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HEALTH-VIRUS-GERMANY-RESTRICTIONS
Several German states want German Covid curbs extended to April: draft plan
FRANKFURT, March 21, 2021 (BSS/AFP) – Several German states are seeking to
extend Germany’s anti-Covid restrictions into April as the country battles a
third wave of the virus, according to a draft plan obtained by AFP on Sunday.
The restrictions would be prolonged until a yet-to-be-determined date in
April due to the high rate of infections at present, which are being
“accelerated by Covid-19 variants”, the document said.
The draft prepared by several of Germany’s 16 states is due to be discussed
by Merkel and leaders of the regions on Monday.
Current restrictions are set to last until the end of March.
With the rate of infections fast rising again, health authorities have
warned against further easing any restrictions.
The incidence rate on Sunday reached 103.9 per 100,000 inhabitants,
according to the Robert Koch institute disease control centre.
Breaking that 100 per 100,000 marker is in principle meant to trigger new
restrictions.
The document stipulates that contacts inside buildings “must be avoided
where possible because of the increased risk of infection”.
While many workers in businesses can work from home, for those who have to
go to their workplace “at least two rapid (Covid) tests a week” should be
indispensable, it says.
The plan also moots the possibility for regions “opening individual spaces
to the public”, but requiring negative Covid tests and contact tracing for
users.
Cross-border travel should be limited to the strict minimum and combined
with quarantine requirements and a negative test before any return to
Germany.
On Wednesday’s, Merkel’s administration urged Germans to be responsible
during the pandemic and not to travel to the popular Spanish island of
Mallorca over the Easter break, even as airlines have piled on hundreds of
flights to meet surging demand.
BSS/AFP/ARS/1930 hrs