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HEALTH

Coronavirus forces ‘paper napkin’ makeover at swanky German hotel

From wipe-down place-mats to paper napkins and a drive-through ice-cream stand by the grand entrance, guests returning to the swanky Kempinski just outside Frankfurt will find a very different hotel when it reopens its doors after a two-month lockdown.

Coronavirus forces 'paper napkin' makeover at swanky German hotel
An employee cleaning the Berlin branch of the Kempinski after it reopened on Monday. Photo: AFP/Tobias Schwarz

Hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic, the hotel has seen its revenues dry up as events from business seminars to weddings were scrapped and guests cancelled.

After two painful months, the hotel has been authorised to reopen, but only on condition of drastic changes to ensure social distancing and hygiene rules.

READ ALSO: State by state: Where can I travel within Germany?

So the starched tablecloths are gone, replaced by washable place-mats on tables that would have to be placed 1.5 metres apart.

Paper napkins with the hotel's logo are laid out for guests. Photo: AFP/Daniel Roland

Sumptuous breakfast buffets are also a thing of the past, replaced by set menus printed on easily-disinfected laminated sheets.

And instead of service with a smile, guests will be greeted by mask-clad trainees, as many of the hotel's experienced 115-strong full time staff have been furloughed.

At reception, a marble fountain stands dry and the desk is bereft of its customary fruit basket, and only one person at a time can ride in the elevators.

Wearing a mask covering her mouth and nose, trainee Jana Maria Kessler practises serving under the new conditions, carefully setting the table from a tray loaded with paper napkins and cutlery blasted with ultraviolet light to eliminate germs.

The face coverings are a “big problem,” she believes, making it “impossible to talk to guests like we did before”.

But for the Kempinski management, any measures that make diners feel safer, such as regular disinfections of every nook and cranny, are the most important factor in winning back business.

10 billion hit

Germany's hotel industry as a whole has taken a hit of more than 10 billion in revenue compared with 2019 in January-April.

With its vast grounds, the Frankfurt Kempinski has the space to spread outdoors over summer to fulfil social distancing regulations.

“Our luxury is having so much space” says hotel manager Karina Ansos.

But for smaller players in the hospitality industry, it is a different story.

Across the hotel sector, infection control measures mean bookings may be between 50 and 70 percent lower than under normal conditions, predicts Guido Zoellick, president of the German hoteliers' and restaurateurs' association.

A Kempinski employee serves different flavours of ice cream to drive-in customers. Photo: Daniel Roland/AFP

Guests will only return to the Kempinski from next week for overnight stays.

Its new initiatives however seem to be tempting clients back.

Business is brisk at the drive-through ice-cream stand offering 10 home-made flavours like asparagus or lime. The ever-popular German favourite currywurst — sausages slathered in spicy ketchup — is also in demand.

“Every crisis is a time for creativity, too,” said Ansos, whose latest brainchild is offering “show-cooking” displays as chefs demonstrate their skills in the midst of the diners — from behind the safety of a plexiglass screen.

By Jean-Philippe Lacour

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HEALTH

Could there be a new wave of Covid-19 in Germany this autumn?

It’s back again: amid sinking temperatures, the incidence of Covid-19 has been slowly rising in Germany. But is this enough to merit worrying about the virus?

Could there be a new wave of Covid-19 in Germany this autumn?

More people donning face masks in supermarkets, friends cancelling plans last minute due to getting sick with Covid-19. We might have seen some of those familiar reminders recently that the coronavirus is still around, but could there really be a resurgence of the virus like we experienced during the pandemic years?

According to virologists, the answer seems to be ‘maybe’: since July, the number of people newly infected with Covid-19 has been slowly rising from a very low level.

According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), nine people per 100,000 inhabitants became newly infected in Germany last week. A year ago, there were only around 270 reported cases.

Various Corona variants are currently on the loose in the country. According to the RKI,  the EG.5 (also called Eris) and XBB.1.16 lines were each detected in the week ending September 3rd with a share of just under 23 percent. 

The highly mutated variant BA.2.86 (Pirola), which is currently under observation by the World Health Organisation (WHO), also arrived in the country this week, according to RKI. 

High number of unreported case

The RKI epidemiologists also warned about a high number of unreported cases since hardly any testing is done. They pointed out that almost half of all registered sewage treatment plants report an increasing viral load in wastewater tests.

The number of hospital admissions has also increased slightly, but are still a far cry from the occupation rate amid the pandemic. Last week it was two per 100,000 inhabitants. In the intensive care units, only 1.2 percent of all beds are occupied by Covid-19 patients.

Still, a good three-quarters (76.4 percent) of people in Germany have been vaccinated at least twice and thus have basic immunity, reported RKI. 

Since Monday, doctors’ offices have been vaccinating with the adapted vaccine from Biontech/Pfizer, available to anyone over 12 years old, with a vaccine for small children set to be released the following week and one for those between 5 and 11 to come out October 2nd.

But Health Minister Karl Lauterbach has so far only recommended that people over 60 and those with pre-existing conditions get vaccinated.

READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: Who should get a Covid jab this autumn in Germany?

“The pandemic is over, the virus remains,” he said. “We cannot predict the course of coming waves of corona, but it is clear that older people and people with pre-existing conditions remain at higher risk of becoming severely ill from Covid-19”

The RKI also recommended that people with a cold voluntarily wear a mask. Anyone exhibiting cough, cold, sore throat or other symptoms of a respiratory illness should voluntarily stay at home for three to five days and take regular corona self-tests. 

However, further measures such as contact restrictions are not necessary, he said.

One of many diseases

As of this autumn, Covid-19 could be one of many respiratory diseases. As with influenza, there are no longer absolute infection figures for coronavirus.

Saarbrücken pharmacist Thorsten Lehr told German broadcaster ZDF that self-protection through vaccinations, wearing a mask and getting tested when symptoms appear are prerequisites for surviving the Covid autumn well. 

Only a new, more aggressive mutation could completely turn the game around, he added.

On April 7th of this year, Germany removed the last of its over two-year long coronavirus restrictions, including mask-wearing in some public places.

READ ALSO: German doctors recommend Covid-19 self-tests amid new variant

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