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WORLD NEWS Thursday 23 april 2020
Preparation, quick action aid Germany, SKorea virus fight

By DAVID RISING plan for the country's 83 mil- tions could be snapped cans, the German govern- movements before they
Associated Press lion people last month, Fi- back. "The best path is one ment plan pays at least 60% were diagnosed are pub-
BERLIN (AP) — Derided by nance Minister Olaf Scholz that is careful, and not tak- of the salary of employees lished on websites and re-
many economists for years was able to assure there en light-heartedly." who are on reduced or no layed via smartphone alerts
for insisting on a balanced was more money available, The far-right Alternative hours. to inform others whether
budget and criticized for a they have crossed paths
health care system seen as with a carrier.
bloated and overly expen- The government is also us-
sive, Germany has found ing smartphone tracking
itself well equipped now apps to monitor the tens
to weather the coronavirus of thousands of people
pandemic. placed under self-quaran-
Already applauded for tine at home and plans to
early actions such as social- use electronic wristbands
distancing regulations and on people who defy quar-
aggressive testing seen as antine orders.
helping keep the death South Korea on Wednes-
toll comparatively low, Eu- day reported 11 new cases
rope's largest economy has of the coronavirus, the 21st
had the financial flexibility day in a row that the daily
to launch a massive rescue jump in infections came
plan to help businesses and below 100.
keep workers paid. The approach has meant
As the country moves this South Korea has managed
week to relax some restric- to slow the spread of the
tions, Chancellor Angela virus without imposing mas-
Merkel is pointing to South sive lockdowns or banning
Korea, which has used its nonessential businesses, so
experience fighting a dif- there has never been any
ferent coronavirus five In this April 16, 2020, a few cars and trucks drive on the usually very crowded main highway debate over "reopening" its
years ago to track and stay around Frankfurt, Germany, that is seen in the background. economy.
ahead of COVID-19, as the Associated Press. In the U.S., there has been
way ahead. growing impatience over
Meantime in the U.S., some if needed. And while Italy for Germany party has As restrictions are eased, virus-related shutdowns
protesters have taken to and Spain were faced at criticized Merkel's go-slow Merkel has pointed to that have led tens of mil-
the streets — supported by the height of the crisis with approach as "ruining our South Korea as an exam- lions to lose their jobs, and
President Donald Trump's having to decide whether country," but the chancel- ple of how Germany will the U.S. Senate on Tuesday
tweets — to demand an to allocate precious ICU lor's popularity has been have to improve measures approved nearly $500 bil-
end to virus-related shut- beds to elderly patients steadily rising and Germans to "get ahead" of the pan- lion in new aid for business-
downs to help the falter- with the most urgent need overwhelmingly see her demic with more testing es, hospitals and testing, on
ing economy, which has or to younger patients with government's crisis man- and tracking of cases to top of a $2.2 trillion pack-
caused tens of millions to the greatest chance of sur- agement positively. slow the infection rate. age passed last month in
lose their jobs, even if it vival, Germany has never Opening her Berlin toy store Experts say one reason the country of some 328
could lead to an increase had a shortage and has Wednesday for the first South Korea has managed million.
in deaths as the health even taken in patients from time in over a month, Ga- to avoid lockdowns or busi- Trump's administration has
care system struggles. other European countries. lina Hooge said she had ness bans was because of issued guidelines advising
"This is a crisis which, on the "They had the means, but already received govern- its aggressive testing and relaxation of restrictions
one hand, has probably then they also had the po- ment aid and the process contact-tracing program only after prerequisites, like
hit the U.S. where it is most litical will, and also the very was "surprisingly quick and that draws from its experi- a two-week downward tra-
vulnerable, namely health good analytical insights uncomplicated." ence of fighting a differ- jectory of cases, are met.
care," said Carsten Brzeski, to use the means," Brzeski, She said it only covered ent coronavirus — MERS Trump himself, however,
ING bank's chief Eurozone said, noting Merkel was a the store's rent and bills, but or Middle East Respiratory has grumbled "our country
economist. "While at the scientist before entering she felt relatively secure Syndrome -- in 2015. wasn't meant to be shut
same time it has hit the politics. thanks to Germany's uni- Following that outbreak, down" and has tweeted
German economy where "I can't imagine any gov- versal health insurance and which killed 36 people and support for anti-shutdown
it's the strongest." ernment better than Ange- strong social safety net. sickened around 200, South protests, and some states
Brzeski was among those la Merkel's to deal with this." "The main thing is that ev- Korea rewrote its infectious are moving ahead with
who argued for Germany Germany is now taking eryone stays healthy and disease law to allow health plans to begin reopening
to spend more to stimulate baby steps to ease restric- the situation doesn't be- authorities quick access to as early as this week.
the economy as growth tions, allowing smaller shops come like America," she a broad range of personal The U.S. has registered
ground toward stagnation, to reopen this week while said, referring to the large information to fight infec- more than 825,000 infec-
but concedes now the sticking to strict social-dis- number of cases and tious diseases. tions and 45,000 deaths so
country is in a fortunate po- tancing guidelines, includ- deaths in the United States. Amid criticism from priva- far, including some 15,000
sition. ing requiring face masks in Besides help for small busi- cy advocates, authorities fatalities in New York City
For years, balanced bud- public. The effect will be nesses, Germany's aid have fully exercised such alone. Often at odds with
get proponents argued it analyzed after two weeks package is designed to powers during the CO- Trump, New York Gov. An-
was prudent during good to see whether infections keep the unemployment VID-19 pandemic, aggres- drew Cuomo has warned
economic times to bring have again started to sig- rate down and allow work- sively tracing virus carriers' against relaxing restrictions
Germany's house in order nificantly climb. ers to return quickly when contacts with tools such as too early and risking a new
to be prepared for a crisis. "We must not overwhelm possible. While Washing- smartphone GPS tracking, spike in infections, no mat-
So in announcing a 1 trillion our health care system," ton is sending out one-time credit card records and ter how badly the econo-
euro ($1.1 trillion) rescue Merkel said, warning restric- stimulus checks to Ameri- surveillance video. People's my is faring.q