Do not ban singing across the board
A new infection protection ordinance issued by the state of Berlin prohibits singing in closed rooms. Regardless of the size of the room and compliance with hygiene and distancing rules, this will prevent both professional and amateur choirs from working. The German Music Council is fighting back.
According to Christian Höppner, Secretary General of the German Music Council, the Berlin Senate's decision is not only disproportionate. It reveals "an appalling understanding of culture". The German Music Council is calling on the Berlin Senate to revise its decision. Singing is fundamental to Germany as a cultural nation and is perfectly possible in closed rooms, provided that hygiene regulations are observed.
Despite all understanding for the high burden of responsibility of political decisions in corona times, Höppner continued, this example shows once again how urgently the coordination of the study situation by the federal government is needed so that the range of findings does not lead to such wrong decisions.
On June 3, 2020, the German Music Council issued a press release calling on the German Aerospace Center (DLR) to take the lead in conducting, coordinating and providing basic coronavirus research on the risk of infection in enclosed spaces together with the Robert Koch Institute. On its website, the German Music Council provides a collection of links with references to current corona studies as well as protection and hygiene concepts in the cultural sector.
Link collection:
https://www.musikrat.de/corona/hygiene-und-schutzkonzepte
