New Year, new luck?

Happy New Year! Things can only get better. 

Usually, big deal: A new year, being greeted with fireworks, champagne, good wishes and resolutions. Not on this New Year's: COVID lock down in Germany (and many other European countries), meaning: no fireworks, no parties with more than two households and a maximum of five people. Unusually quiet. Therefore, we slept through the turn of the year!

More than ever before, the turn of the year didn't even pretend to cause any change. The old ("Chinese", as Trump called it) virus is still highly active, the new ("English") mutation is adding to the general fear and uncertainty (or denial and ignorance). Numbers of infected and positively tested people are unrestrainedly on the rise since end of October. The first lock down "light" in November didn't change anything but to prompt a couple of shops/restaurants/services to already shut down for good. The "strict" lock down which was mandated on Dec. 16th is ongoing (probably until January 31st), but equally inefficient so far. 

In December there was suddenly light at the end of the tunnel, when Biontech-Pfizer announced that a COVID-vaccine is available. It took a little longer in Germany to have it formally approved, but after Christmas vaccination started with caregivers, nurses and in care homes. Also, the 80+ age group is among the first ones to get the vaccine. Well, that might beg the question: They may be in greater danger if infected, and, they would swamp the ICUs in hospitals then, but on the other hand, how many 80+ people are regularly leaving the house to go to work or use public transport and meet with other people than their caregivers?

The city is deserted, almost all shops (with the exception of grocery/drug stores), restaurants (only a few offer take-out profitably), fitness studios, services like manicure or hairdressers, cultural institutions, libraries, museums - almost everything - is closed. It's horribly dull and boring and the only way to not go insane is to go grocery shopping and to explore the neighborhood by walking every day. And, reading, lots of reading.

Americans under a certain taxable income automatically get their (second) stimulus check one of these days! Here, there are specific support programs for different professional sectors available, but, e.g. for artists/musicians/actors/journalists/writers, etc., it's hard to qualify. E.g., you have to state your monthly income (which we don't have), your operating costs (neither) or your savings (don't want to do that), and/or have to pay back in full or partially one day. In general, it's several pages of forms to fill out and until you will receive the money, another couple of weeks will go by. 

While the car industry and big companies like Lufthansa are subsidized, while delivery services, internet companies, security firms or producers of disinfectants and masks, Netflix and internet games are on a roll, the environment is suffering. Masks everywhere in the woods/parks/streets, one person per car, not many using public transportation anymore, huge amounts of garbage caused by all the self-declared "chefs". While the rich ones continue to live a good life (many of them in home office, teaching their kids themselves, self-isolating), the ones having to do the "dirty" jobs, salesclerks, caregivers, nurses, kitchen aids or factory hands, are struggling financially and mentally, are being neglected; unemployed and homeless are suffering badly. 

I do not deny the virus and how dangerous it is. I do not deny that there are really stupid people. But, what I particularly miss in politics is practicability, a down-to-the bottom-of-things attitude, a bit more enlightenment, foresight and respect for the educated citizen instead of new rules and flashes at short sight. I would wish for more than just orders, evocations, "mass punishment" because of "bad behavior," theories and theses by these high-paid people, living in villas with all luxury and support available. 

They probably can't imagine, how a family of six, living on 60 qm/600 sq.ft, will be able to find out which of their four kids is currently in "Absenzunterricht" ("home schooling" - as they previously mistakenly called it) and which of them has to be at school regularly (every other day/week?). Also, there are certainly not enough tablets or laptops available for the children to do their homework properly. Let alone the expertise to handle them reasonably and responsibly. Also, who should watch the kids at home, when the dad is a construction worker (a currently booming branch, too) and mom does shift work in geriatric care? Grandparents may be in a high-risk group and can't be bothered. At least, both parents still have work! Though, they probably won't go for a little ski excursion to the Alps on the weekend because the weather is just fine as some others do.

A widening gap is inevitable and "after" (?) COVID society will have changed. But, probably not to the better. We'll see.