Merkel-Nachrichten: Germany could be blocked until June as restrictions do not drop cases | World | news

After the introduction of the glacier vaccine, Germany is struggling to contain infections. According to figures from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), the seven-day average of cases per 100,000 inhabitants rose to 166 over the weekend.

As the number of cases continued to rise, Ms. Merkel imposed further blocking restrictions until mid-April.

However, with infections still on the rise, Finance Minister Olaf Scholz warned that restrictions could be imposed until at least June.

Scholz told Bild am Sonntag: “We need a timetable for how we can return to normal life, but it has to be a plan that doesn’t have to be reversed after a few days.”

He added how the federal government should be able to outline “clear and bold opening steps†for the summer to allow restaurants to adjust reopening plans and summer vacation.

The finance minister said steps would also clarify when visits to concerts, theaters and football stadiums are possible.

This week the German House of Lords passed a law that gives Ms. Merkel’s government more powers to combat a third wave of Covid.

The amendment to the Infection Protection Act allows the national government to impose curfews between 10:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m., as well as restrict private gatherings, sports and shop openings.

Schools will close and return to online classes if the virus spread exceeds 165 cases per 100,000 population.

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She told ZDF television: “This law has a serious design flaw.

“This law will not reduce the number of infections.”

Other prime ministers in Germany shared their concerns about the emergency brake.

Hesse’s Prime Minister Volker Bouffier of the CDU said the exit restrictions were “constitutionally problematic”, especially with the planned school closings.

More than 80,000 people in Germany have died from the virus.

Doctors have warned that intensive care units may have difficulty dealing with this if action is not taken.

Germany has also seen growing unrest over lockdown measures, and thousands of anti-lockdown protesters demonstrated near Parliament this week.

The police broke up demonstrations at the Brandenburg Gate and more than 150 people were arrested for violating Covid rules and attacking officials.

Officials added that they fired pepper spray when protesters tried to break through a barrier at the gate.