Germanys fight against the coronavirus but chancellor merkel warns the country to remain vigilant and says its still too early to consider easing restrictions on public life. And bodies left in the streets in ecuador as coronavirus cases overwhelm of foreign teams hospital struggle to cope with a surge in cases on the worst may be yet to come. Im told me a lot it will welcome to the program e. U. Finance ministers have reached a deal 1850500 1000000000 euro plan to soften the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic the measures are aimed at helping states hit by corporate 19 as well as supporting companies and protecting jobs the breakthrough came after ministers failed to overcome their differences in marathon talks. Earlier this week southern European Countries wanted the union to do more to ease access to Financial Markets by creating socalled corona bonds but that idea was vetoed by wealthier countries such as germany the netherlands and finland. You know motus is following the story for us in brussels guild you tell us more about whats in this deal right this rescue plan basically consists of 3 safety nets 1st of all there is the money that comes from the European Bailout Fund the socalled european stability mechanism some 240000000000. 00 euros secondly there is the European Investment bank that will hand out loans to small and Medium Sized Companies worth some 200000000000. 00 euros and finally there is a short time work scheme from the European Commission worth 100000000000. 00 euros so in total were looking at over half a trillion euros and that is why the head of the euro group mario sent a note today and wanted to clarify when he was asked why this has taken so long seeing that the meeting was delayed and it took a couple of days until they made this decision that is exactly why it took so long it is a big big commitment he said it is unprecedented and he also clarified that it is bold bishes and it was unthinkable just a week ago have italy and spain achieved what they wanted. Yes they have achieved some of their goals basically something remained on the table and something is off the table lets start with whats off the table and that is tough conditionality conditionality for money from the European Bailout Fund will remain at a minimal minimal. And there wont be tough conditions like greece was facing them when they needed money from the bailout fund the compromise here is that the money can only be used on certain areas for instance in the Health Sector now what is remains on the table and that was crucial for both spain and italy is the idea of corona bonds in a way because what ministers agreed to is a Recovery Fund what they called a common Financial Mechanism for the future and there is still disagreement how the money for this fund where is where the money for this fund comes from some countries see joint debt issues as a source that will be the corona advance others say that wont happen and that is why the head of the euro group today said they will seek guidance from leaders in other words they kick the can down the road. In brussels thank you and germanys chancellor says she sees signs for optimism in the countrys fight against the coronavirus social distancing measures have helped slow the spread and the number of infections of new infections is going down but in her latest briefing angler merkel warned that now was not the time to ease the lock down deserted streets in the german capital a common sight in countries facing current a virus around the world but according to experts in germany the restrictions on movement seem to be having a positive effect. The number of new cases there appears to be leveling out but with a long easter weekend looming the german chancellor has warned against getting complacent to do if an old snitch we mustnt allow ourselves to be lowered into a false sense of security instead we should be really happy that more stringent measures are necessary for me this means that we cannot be reckless now we mustnt allow ourselves to be lulled into this false sense of security and i know that for myself personally you get a little hope then you gain confidence then you become a little more relaxed and then youre a little careless you know we have to stay focused the situation is fragile you germany also announced plans on thursday to increase Domestic Production of protective medical gear asian manufacturers are currently responsible for 90 percent of the worlds production of protective masks more than 100 companies have responded to the governments call for help at all such as your game of an ongoing displacement as a result in our discussions about procurement and the purchase of personal protective equipment especially medical protective masks we saw the 1st steps of progress. Some companies that operate here in germany are already investing in increasing the production of the material thats needed for masks and. Signs of cautious optimism in germany but the debate over an exit strategy to lift restrictions will resume after easter. British Prime MinisterBoris Johnson has been moved out of intensive care his spokesman said mr johnson had been moved back to a ward and would receive close monitoring during his recovery the Prime Minister was admitted to sent Thomas Hospital in london on sunday evening with a High Temperature and persistent cough he was moved to intensive care on monday after his coronavirus symptoms worsened hes now said to be in good spirits. But before he became ill johnson downplayed the potential dangers of the coronavirus earlier parts explained how similar attitudes towards the virus has changed in britain as a Prime Minister himself seemed kind of careless and i think that reflected in many peoples attitudes now of course that has changed went to show that this virus doesnt discriminate so definitely more people became a lot more careful but i think its also because of the shia numbers that were looking at here in the u. K. That people are getting more and more worried were at a point where the death toll has nearly reached 8000. 00 its comparable to spain almost the rise of deaths per day 7 to 800 at the moment the National Health service is slowly becoming overwhelmed at some places already at a breaking point where doctors and nurses a saying hospital beds are filling up way too quickly so while Boris Johnson seems to be out of the woods the country at this point definitely is not yet lets not take a look at some of the coronavirus related news from around the world. The pandemic has now killed at least 100. 00 doctors in italy according to the countrys Doctors Federation the deaths include some of the medics the government called out of retirement a month ago its also estimated that about 30 nursing staff have also died from corbett 19. Israel streets are empty as the annual passover holiday gets underway families would normally get together with a coronavirus pandemic means celebrations are now confined to individual households the government has shut down public transport until sunday morning. Even the International Monetary fund says the pandemic is causing the worst economic fallout since the Great Depression of the 1930 s. More than 170. 00 countries are expected to see a decline in per capita income this year and almost total reversal of prepared demick projections emerging economies in low income nations will be worst affected. The u. S. Job market is continuing to collapse government figures released on thursday show a staggering 16800000 americans have been pushed to file for Unemployment Benefits in just 3 weeks with over 6000000 joining long lines that last week that means that the coronavirus has cost about one in every 10 u. S. Workers their jobs with the flood of new claims Florida State has opened up the drive through unemployment offices. All of a salad joins me now from washington d. C. Oliver staggering new unemployment numbers in the u. S. This doesnt look good. It doesnt show me the numbers are dramatic and this is also the 2nd week that of all 6000000 americans filed for unemployment the 2nd week in a row so you mention it already economists have been saying that the u. S. Is already in a very deep recession the i. M. F. Predicting the biggest economic downturn since the Great Depression almost 100 years ago so that gives a little bit of an idea of what the u. S. U. S. Economy has gotten itself into at this point seoul President Trump in particular is fearing his reelection right now because his whole campaign will build on his former great Economic Data and therefore he has he is planning to put a 2nd task force to work a task for that is solely taking care about reopening the economy as soon as possible there are rumors that this could happen as soon as in may so the key for him is really to get americans back to work as soon as he finds ways and means to do so now the u. S. Has been the coronavirus epicenter for some time with nearly half a 1000000 confirmed infections are we seeing any improvement. Well we are seeing some slight improvement thats what the wire tells at least wants to make americans believe President Trump has been talking in his recent press conference often involved some light at the end of the tunnel as he said and his leading coronavirus export antony followed she today also said that americans might even be thinking about summer vacations and its true that the number of hospitalisations in new york city had its slowest jump in quite a while but still dont forget the number is still going up and we have to see if that trend continues the number of deaths is still surging though and there are also warnings that the crisis might just move further south and all that that the corona crisis might find other epi Center Cities like philadelphia baltimore and washington d. C. Where we are located and also if the economy is then going to be reopened soon the number will search the numbers of new infections will certainly go up again and will then also hit the weakest part of the society and that has already been the case the number of casualties among the black community for instance reportedly is particularly high above average tail of a sonnet in washington thank you for that update in south america ecuador is facing a crisis of coronavirus cases the situation is especially bad in the countrys biggest city. Bodies have been left on the streets as authorities struggle to collect the dead and hospitals have been overwhelmed. Desperation outside the emergency ward inquirer kill ecuador this womans parents are dying amazing they said they could admit my father but they have no oxygen are supposed to get the oxygen myself. Nurses are sounding the alarm hospital staff are falling ill with suspected cases of covert 19 people in guayaquil have been living with disaster for a week every day people are dying on the streets or in their apartments the virus is spread here on a massive scale it takes authorities days to collect the bodies. The smell is awful i dont know what to do im worried that we are infected myself my brother and my mother. Would always economic capital was unprepared for this theres hardly any testing taking place authorities are overwhelmed and afraid they might get infected while the government is trying to play down the situation all the government hasnt grasped the dimensions of the catastrophe that were witnessing here at the jimmy ologist say the next wave of illness is imminent that the worst thing. Relatives wait for days at the cemeteries for they did to be buried some are searching for family members they dont know where their graves are. Hoping to find my father. More and more people are dying every day and many worry that the crisis in choir kill could spread throughout the region. Youre watching news from berlin remember you can get all the latest headlines on the deed or on our website dot com of course you can follow us on twitter and on instagram as well were at. Ill be back at the top of the hour with headlines next 40. To. Combating the corona pandemic. Where does research stand. What are scientists learning. Background information and. Our corona. Covert 19 special next on d w. In the art of climate change. Their service. To. What is today out of their future. G. W. Dot com for canadas service. Click church. How useful are face masks during the corona crisis experts country agree on this should we wear them and if so who should wear them do they protect me or the other person and which types of mosques make sense at all and many Asian Countries face masks are regarded as one of the main weapons in the fight against the coronavirus and in china its even forbidden to be on the streets without a mosque. But here in europe we have mixed feelings about Wearing Masks in times of scarcity many believe mosques should be reserved for Health Care Workers who depend on protection but that few seems to have changed recently now more and more local authorities dont recommend to wear masks in public so lets talk about face masks and what they can do for us during a 100. Welcome to our covert 900. 00 special here in g. W. News i want to get jones in berlin good to have you with us is wearing a face mask useful during the Coronavirus Crisis or is it all just nonsense opinions are divided but there seems to be growing consensus that we can stay in permanent crisis mode but how do we end the lockdown without risking a rise in new cases and consequently higher death toll could compulsory facemask policies be the answer well in a moment well talk to an expert from the w. H. O. But 1st this report. Not all respirator masks are created equal we can generally distinguish between the 3 main types. Socalled filtering face piece or f. F. T. Masks fit snugly around the nose mouth and chin and filter out the tiniest airborne particles the most effective type lets no viruses in or out. And excell a shin valve makes breathing easier but increases the risk of viruses escaping so an unbalanced f. F. T. Mask protects both the wearer and the person they encounter with a valve that only reliably protects the wearer f. P. Masks are in short supply worldwide so they should be mainly reserved for medical personnel. A mask thats often seen nowadays is this simple protective face piece for the mouth and nose known as the surgical mask it consists of several layers of paper or non woven fabric with a thin wire to make it fit over the nose when the wearer coughs or sneezes the surgical mask blocks the large droplets but on inhalation air also flows in over the sides that means mainly to protect others from infection rather than the wearer. Once the mask is wet from breathing after 8 hours wearing time at the most it has to be discarded. In the coated 19 crisis professionally manufactured masks are in short supply thats led to a flourishing Cottage Industry in d. I. Y. Masks whether using handkerchiefs t. Shirts or vacuum cleaner bags people all around the world are revving up their sewing machines at textile mask functions rather like a protective mask made of paper but generally has a poor seal and blocks only a 3rd of the droplets that the surgical mask does according to a study. However a cloth mask can be washed and reused the most important thing is no matter which mask you wear it can only be effective if used with hygiene measures. Like thorough handwashing and keeping a safe distance from others. And still some people say the mask is better than none others however one that mask give people a false sense of security for more im joined by professor been counting at the university of hong kong his research there focuses on respiratory virus transmission and the impact of control measures on professor callan is also a codirector of the w. H. O. Collaborating center for Infectious Disease epidemiology and control at the h k you school of Public Health good to have you with us so please there are still a lot of mosque critics out there and they say that theres simply not enough evidence that Wearing Masks could actually stop or at least reduce the spread of the virus you however were involved in a study that was published just last week tell us a bit about that sure so the study that we did last week was a very careful experimental study in a laboratory of how much virus comes out of the mouths of people with influenza or common cold infections including common cold run a virus and we found a lot of virus in the xor breath not only in the large droplets but also in the small particle aerosols and the 2nd part of the study we looked at how well facemask blocked that virus from getting into the environment we captured all of the extra breath that these patients were breathing now and we found substantial reductions in the virus that was able to get into the environment when those patients wore surgical facemasks including influenza and including human coronavirus well that sounds to me like the study says that we should wear face masks and perhaps it should even be mandatory what you say. I think we need to be careful not to think that mate face masks are a magic weapon against culvert we know the best things that we can do in the community is stay at home stay away from other people because thats what would definitely stop transmission but then if we do need to go out i think it might be better if people were wearing a mask than if they werent but you mentioned the beginning the supply limitations is one of the big challenges to that kind of policy all right at just one more question about this discussion around whether or not we should wear face mask because its also linked to see is that a sas code to could be airborne what do we know about that. We dont know i think the jurys still out in the clip that you just played now you mention the face masks block the large profits from coming out of someone whos infected but for the other person whos wearing them some of the air comes in the sides actually in both cases the air will come in the sides and leak but they can still protect against droplets what we found in our study was that actually surgical mask a block many of the aerosol particles as well so even if sars kovi too is airborne a surgical mask could still provide some benefit obviously not as much as it would against the large risk but it could still provide some benefit whereas in as you mentioned earlier surgical mask or any kind of mask really theyre in short supply right now a lot of people are turning to d. I. Y. Mask what kind of mask makes sense in your view for the general public. Well i think any mars is better than no mars but we know that materials that are a bit thicker probably have better through a trace in performance so a cotton mask across mask is probably better than a scarf but we actually dont know that much there havent been that many studies on the different choices and i think dust now one of the play overseas now you already mentioned that a mask condra plays measures like social distancing or washing your hands but theres a lot of discussion now in in europe about an exit strategy from the lock down can face mask help us return to an almost normal life so are they prerequisite for ending the lock down. I dont think master going to be a magic weapon that lets life go back to normal if people were just wear masks and washing their hands i think they will do something but probably not enough to allow life to otherwise return to normal i think were still going to need a lot of social distancing and the other measures to test and trace where maybe if we do the mass as well every little bit will help is there a downside to wearing a face mask why is there such a reluctance amongst even experts of recommending it you say any mask is better than none so is there a downside we should know about. Yes some experts have been saying that perhaps people could choose between staying at home or going out and its better to stay home everybody agrees that but then if there was a mosque available maybe that person would go out with a mosque instead of staying at home with no mosque and actually its better to stay at home but if you do really need to go out it should be better to wear a mask to not wear a mask i think the experts are really saying there could be some consequence to behavior so that people where the mosque they think it makes them protected and actually its more like a small benefit and if everybody does it then we get a small benefit as a Community Professor think having there from the university of hong kong thank you so much for your time and yes to stay healthy. Facemasks lockdown and of course the constant fear of catching the virus many of us look for a way out of this nightmare by following conspiracy theories that explain what really happens or by discovering old health myths that promise to keep us safe beware the bear is a full scale but a list to be used Derek Williams time for your questions. Can you kill the virus by spraying alcohol chloride on you. Ok this is a really bad idea the only place on your body where you should use alcohol based sanitizers is on your hands because they are what transmits the virus to your face d thats how it enters your body through the membranes in your nose or mouth or also your eyes and when using hand sanitizers you should pay close attention to recommendations about health frequently they can be used without causing damage to your skin dont ever spray a sanitizer or chemical on your body or your face youll do no good and youll possibly do a lot of harm. That connection between covert 19 and 5 but. Youre referring to the Conspiracy Theory currently making the rounds on a lot of social media platforms that the spread of the virus is somehow linked to the spread of 5 g. Technology now this was a brand new myth for me at 1st i couldnt believe it was serious because the idea is so patently absurd but apparently people are taking it seriously enough to go out and set fire to mobile communications masts folks lets get something straight this disease is caused by a virus not radio let me repeat that its caused by a virus not by radio waves every. National and interNational Health body on the planet agrees on that so if youre somehow involved in spreading this idea please stop and especially stop if youre one of the ones trying to burn down Telecommunications InfrastructureEmergency Service personnel have much more important things to deal with at the moment. Derek williams theyre setting the record straight and hell be back tomorrow good friday to answer your questions and that was our 1000 special for today thanks for joining us for more on the pandemic do check out a social Media Channels and our website at www dot com which has dedicated kobe 1000 pages in 30 languages i want to get jones in berlin and wed like to leave you with some images of creative o. B. s not necessarily serious ideas full face masks you can see them coming out now here we have oversized plastic bottles and of course lots of lettuce leaves and there are men with long and well groomed to be its well that might be something for you to go for creativity in times of a pandemic. In. Europe. What unites. Us what divides. What binds the continent to counter. The answers and stories of this lunch. Spot why dont people. Focus. On d w. X can inspire big changes be to people making. In co africa fantastic and i. Joined them as they set out. To save the environment to learn from one another Work Together for a better future. Many thanks to you all for tuning it up for. In 60 minutes on t. W. What secrets lie behind. Discover new adventures in 360 degree. And explore fascinating World Heritage sites. P. W. World heritage 368 get kidnapped now. Im doing great big thing in all the time. How to handle newlines in times of the corunna pandemic d. W. Reporter. Just like everyone else and shes looking for answers thankfully with the help of. A few other. Thank you is not life as we know it. All together. Well in a very warm welcome indeed to focus on europe with me peter craven and we begin this week in Eastern Europe in poland to be precise where a man called powerful adam overage seen on the right of your screen was