oh. after. combating the corona pandemic. where does research stand. what are scientists learning. background information and news. in our corona update. coded 19 special next on d w. i'm going crazy thing in time. how to handle our new lives in times of the koran a pandemic d.w.

reporter. just like herself and she's looking for answers and thankfully with the help of a ex-pat. thank you this is not life as we know it hot. in this together our new web series. react to the pandemic with travel bans lockdowns. fighting for every life in one of germany's coronavirus hotspots some european countries are starting to relax more restrictions won't all this time. no is not the time good next measures. europe is a mock up of schools businesses restaurants on fire. actuaries have all been

shuttered for weeks now people are to moralize with the arrival of spring they've been enjoying what they still can the sun in the park some fresh air but many are missing a sense of community some countries like denmark and austria are already beginning to loosen the most severe restrictions others think it is too early for that now what do experts is the virus on the control room can public life return to normal and will the warmer temperatures now arriving in the northern hemisphere slow the spread of the disease. these are some of the questions we'll discuss in this edition of covert 19 special here on the w. news i'm chris culliver in berlin and it's good to have you with us now the longer the shutdown is in place the more pressing becomes the question when constricts social distancing measures be eased here in germany public officials are yet to decide on an official strategy so let's get an expert's view to be escort is a professor of public health and if it in me ology at berlin's charlotte

a hospital welcome to our program to b s let's talk about the weather 1st here there have been some including the u.s. president saying that rising temperatures are bad for the virus are they. well if you look at the areas that's reported its actions and if you see this part of the virus there's really no differences between regions of war and reaching the colder so i think the virus is really not affected but same picture it is true that you're in the cold weather season to skin and. insect your throat is more susceptible 'd for getting in it's actually that may be a factor of it also think that it is really affected by temperature so springtime meaning it's not necessarily a bad time for corona. it's not about time for the buyers it's time for for us and enjoying the sun roof and so fully getting some fresh air certainly the

sunshine helps certainly it's what moves it's a good time for all of us it's and spring right now but sort of iras i don't think that makes much of a difference to me as the number of reported cases in germany is declining in italy and spain the countries hardest hit here in europe are reporting receiving death numbers where are we in the timeline of this pandemic. one thing one has to understand that the virus cannot be stopped the reasons why these measures and the physical contact restrictions on places to allow the health care system to leave some regions even in germany you know that. hospitals are really on the edge so this was the reason why we certainly support it these these measures now and then it's really over the so called her community is region that is a long way to so if not relax some measures it's not mean that iris is gone the

virus is there and we have to deal with the virus for quite some time until we have pixelation available or until enough people have been infected with the virus and have immunity against the virus nevertheless the severe social distancing measures they are taking their toll on people and number of public officials here in germany and other places are talking about lifting some of the strictest countermeasures is that the right time to do that. well scientists than many experts agree it isn't certain specified as office the air nobody likes to cook is really hard measures and to 'd into place this is the right time we'll be including weeks in 2 weeks and 10 days nobody really can tell what it think is a good time now to discuss how we can lift this restrictions and how we can move into the future and as you know deal with biomedical data but also of the economic

social they are psychological data and all of these is not really helpful or for the health of the people so we have to really start to move on to to really start to go back to a life that is certainly not the normal life that we used to but to a life that makes sense and makes. us starting businesses again and allowing kids to go to school so i think it's a good time to discuss this right now all right let's do it let's talk about they have now germany's academy of sciences one of the most renowned research institutions in the country says primary and secondary schools should gradually open again and it should be mandatory for people to wear face masks on public transportation what is your take on that. i think these are her goods and reasonable of such actions many experts from various fields have been involved in

this recommendations and i think that that was a really good starting points we all have to understand however if restrictions are lifted its debts we may see an effect of the healthcare system again and that we have to increase some of the restrictions that potentially this will mean on the law for some time we have to evaluate this very 'd carefully indeed exports are going to stoop to recommence 'd specific measures to get politicians who don't have to make their decisions but i think the recommendations of the national academy of science are 'd leading reasonable and they are good starting points also it's important that they set that should not really i select specific care groups such as the elderly or such as people with medical conditions i think that was also 'd a very important state and to be as briefly one of the most important aspects of such a strategy of easing these restrictions. well it is. new

really have to know what is possible and people what they can do i think we all society understood the importance of defeating his virus and the importance of the attention of the health care system so i think chair we should also count on on decided that they really work with everyone to make this. epidemiologist to be escort thank you for talking to g.w. thank you. so the discussion over when and how to access the lock down is still waging meanwhile spring has arrived in many countries in europe and it isn't germany people tried to make the best of their situation over the easter weekend which meant catching some rays while trying not to catch the virus. spring has caught and in parks across germany you wouldn't necessarily know that the country is in lockdown having spent weeks cooped up indoors many people are

experiencing a fresh appreciation for nature. you can send me nothing from that tree being i'd fight but of course i'm not meeting friends or socializing and it has a calming effect if the last thing you know. for me it's liberating to be actually in a chair. in germany you are still allowed to go it alone or with one other person but it out to exercise or just agree big from fresh air but even when you're soaking in the spring sun you still need to make sure you're sticking to social gifted thing ruth. another man who certainly wishes he'd have more time for a nice walk in the park but our resident corona expert eric williams has been very busy thinking about and answering the questions you sent us here's our latest installment. can you get the corona virus and any symptoms.

based on what we know right now it looks like around one out of every 6 people that catches 19 gets seriously ill and develops difficulties with breathing symptoms and others who have tested positive for the disease ranged from serious to very mild and some people who test positive have no symptoms at all at the center for disease control in the u.s. believes as many as one in 4 people who get the disease show no symptoms no votes by the information they have as asymptomatic carriers might remain perfectly healthy themselves but contribute dramatically to transmission knowing how many people are asymptomatic would also help us nail down the real mortality rate of the virus which continues to be guesstimated and finally it's important in terms of fighting the disease if we can figure out why some people don't get sick that

information could help us in. the race to develop therapies. could survive in cave 19 we need to deal with me this question is closely tied to the question of why some people can carry the disease but are are asymptomatic from what we've seen so far the corona virus infects everyone but some people don't develop symptoms and that probably has to do with their genetic make up past research has shown that genetics do have an influence on the course of viral infections and scientists are looking at some key genes very closely in the covert 19 pandemic especially the ones that include 4 and controllable the expression of an enzyme in the cell membrane called ace 2 it's what the coronavirus uses as a gateway to get into the cell could variations there makes some people more

susceptible than others maybe it's pretty unlikely though that there will be a single genetic variant that determines whether you get a mild or severe a case of cope at 19 the 1st wide scale research studies in the area are ramping up now but they'll take time to carry out and evaluate. and if you have a question for us about the virus simply post it in the comments section of our d.w. your channel and that wraps up today's edition of covert 19 special for more on the pandemic to check out our social media channels and our website that's d.w. dot com which has dedicated covert 9000 pages in 30 languages i'm chris caldwell and thanks for watching and before we let you go many scientists around the world are calling on governments to provide people with face masts if they intend on easing lockdown restrictions on taiwan seems to be a step ahead on this story as there have sort of vending machines where people can

scan their health insurance cards health insurance cards in order to pick up their fortnightly ration of 9 masks and idea other countries may well wish to a doctor it's. environmentally conscious livin with maximum comfort. her knowledge furia from tanzania is helping make it possible he started with sustainable ideas in his own home. to our kids inspiring others to innovate at his invention school for good. next t.w. . take on.

music is a kind of culture war the media send me a phenomena i. i refer a little kid. 60 minutes. how does a virus spread. why do we panic and when we'll all be. just 3 of the topics covered and the weekly radio show is called spectrum if you would like and new information on the wrong a virus or any other science topic you should really check out our podcast so you can get it wherever you go your podcast you can also find us at. science.

with us and it's of but you don't need to keep. going to the people for the over the direction home the 4th time for the most recent medical number looks rather nice the bottom of the bellies at the last dragon this one has called the hard truth. to the real books on. the. world. hello and welcome to another edition of africa while we highlight environmental topics on ideas from europe and africa saundra to nobody and this week we'll be looking out the many ways you can recycle plastic west i'm in kampala uganda and as always i'm co-hosting.