A recent poll by YouGov indicates that 53% of Germans support the idea of a sweeping lockdown all across the country, amid a surge in Covid cases.
38%, on the other hand, do not want to see the screws tightened even further, while another 8% are undecided. The pollsters surveyed 2,049 Germans online between November 30 and December 2, asking whether they would support a nationwide lockdown in December.
The study revealed a considerable divergence of opinion, depending on age and region. For instance, among the respondents over 55, the number in favor of tougher restrictions is the highest of all age groups, reaching 63%, while only 40% of those aged 25 to 34 hold the same view. As for regional differences, the two German states with the lowest support for a new lockdown are Thuringia and Saxony, which also rank among the country’s Covid hotspots, with a relatively low proportions of vaccinated citizens. At the opposite end of the spectrum are Bremen and Lower Saxony.
The poll results additionally suggest that the majority of Germans see a bleak future ahead, with 58% skeptical about the nation’s chances of getting on top of the Covid pandemic in the coming year. 28% are more optimistic, however, while another 13% found it difficult to offer any prognosis. The researchers say Germans in the west of the country tend to see things in a more positive light compared to those in the east.
The poll results come as Germany’s federal and regional authorities agreed on Thursday to introduce sweeping restrictions for the unvaccinated, barring them from all cultural and entertainment venues. Access to shops in hard-hit regions is now also contingent on a person having proof of either vaccination or of recovery. Stores selling essential goods and groceries are, however, an exception to the rule.
On Thursday, outgoing chancellor Angela Merkel announced that a nationwide Covid vaccination mandate may come into effect from February next year, telling journalists that, by the end of 2021, the country’s parliament would have voted on legislation allowing this measure. Her successor at the helm, Olaf Scholz, is reportedly also in favor of making vaccination mandatory for all. Germany has had record-breaking numbers of new Covid infections in recent weeks, with health authorities warning that hospitals in some regions are currently working at capacity.
Today, when the UN plans initiatives to help vulnerable communities become more resilient, the climate crisis has to be part of the equation. The UN Development Programme (UNDP) is connecting the dots between people and the impacts that climate change is having on their lives.
STOCKHOLM / ROME, Dec 03 (IPS) – In these times of COVIDisolation, social distance get on the nerves of several of us and the effects may be long-lasting, even endemic. Many schoolchildren have interacted and still meet with their teachers through computer networks, while the same phenomenon applies to their contact with others. Technical devices are with an ever-increasing scope becoming an integral part of all communication, teaching, and entertainment, in short – of social interaction. When it comes to education, given all the poor and even harmful educators we are forced to encounter during our lifetime, mechanization of education might be perceived as a step forward. Nevertheless, too much dependence on the internet might undoubtedly have its pitfalls; contributing to an abstraction of our existence where real adventures and life-changing encounters with other human beings become all the rarer. The world may be demystified, losing its wonder and magic.Read the full story, “Social Distance, Science and Fantasyâ€, on globalissues.org →find more fun & mates at SoShow now !
Orcas are lingering longer in the Arctic Ocean, as sea ice there shrinks. The whales often travel to access varieties of prey, but it’s likely there are now more hunting opportunities in the Arctic.
The leader of West Australia has suggested that US-based “white supremacist groups” may be to blame for low vaccination rates among Aboriginals, claiming indigenous peoples have been targeted with anti-vaxx propaganda.
“There’s been some misinformation provided to Aboriginal people from people who do not have their best interests at heart,” West Australia Premier Mark McGowan told reporters on Thursday, adding that he had “heard from one Aboriginal person who said white supremacist groups are sending information to Aboriginal people that they shouldn’t get vaccinated.”
Now, the suspicion is these white supremacist groups out of America wouldn’t be unhappy if bad outcomes occurred to the health of Aboriginal people in Australia. That’s the problem we face.
McGowan warned that “white supremacists” were allegedly seeking to “to harm Aboriginal people” and urged the indigenous community to “listen to the experts” when it comes to vaccines.
Some 75% of West Australia’s population of 2.6 million is fully vaccinated, according to local media, though rates among Aboriginals continue to lag in the 30% range.
Earlier this week, the premier in Perth doubled down on West Australia’s strict, ongoing border closures with other states, arguing that recent measures taken by the federal government over fears of the coronavirus Omicron strain vindicate his administration’s decisions.
“It turns out that borders and measures to keep people out who might be infected work,” he said.
The state plans to drop its border restrictions when it hits a full-vaccination target of 90% – slightly more strict than an 80% goal set by the federal government – and McGowan is expected to put a hard date on a reopening plan sometime in the coming days.
STOCKHOLM / ROME, Dec 03 (IPS) – In these times of COVIDisolation, social distance get on the nerves of several of us and the effects may be long-lasting, even endemic. Many schoolchildren have interacted and still meet with their teachers through computer networks, while the same phenomenon applies to their contact with others. Technical devices are with an ever-increasing scope becoming an integral part of all communication, teaching, and entertainment, in short – of social interaction. When it comes to education, given all the poor and even harmful educators we are forced to encounter during our lifetime, mechanization of education might be perceived as a step forward. Nevertheless, too much dependence on the internet might undoubtedly have its pitfalls; contributing to an abstraction of our existence where real adventures and life-changing encounters with other human beings become all the rarer. The world may be demystified, losing its wonder and magic.
