For a year that has, for much of the world, been another rigorous exercise in defending against the dreaded COVID 19 situation, what could’ve been ideal other than marking a quiet and peaceful end to 2021? But no, just when one desires for things to end on the ‘normal,’ the eventuality is anything but normal.
Not a line of fiction or one forged in dreams, but the bitter reality of life. For much of Western Europe, 2021 was largely about a change in government policies, carrying forward with immediacy a cohesive plan of action to keep rising infections at bay.
And now, as the world draws close to the end of 2021, it appears that the conclusion of the year will be anything but smooth.
So why’s that? We have to rewind to the events from day before yesterday. And if you would’ve noted them, then you’d have found that a state of national crisis was beginning to take shape in Deutschland.
Then over to what actually transpired on November 19, 2021. That’s when a state of emergency was actually put into place in Germany in the line of rising non stop COVID cases.
Where most countries, including Britain and the United States, two prominent powers of the world are enjoying what can be called smooth sailing, there’s Germany that’s preparing for the worst. A crisis yet again. One that must be averted at all costs.
Given the COVID situation that exists in Germany at present, it appears that there will not be any Christmas markets for 2021 year-end. Truth be told, that’s only as sane a thing to do at this point in time as is abstaining from touching an electricity switch or power connection with wet hands.
The lesser the risk, the greater the reward.
So what troubles Germany is a surge in COVID infections. That’s known for sure. What might trouble Germany even more is that situation where on account of carelessness or a cavalier attitude the rising spate of infections, reach an uncontrollable number.
Moreover, just for a second if anyone thought that things are fine and that panic is needless then take into consideration the useful inputs published on NDTV.com on the ensuing crisis in Germany, a country that is yet to elect a full-time leader for the future with Merkel completing her term.
“The situation is very, very serious and difficult,” in the words of Markus Soeder, the gentleman who is the serving premier of the venerable state of Bavaria, Southern Germany.
But he said tough action was needed to keep hospitals from being overwhelmed and called for “solidarity” from all citizens. “We need more ‘we’ and less ‘I’ in this pandemic,” he told reporters.
However, the director of the Robert Koch Institute, Lothar Wieler, told reporters Friday that with the exponential rise in infection levels, the curbs would be insufficient to contain the latest surge.
So what are going to the next immediate steps for a country that is keenly curbing all possible steps that would lead to increased public interactivity and interaction among the masses? For now, what’s important is to note that the nation that hosts, each year and unfailingly so, no fewer than 2,500 Christmas markets is not going to be doing that for 2021.
This may surely dampen the Xmas spirits. But watch this space for more. We shall be bringing you more updates from the land of the great Autobahns, the Brandenburg gate and the Oktoberfest!