A year on from the onset of the Covid crisis, Angela Merkel had grim news for Germans this morning: our country is in the midst of a ‘new pandemic’. ‘The British mutation has become dominant,’ she warned, as she announced a strict new lockdown, which will shut almost all shops and churches over Easter.
The new lockdown rules were thrashed out in a tetchy 12-hour meeting between the chancellor and Germany’s state premiers. It used to be EU summits that prevented Merkel from catching some sleep. Not any longer. The leaders struggled to find common ground on an approach to contain the spread of coronavirus, amidst a worrying spike in infections which has seen cases climb to 7,500 a day. Eventually, in the early hours following a lengthy interruption, Merkel prevailed with her idea to shut down most of public life over the holidays.
How much longer will Germans tolerate their lives being put on hold?
Many Germans will despair at the announcement, with the rules set to remain in place until 18 April.
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