What Happened So Far

Once again, a missed opportunity! This blog could have become the ultimate Corona chronicle of the ultimate capital. But after two posts at the very beginning, we abandoned the topic. So much has happened and how it happened, and what it has done to us, reminds us of the stages of grief: Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, Acceptance.

Denial

Yes, of course, some people spoke up and claimed, for example, that the flu of 1918 was much worse and that more people died from every other flu since then. That argument quickly died down because we could track in real time what was happening practically around the corner in Italy. The government was even assumed to have a higher level of competence than usual for some time. This was due in part to the calm seriousness of the Chancellor, the responsible Minister, and Professors Drosten and Wieler. The far-right AFD was temporarily pushed into the background and only made headlines when it tried to dismantle itself.

People actually stayed at home and only went out to replenish essential supplies, such as toilet paper and flour. Many employees also no longer went to work, they were sent to home office. Overnight, many people discovered that they could wash their hands and suddenly there was no more soap available. Respiratory masks were still controversial in their effectiveness but still sold out. The first sewing and crafting instructions appeared on the net and we joined the business with the model from "Elle". A moment too late. After not even 50 masks and two recycled shirts, the business went down because the competition simply became too great. We are now wearing the last overproduced specimens ourselves.

The nationwide travel restrictions and the closure of hotels resulted in no tourists being seen in the city for weeks. Berlin belonged to the locals again, who of course could not come close to filling the available space. A car-free Friedrichstrasse, Kurfürstendamm without crowds of people with KaDeWe bags, the 100 bus for ourselves, largely empty S-Bahn trains: We will tell our grandchildren about this. The poor ones.

Anger

The first demonstrations by Corona deniers appeared at a time when the restrictions were being loosened again. Suddenly, people were demonstrating for democratic basic rights which, should they ever come to power, they would immediately abolish. The trains and buses filled up again and each car had about 30% of people refusing to wear masks.

Bargaining

A phase of bargaining began. Drosten and Wieler faded into the background, as did Merkel and Spahn. They were replaced by new experts, new studies, and familiar provincial princes who finally wanted to play again and increasingly contradicted each other. Yes, masks protect. No, they don't. They protect this one very well and that one not at all. Why don't we do it like in Sweden? Are children getting infected or are they just carriers? Did Bill Gates not only bring the computer virus "Windows 95" into the world but also Covid 19? Do bans work or should we appeal to reason? What is more important? Epidemic protection or the economy?

Depression

As members of the risk group over 60, we notice changes, especially in ourselves. Although we are not a risk to the world, almost everyone else is a risk to us. Nothing has been able to ruin this city for us so far. But at the moment, we catch ourselves being glad when we finally reach our apartment and close the door. In us, depression manifested itself in the feeling that apparently some of our fellow human beings consider it an imposition to protect us with distance and masks. The parks and trains are filling up, the tourists are back, the schools and daycare centers are open. Industry after industry is back in operation, albeit with limitations. But there is actually no collective sigh of relief in the city. Rather, the loosening measures are never extensive enough, the state aid is insufficient, and every day the media features people longing for normalcy, whatever that may be.

Acceptance

Acceptance of anti-corona measures is only increasing again now that the infection rates are rising and two out of three corona traffic lights are on red, although very inconsistently. In each subway car, there are only one or two so-called mask refusers. However, they are mostly the cowardly type with masks under their chins, which they can cover their mouth and nose with if they should actually be checked. Meanwhile, more and more people who actually got sick and actually suffered are being interviewed.

On the other hand, there are still Corona demos with thousands of participants marching through Friedrichshain and shouting, "Get rid of the masks!". (Quite something has happened since it was said "Get rid of the wall!"). There are nocturnal Corona parties where large areas are permanently destroyed. After 10 pm, Torstrasse and Oranienstrasse resemble Ballermann. The Health Senator from the SPD is becoming unpopular because she is calling for an alcohol ban after 11 pm, and the Greens and the Left consider this to be senseless.

Recently, Rhineland-Palatinate and Schleswig-Holstein have introduced a quarantine for travelers coming from the Mitte, Neukölln, and Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg districts. So we can currently only visit our children under difficult conditions, if anyone would even check that. Thanks a lot! So it remains exciting and we assume that we will have to deal with the virus for a long time and that we will go through all the phases several times.