Covid-19: Germany extends its restrictions despite the health improvement
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, at a press conference after the video conference with the heads of the regions, announcing the extension of the restrictive measures, in Berlin, February 10, 2021 © Markus Schreiber, Reuters
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3 min
After stepping up its measures against Covid-19 in December, Germany is seeing its health situation improve.
The first relaxations are being considered, but Berlin announced on Wednesday February 10 to extend the restrictions until March 7: non-essential shops, cultural venues, restaurants, bars and gyms will remain closed to start the viral fall.
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With our correspondent in Berlin,
Pascal Thibaut
"
We want to avoid a third wave
".
For Angela Merkel, the easing of current measures must be gradual and most of the sectors concerned will have to take their troubles patiently.
In any case, the overall situation has improved, with a drop in the number of new infections and a viral incidence rate below 70 per 100,000 inhabitants.
Because the more contagious variants of the virus require caution, for the Chancellor.
"
Experts believe that the virus variants will be more numerous among the infections identified in the future than the form known so far
," explains Angela Merkel
.
The next few weeks are therefore existential and we must reduce our viral incidence rate as much as possible and remain very careful.
"
The current measures,
already extended until February 14
, are extended for another three weeks - until March 7.
Hairdressers will however be allowed to reopen from March 1.
Regions will be able to decide on a cautious reopening of primary schools and kindergartens - some have announced such a measure for February 22.
Because teachers and educators will be
vaccinated
earlier than expected.
If a global perspective of an exit from the pandemic has not yet been drawn, a first step has been taken for non-food businesses and museums, which are closed today.
They will be able to reopen where the viral incidence rate has dropped below the bar of 35 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants over seven days.
The other sectors, such as restaurants, cafes or sports facilities, will have to wait.
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See also
: Covid-19: In Germany also the vaccination campaign is criticized
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Germany
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Angela Merkel
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