With Italy as a warning of what could come, large events in Germany have been canceled and many of those who can are working from home. But experts say public life must be curbed further still to slow the virus.
A local district administrator in Germany demonstrates being tested for coronavirus via a drive-through system Image: AFP/T. Kienzle
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With the spread of SARS-CoV-2 pushing the number of confirmed cases in Europe higher by the day, the outbreak is beginning to have a visible effect on daily life in Germany and beyond.
Italy has taken the unprecedented step of placing the entire country of 60 million people under quarantine, limiting movement and shutting down public spaces for at least three weeks. Major events have been canceled, schools are shut nationwide, and all nonessential shops are to close, with people only authorized to move around for work or health needs. Riots have occurred in overcrowded prisons. The Corriere della Sera newspaper wrote that "the whole of Italy is closed."
Several European countries have begun to follow suit: Norway, Lithuania, Ireland and Austria have closed most schools. The list of closings is changing by the hour.
In Germany, which after Italy, France and Spain has the largest number of coronavirus cases in Europe, the government hasn't resorted to such drastic measures — yet. But a global survey conducted by research firm Ipsos already in late February showed that 62% of Germans would support quarantine measures, should they be deemed necessary.
How is coronavirus affecting life in Germany?
With thousands of confirmed cases of the COVID-19 virus in Germany, the daily routine for many has been upended. From football to flights, car manufacturing to culture, DW looks at life amid the outbreak.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/F. Rumpenhorst
Food donations drop
Panic-buying has left empty shelves in supermarkets — and food banks. With Germans snapping up canned goods and toilet paper to weather the outbreak, stores have fewer supplies left over to donate to the needy, said Jochen Brühl, head of Tafel Deutschland, which supports more than 1.5 million people with surplus groceries and other donations. Brühl encouraged those who had overreacted to donate.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/G. Matzka
Bundesliga suspended
After playing one match behind closed doors, the Bundesliga has suspended its season until at least April 2. The Germany football league had considered playing matches behind closed doors until Paderborn's coach Steffen Baumgart and defender Luca Kilian tested positive for COVID-19.
Image: picture alliance/dpa/O. Berg
Cultural cancellations
Cultural life has also taken a hit, with major fairs and trade shows canceled or postponed. Among the casualties were the Leipzig Book Fair and the Musikmesse Frankfurt, Europe's biggest music trade fair. Numerous clubs, galleries and museums have closed across the country, and the gala award show for the annual German film and television award, the Goldene Kamera, has been moved to November.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/J. Woitas
Not the 'Wuhan flu'
The Chinese origin of the virus has led to an increase in xenophobic sentiment in the places worst hit by the outbreak. Asian restaurants and stores — not just Chinese — have reported empty tables in countries hard hit by the pandemic, and people with Asian features have experienced discrimination. At a recent Bundesliga game in Leipzig, a group of Japanese fans was ejected from the stadium.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/A. Solaro
Flights grounded
German airline Lufthansa has massively reduced its flight capacity as business and personal travel is cut back. The flagship carrier is now seeking state aid, according to a report from Germany business newspaper Handelsblatt. Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr will be attending a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, according to government sources.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/M. Kusch
Car production crippled
Car plants in China have been shut down since January, and major German automakers like Volkswagen and Daimler have said both sales and production have been hit by the epidemic. And with many automakers sourcing electric car parts from China, work at plants in Germany has also hit a stumbling block. Berlin has said it plans to financially support companies suffering coronavirus losses.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Images/J. Meyer
Fewer tourists
"The consequences for the German tourism sector are serious," warned Guido Zöllick, head of the German Hotel and Restaurant Association. Already by the second week of March, 76.1% of members had reported a sharp decrease in bookings and a drop in revenue. The German parliament has banned tourists from visiting the glass dome of the Reichstag building until further notice.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/S. Wurtscheid
Border checks
In an effort to prevent further spread, Germany has closed its borders with France, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Austria and Denmark. Authorities in Poland and the Czech Republic had already begun spot checks, measuring the temperature of travelers crossing main road borders out of Germany.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/A. Weigel
School closures
Preschools and primary schools across Germany have shut. The closures have affected more than 2.2 million children up to age 16 countrywide, according to Germany's Federal Statistical Office. German television stations have adjusted their programming in response to the school closures.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/C. Seidel
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These sweeping efforts to contain the virus came after an initial reluctance by some governments to significantly disrupt public life and, subsequently, destabilize their economies and cause panic. As recently as March 3, when the number of cases in Spain was already at around 200, the Health Ministry was stressing that there is still "not a great deal of transmission at the national level." By March 12, confirmed cases rose to nearly 3,000.
The slow response is reminiscent of how authorities in Germany, the UK and France initially restricted reporting during the 1918 flu pandemic, fearing it would lower morale as troops were still fighting World War I. Even Spain, which first reported cases of the flu — leading to it erroneously being dubbed the "Spanish flu" — at first "hesitated because they knew it would have a negative impact on the economy, especially the growing tourist industry," said Svenn-Erik Mamelund, a research professor at Oslo Metropolitan University in Norway, who has studied the social impact of epidemics.
Increasingly in Germany, businesses have been encouraging employees to stay away from the office, with a recent poll of more than 700 Germans by business consultancy Strategy& showing that 38% of respondents wanted to work from home. A third said they would avoid meetings, trade fairs and major events in the coming weeks.
In recent days, Health Minister Jens Spahn recommended that large public events be postponed or canceled, and nearly all of Germany's 16 states have now prohibited all gatherings with more than 1,000 people until at least April.
"We now know that we are in the current phase of the pandemic where we have to practically cut off all social contacts if we want to have any chance of keeping the number of infected people as low as possible," Patrick Larscheid, a public health officer in Berlin, told DW.
He called on officials in Berlin to take more decisive steps to halt the spread of the coronavirus. Public life must be temporarily restricted as much as possible to protect the larger population.
The decision to cancel events with more than 1,000 visitors didn't go far enough, Larscheid said. Any space where people come together in close contact should be closed.
"Otherwise we won't be able to control it anymore," he adds.
Restrictions necessary
The Bundesliga, meanwhile, has announced that several upcoming football matches will be played in empty stadiums, with the German Football League (DFL) saying decisions would ultimately be made on a case-by-case basis. The German Cultural Council said the culture and media sector has already been "severely affected" by trade fair and event cancellations. Some cinemas and theaters have reported customers asking for refunds, but the Association of German Film Theaters said earlier this week it is "currently not aware of any losses in sales due to the coronavirus."
Health authorities say these restrictions are necessary to slow the spread of the virus, with German Chancellor Angela Merkel warning on Wednesday that nearly two-thirds of the country's population could become infected since people don't have immunity. The key right now is to buy time.
"Our solidarity, our common sense and our hearts for one another are being put to the test and I hope that we pass this test," she told reporters.
Merkel's party, the Christian Democrats (CDU), have canceled a conference scheduled for April 25 when Merkel's successor as CDU party leader was supposed to be elected.
Handshakes and kisses in a time of coronavirus
To reduce the risk of contracting the new coronavirus, people around the world are changing their greeting style. These different cultural habits can inspire alternatives.
Image: picture-alliance/AA/A. Hosbas
Handshake
It's one of the most widespread greetings in the business world. But will the traditional handshake go out of style? Health experts recommend avoiding it to reduce the risk of contracting the coronarvirus. Germany's interior minister took that advice seriously and refused to shake Chancellor Angela Merkel's hand. They both laughed and Merkel threw her hand up in the air before taking a seat.
Image: picture-alliance/AA/A. Hosbas
Double-cheek kiss
France's government has advised its citizens to cut back on the traditional "bise" — greeting by kissing others on both cheeks. But French President Emmanuel Macron nevertheless gave the double-kiss greeting to Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte during a summit in Naples this week, symbolically demonstrating that he didn't fear contact with the neighboring country affected by a coronavirus surge.
Image: picture-alliance/NurPhoto/P. Manzo
High five
It's a gesture that was first popularized by baseball and basketball players in the US. About 50% fewer bacteria are transferred by high-fiving than by shaking hands — meaning that it's still not completely risk-free.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/R. Drew
Fist bump
Commonly used in sports, the greeting was also popularized by former US President Obama, shown here with Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg. Beyond the coolness factor, the fist bump transmits significantly fewer germs than shaking hands — about 90% less according to one study.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/The Obama Foundation
Hugs
Hugging is another way to spread germs, but research has also shown that the warm embrace of a loved one may strengthen the immune system — and in some cases, it can boost diplomatic ties. This hug between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in 2018 triggered various reactions on both sides of the border. They had previously opted for the more formal handshake.
Image: Reuters
Shoulder pat
Australia's New South Wales Health Minister Brad Hazzard recommends this gesture: "It's time that Aussies actually gave each other a pat on the back for the time being — no handshaking," he said. While it transmits less bacteria than the previously mentioned forms of greetings, the pat on the back can be perceived as condescending by some people.
Image: Colourbox
Wave
Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip wave here from the balcony of Buckingham Palace. The original gesture derived from a 18th-century tradition of knights saluting each other after removing the guard of their helmets to reveal their identity and show that they were coming in peace. Waving can, however, be seen as offensive in some countries.
Image: Reuters/K. Doherty
Fist and palm salute
In China, where the COVID-19 outbreak began, one greeting recommendation is the traditional gong shou gesture, or the fist and palm salute, as demonstrated above by actress Miya Muqi at the Cannes screening of "Ash Is The Purest White" in 2018.
A slight bow with palms pressed together in a prayer-like position: The Thai wai greeting is widespread in various southeast Asian countries — also known as the Indian namaste or the Burmese mingalar par.
Image: Imago Images/ZUMA Press/J. Kurtz
Japanese bow
Similarly safe, Japan's traditional sign of salutation and reverence still belongs to everyday life. Learning to bow elegantly is an important part of becoming a respectable adult. Here, employees of a department store in Tokyo practice their greeting ahead of the start of a New Year sale.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/MAXPPP/Kyodo
Footshake
A recent viral video from China shows yet another alternative to the handshake: the "footshake," also dubbed the "Wuhan handshake." Rubbing dirty feet is still safer than touching hands...
Image: DW/S. Bartlick
Smile
Probably the easiest way to greet someone without sharing germs and making a faux pas is to look the other person in the eyes, smile and say hello.
Image: picture-alliance/PhotoAlto/E. Audras
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Concerns for mental health, unequal effects
While agreeing with these social distancing measures, Mamelund pointed out one unexpected side effect of epidemics: an increase in depression and other mental disorders. Referring to a study on the 1918 pandemic, which severely disrupted daily life for months and ultimately killed at least 50 million people worldwide, he said the "drop in social integration due to isolation and quarantine, mass gatherings being closed down and closing of schools and churches [and] the pain and sorrow due to losing loved ones to the disease all led to higher number of suicides."
While the current COVID-19 outbreak is not nearly as serious — and people today are arguably less isolated thanks to modern communication methods — Mamelund said he did expect to see large social inequalities when it comes to infection and mortality rates. He said poorer segments of society may have fewer opportunities to work from home and isolate themselves, along with reduced access to high-quality health care and a poorer overall health in general.
"A person with heart disease in a rich welfare state [like Norway] will have a higher [chance] of surviving the new coronavirus than a person with heart disease living in a poor country," he said.
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Clean hands, no touching
For now, the outbreak appears to have had little impact on spiritual activities in Germany. The country's two largest religions have so far reported no sign of a decline in attendance, according to a survey by the Evangelical Press Service of the regional Protestant churches and Catholic dioceses in early March.
Church authorities have emphasized preventative measures like hand-washing and the use of disinfectant, recommendations which have also blanketed public spaces and social media in recent weeks. Social etiquette experts have also chimed in to offer no-contact alternatives to the traditional handshake — a recommendation Merkel echoed on Wednesday, saying people should give a friendly look in the eyes and a smile instead of a handshake.
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These prevention measures appear to be hitting home, at least with rail travelers. Railroad operator Deutsche Bahn has reported a 20% increase in the use of soap and disinfectant onboard its trains in recent weeks — though domestic train travel is slowing down too, given rising awareness of the need for social distancing and the numerous border restrictions that have been implemented in recent days.
Whether people will stick to improved hygiene and the all-important hand-washing guidance remains unclear. Mamelund, for one, isn't too optimistic, recalling the 2009 H1N1 flu pandemic which killed between 151,700 and 575,400 people worldwide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"People were also better at washing hands in 2009, during the swine flu pandemic, but I think people went back to old poorer habits quite quickly after the pandemic was over," he said.
