As Christmas approaches, Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke on Wednesday December 9 to German deputies to take stock of the negative development of the health situation in the country.

"The number of contacts" between people "is too high, the reduction in the number of contacts is insufficient," she told the Chamber of Deputies.

But, far from her usual sobriety, Angela Merkel was particularly affected by this situation, calling for more stringent health measures.

"We must do everything possible" to avoid an "exponential increase" in the number of cases, she insisted.

"If we have too much contact now, before Christmas, and then it's the last Christmas with the grandparents, then we will have missed something," the Chancellor warned with emotion, fearing the effects of the reunion between families and friends at the end of the year.

"I really am sorry, from the bottom of my heart. But if the price we pay is 590 deaths a day then this in unacceptable."



German Chancellor Angela Merkel begs Germans to follow coronavirus restrictions in an unusually emotional appeal ahead of Christmas.

pic.twitter.com/dNRge9cvdJ

- DW News (@dwnews) December 9, 2020

Germany, one of the European states that had best managed the first wave of Covid-19 in the spring, is experiencing greater difficulties at the end of the year.

Despite several restrictions - closing bars, restaurants, cultural venues, sports clubs and restricted access to shops - in force since November, the number of infections has not dropped.

Worse: the Robert Koch institute on Wednesday identified more than 20,000 new cases in 24 hours and a death record of 590 deaths.

“The number of transmissions in the population is high”, details the situation report, which states: “Since December 4, 2020, the number of cases has again increased significantly.”

The mulled wine stands targeted

"When mulled wine and waffle stands are installed, it is not compatible with what we had agreed: to allow only take out meals and food," Merkel recalled.

"I am really sorry (...) but if we are paying the price in terms of the number of deaths up to 590 people per day, it is, in my opinion, not acceptable", continued the Chancellor.

Despite the restrictions on gathering up to five people, mulled wine stands - an end-of-year tradition in Germany - are multiplying in the country and sometimes attracting large crowds.

These places are “a source of concern for German politicians and experts”, as the daily Der Tagesspiegel reports.

“The mulled wine stalls are irresponsible when at the same time the intensive care units are full.

They should be closed ”, tweeted on Wednesday Karl Lauterbach, MP (SPD) and epidemiologist, after Merkel addressed the Bundestag.

“Those who are infected now will suffer and die around Christmas”

Angela Merkel called on the Bundestag for more drastic measures, including the closure of non-essential stores and schools between Christmas and mid-January, as well as the "minimum" reduction of contacts by the holidays, with the possibility of '' bring forward the start of school holidays.

“In her speech, Merkel simply emphasizes that the next two weeks before Christmas are crucial,” Karl Lauterbach summed up on Twitter.

“Those who are infected now will suffer and die around Christmas.

Closing in two weeks too late. ”

The federal government and regional leaders must meet before Christmas to negotiate new measures to deal with the spread of the pandemic.

Previous crisis meetings had led to minimum agreements, arousing the frustration of Angela Merkel.

A consensus should this time be easier to find, many elected officials having defended in recent days a stricter course.

In her speech to the Bundestag, the Chancellor finally called on the Germans to trust scientists: "What I am convinced is that we cannot go against a certain number of facts such as gravity, the speed of light and the like, ”said the trained physicist.

With AFP

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