Blue sky, the sun is shining, it is warm. Spring is finally there and everyone would love to go outside, meet friends in the park or have a pint in the pub. However, Corona-Virus is still forcing people to stay at home, it is forbidden to meet friends or family. Whereas Ireland has extended its restrictions, the German government is already thinking about loosening the limitations.
With nearly 10.000 cases of COVID-19 in Ireland, a new survey found out, that people find the restrictions that were imposed by the government very clear. Moreover, 75 percent of respondents find themselves adapting their behavior in public, whereas only 37 percent felt that people around them had changed their behavior. The restrictions, that were now extended to the 5th of May, seem to take effect: the infection rate decreases.
Even the restrictions in Ireland are much more strict than in Germany, there the government is already talking about loosening the limitations. While people in Ireland are only allowed to leave their house within 2 kilometers and only can do their grocery shopping, go to the pharmacy and the doctor, Germans can still go wherever they want to. As long as there are not more than two people together in the public, people can leave their houses, even their hometowns, if they don’t leave the state and go very far.
Nevertheless, restrictions in Germany are only valid until the 19th of April. This week Angela Merkel is going to decide if limitations will keep in place after that date or if the government will already loose the restrictions.
In both cases and for both countries it is fact, that it will take much longer than the 19th of April or the 5th of May until life gets back to normal. In social-media I have asked people living in Ireland and Germany, what they are most looking forward to once the day of normality finally arrives.
“I’m looking forward to having real face to face conversation with people because it doesn’t feel the same communicating with technology”, says a student in Dublin. He’s also happy when he is able to go anywhere at any time within the city again. “I can’t wait for the football leagues to resume”, he says. “Finally I’m eagerly anticipating when I can do window shopping again and be able to cut my hair.”
Another student in Dublin, who is currently in India, is most looking forward to going to dancing classes and traveling again. She will also appreciate small things like going for a long walk at the beach by herself more.
“I’m looking forward to doing something useful again”, says a young man in Germany, who can neither go to school nor to work. He wants to have a plan for the future and be able to work towards something again: “Living, making money and meeting people.”
A German woman misses visiting friends, going out for dinner and traveling the most. She is also looking forward to “go back to the office and see my colleagues again, so these video conference marathons can stop.”
Tell me below what your plans are for the time after COVID-19!
