Speaking in the early hours of Tuesday after a lengthy video call with the country’s 16 state governors, Chancellor Angela Merkel announced that the restrictions planned until March 28 will now remain in force until April 18.
Coronavirus infections have steadily increased in Germany, as the most contagious variant first detected in Britain has become dominant and the daily number of cases per capita in the country has exceeded that in the United States.
“We basically have a new pandemic,” Merkel told reporters in Berlin.
“Essentially we have a new virus, obviously of the same type, but with completely different characteristics,” he added. “Significantly more deadly, significantly more infectious (and) infectious for longer.”
Since their last meeting three weeks ago, which saw the two sides agree on a multi-step plan to ease restrictions, several states have tried to avoid returning to tougher closures when the weekly number of new infections exceeds 100 per cent. every 100,000 residents on three consecutive days. .
Merkel made it clear that she would not accept it.
“Unfortunately, we will have to use this emergency brake,” he said.
The weekly infection rate per 100,000 people stood at 107 nationwide on Monday, up from the mid-1960s three weeks ago.
Officials agreed to largely close public life from April 1-3, adding a public holiday and closing most stores during the period. Public meetings will be banned from April 1-5 to encourage people to stay home.
Amid concerns over the rise of Germans traveling abroad during the holidays, authorities also agreed on a general requirement for air passengers to pass the COVID-19 test before embarking on a flight to Germany.
Making legally stay rules has sometimes proved a headache. A court in Germany’s most populous state, North Rhine-Westphalia, said Monday it passed rules requiring people to make an appointment to visit shops. He said they were violating the requirement that companies receive equal treatment.
The state government quickly reinstated the rules, tightening them for some companies (such as bookstores and garden centers) that were previously exempt.
Under Tuesday’s agreement, authorities will seek to offer free tests to all students and teachers in German schools, many of whom have only recently reopened after months of distance learning.
Merkel said Germany, which suffered comparatively low deaths during the first phase of the pandemic last spring, has seen “successes but also setbacks” and insisted the situation would improve as more people are vaccinated.
Germany’s vaccination campaign has so far fallen short of expectations, with only 9% of the population receiving at least one first shot and 4% receiving both doses before Sunday.
“It’s harder for longer than we thought,” Merkel said. “But there’s definitely visible light at the end of the tunnel.”
Asked about EU plans to restrict exports of vaccines and components, Merkel said she supported the bloc’s executive committee’s efforts to ensure that contracts are met, citing supply problems the EU has had. with the shot of AstraZeneca.
Britain, which left the EU last year, has strongly protested against the plans, fearing it could be cut off from deliveries.
Merkel said she and French President Emmanuel Macron had each spoken to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on the issue in recent days and that EU leaders would aim to reach a decision “responsibly” at a virtual summit on Thursday.
———
AP journalist Geir Moulson contributed to this report.
———
Follow AP pandemic coverage at:
https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic
https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine
https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak