Merkel Insists on Extensive Requirements - Federal States Show Resistance
In a bid to curb the spread of COVID-19, Germany has announced stricter measures following a drop in new infection numbers. The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) reported 10,824 new infections within 24 hours on Monday morning, a decrease of 19% compared to a week ago. The number of active COVID-19 infections also decreased slightly, falling by around 2,000 to approximately 273,600.
Susanne Eisenmann, the politician leading the CDU in the German federal state of Baden-Württemberg, has described larger parties as "inacceptable". Private gatherings should be limited to meeting with a single other household, and private parties should be avoided until Christmas. Contact outside one's own household should be reduced to an absolutely necessary minimum.
In regions with high infection numbers, stricter rules will be imposed in an intensified "hotspot" strategy. Non-essential travel and tourist day trips should be avoided. Citizens are urged to quarantine at home immediately upon any cold or respiratory symptoms and to limit contacts within their own family, especially with risk groups.
Risk groups will receive 15 FFP2 masks (one per winter week) "for a small co-payment" from early December to better protect them. School closures are not currently planned, but mandatory mask-wearing for all grades and teaching staff will be prescribed. Students should stay in fixed groups, with group size halved.
The Federal Chancellery has submitted a draft resolution for a federal-state meeting, proposing lockdown tightening measures. Exceptions to mask-wearing will only be allowed in individual cases and for medical reasons. For the first time in weeks, the number of active infections also fell slightly, by around 2,000 to approximately 273,600.
Email sharing is mentioned in the context of the news article, but further details are not available at this time. Children and young people should only meet with one friend in their free time, and older relatives or at-risk individuals should be visited only after following strict hygiene rules for a week. No non-essential stays in closed spaces with public traffic or non-essential journeys by public transport are permitted.
Different break rules will enable distance from other groups, and the offer of student transportation should be increased to maintain the minimum distance of 1.50 meters on their way to school. Private gatherings should be limited to meeting with a single other household, and citizens are urged to limit their contacts to an absolutely necessary minimum.
The stricter measures aim to control the spread of COVID-19 and protect vulnerable individuals. As the situation continues to evolve, it is essential for citizens to stay informed and follow the guidelines provided by health authorities.
