December 13, a draft proposal by the German government showed that the government plans to close most of the domestic stores starting on December 16 and will continue until January 10 next year.
According to a Reuters report on December 13, the draft was prepared for the government meeting that day. German Chancellor Merkel will discuss with the governors of the German states at the meeting whether to restart the “blockade” to combat the epidemic.
Merkel herself has always supported the implementation of strict and powerful “blockade” measures, but some governors had reservations. With the recent worsening of the epidemic in Germany and the increasing number of new infections in Japan, measures to strengthen the prevention and control of the epidemic have gradually become a consensus within the government.
The draft mentioned by Reuters shows that during the lockdown period from December 16 to January 10 next year, only supermarkets, pharmacies and banks will remain open, while other shops and entertainment facilities will be closed.
Schools will also be temporarily closed, and corporate employees should suspend work or work from home.
Germany has undergone a partial “blockade” for six weeks. Bars and restaurants have ceased operations, but shops and schools have remained open.
German public opinion is generally worried that as Christmas approaches, the public may increase social contact and increase the risk of the spread of the epidemic.
German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier said on the 12th that the capacity of intensive care units in domestic hospitals is approaching its limit, and Germany can’t wait to respond after Christmas.
According to infectious disease data from the Robert Koch Institute in Germany, 28,438 new cases and 496 new deaths were added on the 11th.
