Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday said that the coronavirus is likely to infect about two thirds of the German population.
But her chief medical Advisor, Dr. Lothar Weiler, who appeared with her, added,”we don’t know how quickly it will happen“. One of the leading virologists in the country recently stated that infected so many people may take a year, two years or even more.
At the press conference, Ms. Merkel said: “Given the virus, for which there is no immunity and no immunization, we must understand that many people will be infected. The General opinion of the experts, 60 to 70 percent of the population will be infected“.
The essence of her message was that the Germans should take precautions so that the health system could cope with a large number of people who can become seriously ill. She urged people to stay home.
“How we react has a value, “said Ms. Merkel. “We are playing at the time“.
“We are at the beginning of development, which we do not yet see the end“, — she told journalists in his first public statement on the epidemic, which has already infected more than 1,600 people in Germany. “But we as a country will do whatever is necessary, working within the European bloc”.
This readiness includes flexibility in spending, especially to help small and medium-sized enterprises are losing business, she said.
“We will not ask every day: “What does this mean for our deficit?”, said Ms. Merkel.
Major events, including all cultural performances in Berlin, Munich and other places, were either canceled or will be held without spectators.
