Germany is extending its lockdown until the end of January and banning non-essential travel in those areas worst-hit by the coronavirus pandemic, as it battles to control an upsurge in new infections. “We are appealing to people to reduce their contacts to an absolute minimum,” Angela Merkel told reporters after a videoconference with the leaders of Germany’s 16 federal states.
The chancellor said infection rates were still too high and many hospitals were reaching the limits of their capacity. Germany also had to be “particularly careful” in view of the new viral variant spreading from the UK that was much more infectious than previous forms of the coronavirus, she said.
The leaders agreed to keep schools and kindergartens closed until the end of the month instead of relaxing restrictions from January 10. Shops and restaurants will stay shut too. They also imposed an unprecedented curb on movement, decreeing that in areas where the number of new virus cases is above 200 per 100,000 residents over seven days, travel will be limited to a 15km radius.
Ms Merkel said only those travelling for work or for a doctor’s appointment would be exempt from the new restriction, which is already in force in the two east German states of Saxony and Thuringia.