Germany hints at additional help for struggling businesses, workers

A nurse with a face mask to protect against COVID-19 stands at the registration of the central emergency department during a presentation for media at the University Hospital in Essen, Germany. /AP

German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s coalition government has hinted at further support for businesses and consumers hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on hotels, restaurants and pay for short-time workers.

Dehoga, an industry association that includes a large share of often small family-owned operations, told Bild am Sonntag that some 70,000 restaurant and hotel operators, which employ 223,000 people, could face insolvency as they stood to lose up to 10 billion euros of sales by the end of April.

Economy minister Peter Altmaier of Merkel’s conservative party said in an interview with the same newspaper he agreed the sector needed support to get up on its feet again.

“It is clear that we will need additional help to prevent a large part of these companies giving up and disappearing from the market,” he said.

Germany has recorded over 144,000 COVID-19 cases and more than 4,500 deaths.

The pandemic has forced many businesses shut, affecting many people around the country.

New infections and recovery numbers in the country have however been looking more manageable in recent days.

But politicians and authorities agree that economic life can only restart very gradually to avoid fresh waves of rapid infections, leaving businesses starved of turnover.

Merkel’s chief of staff, Helge Braun, said in the Rheinische Post and General Anzeiger papers on Saturday he would not rule out the government making available further aid within weeks to support the economy at large.

Source(s): Reuters