediatrician to ask for advice on the following Monday, it became clear that a Covid-19 test would not be required. Luckily, it wasn’t a serious infection and it cleared up after a few days. In the area where I live, it seems that the only way to get a free test without a long wait is to return from a Risikogebiet, i.e. a region at risk. When I started sneezing and feeling under the weather, my husband suggested booking a cheap return flight to Spain so that I could get tested. The alternative would be a private test in Berlin that costs €158,65. Sunshine and tapas here I come! 

On a serious note, check the guidelines for your country or region. If you live in Berlin and your child is ill, this PDF by the Berlin Senate Department for Education, Youth and Family explains what to do.

Flying in the time of coronavirus

Cancelled flights, concerns about the safety of air travel, worries about the rise in the number of Covid-19 infections at destination and the eventuality of quarantine on return mean that flying in the time of coronavirus can be a nightmare. It is not surprising therefore that many people have decided not to go abroad this summer. Others, meanwhile, have opted to travel by car to avoid being in close contact with potentially infectious travellers.

 

Is it safe to fly?

If you don’t fancy the prospect of driving 2,500 Km or more to visit your family, flying is probably the fastest and safest option, albeit not the most environmentally friendly. According to experts, if you consider various forms of travel, such as bus and train, the risk of Covid transmission inside an aircraft cabin might actually be the lowest. This is because planes use a hepa (high-efficiency particulate air) filter that ensures air inside the cabin is either fresh or recirculated. However, the risk increases if the plane is full, especially if you are sitting next to someone who is infected.

Will my flight be cancelled?

Bearing all this in mind, my family and I set off for Berlin’s Tegel airport by taxi on a bright sunny morning at the end of June. We all wore face masks, including the taxi driver, and we had the car window open to let in a steady breeze. I carried a selection of spare masks in my hand luggage, as well as travel-size hand sanitiser and disinfectant – the essential items when travelling in the coronavirus era.  We had already had one set of flights cancelled by Lufthansa in June (only 12 days after booking – we are still waiting for a refund, as are thousands of others) and, right up until boarding, I had doubts about whether our Swiss flights actually existed and whether we would make our connecting flight in Zurich.

 

Will social distancing be possible?

When we arrived at the airport, Tegel was almost deserted and most of the shops were closed. The queue at the bag drop was much shorter than usual, and passengers generally observed the mask-wearing and physical distancing rules. Once we got to our gate, it became more difficult to keep a distance from others, as more people arrived, so we moved upstairs, where we found fewer people and more comfortable seats. When the announcement to board the plane was made, the airport staff made the usual distinction between business and economy passengers, but other than that we were all called to board at the same time. It was difficult to maintain a physical distance, especially when queuing in the jet-bridge, but at least everyone was wearing a mask.

 

What happens on board?

Once on board, we were greeted by the mask-wearing crew and we were given a disinfectant wipe. The idea is for passengers to disinfect all surfaces close to their seat. We were also given a questionnaire to fill out with our contact and travel details, including our seat number on the plane. According to the airline Swiss, “where possible, neighbouring seats will be kept vacant”, but both our planes were full and, as far as we could tell, there were very few free seats. Swiss has a “modified and partly reduced onboard service”, which “aims at reducing the number of physical interactions between crew and guests”. As both our flights were over 45 minutes, there was a reduced beverage service and on our second flight we were given a snack. There were no Duty-Free sales though. Zurich airport was busier than Tegel, as there were more flights departing. Most shops were closed, but we were able to buy sandwiches.

 

Are the regulations the same in other EU and Schengen countries?

I’ve already written about the confusion caused by the contradictory information regarding Covid. To add to the confusion, when you travel abroad, you discover that each country has different regulations about face masks and physical distance.  For instance, at Zurich airport wearing a face mask is not compulsory, but passengers are encouraged to wear one if a 1.5 m distance cannot be observed. As we were queuing to board our flight to Palermo, we heard an announcement about larger pieces of hand luggage to be placed in the hold.

 

What are the regulations when travelling to Italy?

The Italian National Civil Aviation Authority (ENAC) has prohibited the use of overhead lockers. Small handbags are still allowed, as long as they can be placed under the seat in front of you. The measure is intended to facilitate boarding and disembarking and avoid the formation of crowds. Once on board, we were advised to wear our protective masks. They are compulsory on all Edelweiss flights, “whenever social distancing is not possible”. After take-off, there was another announcement, presumably as we were now flying over Italian airspace: in Italy it is mandatory to wear a protective mask on airplanes at all times. We were also given a self-certification form to fill out declaring we were not suffering from Covid or subject to quarantine. When we landed in Palermo, we disembarked as usual and walked into the terminal, where our body temperature was scanned. After waiting an hour for our luggage, we discovered that 55 suitcases were missing, including ours. Apparently, there had been a problem at Zurich airport. Two days later, after having our body temperature scanned three times at different points in Palermo airport and after a security check, we were finally able to collect our luggage.

 

Do I need to quarantine?

If you travel to Italy from other EU and Schengen countries there is no requirement for quarantine, but it’s probably wise to keep an extra distance from others, just in case.

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.