Germany is plunged into new national lockdown over Christmas as Angela Merkel makes desperate bid to drive down soaring Covid infection rate
- Country will close most shops and schools and further limit social contact
- The measures will be in place from December 16 to January 10 to stop spread
- Germany recorded 20,200 new cases and 321 additional deaths on Sunday
Germany was today plunged into a new national lockdown for the Christmas period as Angela Merkel makes a desperate bid to drive down soaring Covid infection rate.
The country will be closing most shops and schools, and further limiting social contacts.
Chancellor Angela Merkel said she and the governors of Germany’s 16 states agreed Sunday to step up the country’s lockdown measures from December 16 to January 10 to stop the exponential rise of COVID-19 cases.
‘We are forced to act, and we’re acting too,’ Merkel told reporters in Berlin.
Germany was today plunged into a new national lockdown for the Christmas period as Angela Merkel makes a desperate bid to drive down soaring Covid infection rate
Existing restrictions imposed in November failed to significantly reduce the number of new infections, she said.
Germany recorded 20,200 newly confirmed cases and 321 additional deaths Sunday, a high number for the weekend when many local authorities don’t report figures.
The country will be closing most shops and schools, and further limiting social contacts
With the exception of Christmas, the number of people allowed to meet indoors will remain restricted to five, not including children under 14.
The sale of fireworks traditionally used to celebrate New Year’s will be banned, as will the outdoor sale of alcohol.