Merkel extends quarantine and imposes Easter Lockdown

Chancellor Angela Merkel and refional leaders agreed to put Germany into hard lockdown due to the third wave” of Covid-19 infections fueled by faster-spreading mutations . The decision was made after a video call with the country’s 16 state premiers that lasted more than 11 hours, Bloomberg reports. The nationwide quarantine regime in Germany was extended until April 18. Restrictions will also be tightened during the Easter holidays (April 1-5).

" We are now in a very, very serious situation. The case numbers are rising exponentially, and  intensive-care beds are filling up again ”Merkel said.
The quarantine will be extended until April 18th. Restrictive measures will include the partial closure of non-food stores as well as hotels, restaurants, gyms and leisure facilities.
The Chancellor appealed to citizens with an appeal to stop traveling both domestically and abroad.
In addition, Merkel announced the tightening of restrictions on Easter holidays (from April 1 to April 5. Catholics celebrate Easter this year on April 4). During this period, all shops will be closed, except grocery ones. In addition, on these days, private gatherings will be limited to one household and a maximum of five people, and public gatherings are prohibited.
As Bloomberg notes, Merkel agreed to meet again with the heads of the federal states on April 12 to make a decision: whether to extend or weaken quarantine measures that have been in effect in Germany for about four months.
Lockdown in Germany was introduced in December 2020. All institutions were closed, grocery and small hardware stores, pharmacies, banks, post offices, medical clinics and a number of other organizations continued to work. Schoolchildren were transferred to remote education, and the regions themselves decided whether to transfer kindergartens to remote education. The last time the quarantine regime in Germany was extended at the beginning of March. Then the authorities agreed to extend it until March 28.