[ad_1]
Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Tuesday that Germany is extending its pandemic restrictions, including closing schools and shops, until mid-February amid concerns that new coronavirus mutations could trigger a further surge in cases.
AP: Germany’s infection rate has stabilized in recent days, indicating that existing restrictions may have been effective in reducing the numbers. On Tuesday, the country’s disease control center reported 11,369 new confirmed infections and 989 deaths, for a total of 47,622 deaths.
“All of our efforts to contain the spread of the virus face a serious threat,” Merkel told reporters in Berlin, noting that experts have linked the rise in infections in Britain and Ireland to the emergence of a more contagious variant of the virus. there.
“Now is the time to protect yourself against the danger posed by this mutated virus,” he said.
While individual cases of new variants have been found in Germany, scientists have said that it is not yet dominant, he added.
“There is still time, so to speak, to contain the risk,” Merkel said.
In addition to extending the closure of restaurants, most stores and schools until February 14, Merkel and the governors of Germany’s 16 states agreed to require people to wear more effective FFP2 or KN95 masks on public transport and shops. Employers will also be directed to allow staff to work from home, whenever possible, to avoid infections caused by the office.
Merkel said the goal remains to have fewer than 50 new coronavirus cases a week per 100,000 residents. Germany’s national average is currently 131.
The governor of the eastern state of Saxony, which until recently had the highest infection rates in the country, said it was important to further reduce the number of new cases.
