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Complete emptiness in Berlin: are there any tougher measures coming?
Photo: Malte Jaeger / Getty Images
Germany has been in the second shutdown for almost eleven weeks.
The measures have crept in slowly, but steadily: first restaurants, bars and leisure facilities had to close, shops and schools have also closed since mid-December, and since the beginning of January a household has only been allowed to meet one other person.
Now it could get even harder: the »megalockdown« threatens.
Chancellor Angela Merkel had already expressed concern earlier this week and prepared the nation for the toughest weeks of the pandemic.
Because while the first vaccine approvals in December still fueled hope that the ghost could soon come to an end, dangerous mutations of the corona virus appeared in mainland Europe at the same time.
Researchers currently have one main concern: that the mutants B.1.1.7 from Great Britain and B.1.351 from South Africa are spreading rapidly in Germany.
Both variants have already been proven in this country, but so far only in a few cases.
But the fear is that the number of unreported cases is high because the mutations spread faster than the original variant.
The R value, which indicates how many more people infected by an infected person, could rise to more than 1.5 as a result, meaning the number of infected people would explode.
The mutations may also spread more among younger people.
Merkel now wants to meet with her ministers earlier than planned to decide on further measures.
But where can you further restrict - and which further tightenings bring what?
The overview:
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