Merkel plans "lockdown light"

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Angela Merkel: Drastic increase in new infections

Photo: ODD ANDERSEN / AFP

According to a report by "Bild", Chancellor Angela Merkel is planning a kind of "lockdown light".

Schools and daycare centers should remain open except in regions with catastrophically high numbers of corona infections, as the newspaper reported on Monday without naming sources.

Shops are also likely to remain open with restrictions.

On the other hand, Merkel wants to "act hard" in restaurants and events: restaurants and bars should close and events should be banned.

At the Prime Minister's Conference on Wednesday, the Chancellor and the 16 country leaders could agree on a new lockdown model, "Bild" continued.

The country heads will meet two days before their regular conference on Friday.

It is about what the federal and state governments can do together to break the trend as quickly as possible, said government spokesman Steffen Seibert on Monday.

Everyone is aware that "every day counts".

A nationally more closely coordinated approach is also coming into focus among the federal states.

The CDU is postponing its party conference planned for December into the new year.

"Every day counts"

Seibert spoke of a "drastic increase" in new infections and a "worsening serious situation".

In numerous municipalities, it is no longer possible to track the contact persons of each individual infected because the numbers are simply too high.

As the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) announced on Monday morning, the health authorities reported 8,685 new infections within one day - about twice as many as 4325 on Monday a week ago. The numbers are lower on Sundays and Mondays, also because fewer tests were carried out on weekends becomes.

On Saturday, 14,714 new infections were reached, a high since the pandemic began in Germany.

At the weekend, Merkel once again urged all citizens to reduce contacts in general.

On Monday, after information from "Bild", she warned the CDU committees that the increase in infections must be stopped urgently.

The situation is "highly dynamic" and "dramatic".

Germany could soon find itself in a "difficult situation" with intensive care beds in clinics.

According to information from the German Press Agency, Chancellor Helge Braun (CDU) also expressed himself very skeptical in the CDU deliberations.

The numbers rose too quickly, he made clear, according to participants.

Merkel and the Prime Ministers last discussed together on October 14th and agreed some additional measures, especially for regional Corona strongholds.

At that time, the Chancellor had already made it clear that after about ten days it would be possible to see "whether further new steps are necessary or whether the steps that have been decided have already been sufficient".

The federal government initially did not comment on any conceivable additional measures.

"Look at the rules nationwide"

Hamburg's First Mayor Peter Tschentscher (SPD) said in the ARD that so far regional measures have been determined how it fits the infection process.

"But now we are in a situation where the numbers are increasing all over Germany. And that's why it's good that we are also looking at the rules nationwide and thinking about whether there are any further measures."

Bavaria's Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) said in Munich: "I do believe that it is pretty serious now, and that everyone has to be clear about what it is about."

Looking at the Prime Minister's Conference, he said: "This is the decision week."

Saar government head Tobias Hans (CDU) said on Deutschlandfunk that he did not believe "that we need or will get another lockdown situation like we did in spring".

But this will only succeed "if we, as federal states, work in concert with the federal government to set clear standards that are transparent for everyone".

There is no point in bringing a Saxon district to a standstill because of the high number of new infections in a Saarland district.

But everyone should be able to look up: "Is this district red, yellow or green?"

- and be sure that the same measures apply.

In view of the escalating situation, the CDU is postponing its party congress planned for December 4th in Stuttgart with 1001 delegates to elect a new chairman into next year.

The party congress should then ideally take place in attendance, said General Secretary Paul Ziemiak.

If this is not possible, a digital party conference should be held.

The Left wanted to decide on Tuesday evening whether its party convention planned for Friday in Erfurt should be canceled.

School began in eight countries on Monday after the autumn break.

Corona requirements continue to apply in many places or have been tightened.

In Berlin, for example, upper school students as well as all vocational schools and upper school centers have to wear masks in class.

Green leader Robert Habeck called for special attention to prevent school closings.

Air purification systems in schools could contribute to this.

"That should have happened a long time ago."

SPD health expert Karl Lauterbach spoke in the "Passauer Neue Presse" (Monday) for a "very short, time-limited partial lockdown".

"Meeting fewer friends, fewer visits to restaurants, fewer going to the movies and sports events."

In North Rhine-Westphalia, the Münster Higher Administrative Court confirmed curfew hours for restaurants in risk areas with high numbers of infections on Monday.

The ban on the sale of alcohol between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. serves the legitimate purpose of slowing down the spread of the coronavirus.

(Ref .: 13 B 1581 / 20.NE).

Due to the sharp rise in corona numbers, strict exit restrictions will now also apply in the Bavarian district of Rottal-Inn from Tuesday.

Schools and kindergartens are closed and events are canceled, according to a message.

Last week, similar restrictions were imposed in the Berchtesgadener Land district.

la / dpa