Germany, intensive care doctors: back to lockdown
Coronavirus around the world.
USA, contagions in decline but New York in contrast.
Germany: cases on the rise
Angela Merkel: Germany reopens, with caution
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March 23, 2021 Germany will extend its lockdown until April 18 and is asking citizens to stay at home.
In a press conference in the middle of the night, at the end of an 11-hour meeting with the presidents of the 16 Lander, Chancellor Angela Mekel defines the situation on the Covid front as "very serious" and says no to progressive reopening.
The variants of the virus have pushed up the number of infections and the concern and that the hospital situation could collapse.
"The numbers are growing exponentially due to the English variant," Merkel stressed, and the risk is that the resurgence of the virus could cause the vaccination campaign to fail.
This is why the Germans must prepare for an Easter in lockdown.
Between 1 and 5 April contacts will be reduced to a minimum and only grocery stores will remain open.
Churches will be asked to celebrate their services online.
All travel abroad is not recommended and anyone returning to the country by plane must be tested before the flight.
To combat the pandemic, public, economic and private life in Germany will be 'frozen' during Easter like never before during the crisis.
For this purpose, Holy Thursday and Holy Saturday will be defined as one-off weekdays, with broad contact restrictions.
The grocery stores will remain open only on Holy Saturday.
In landers with higher incidences of infections, the current restrictions will be further tightened.
Among the measures envisaged are the introduction of a curfew and the obligation for passengers to wear masks even in private cars.