Germany began a month-long partial lockdown on Monday as part of efforts to curb the momentum of the coronavirus that has infected half a million people across the country.
Infections have been increasing sharply in recent weeks with record caseloads becoming the norm, and Chancellor Angela Merkel has introduced stringent measures on public life as a result.
The new restrictions are a lighter version of the lockdown seen in the spring, as schools and shops will remain open, churches will be allowed to hold services and protests will not be banned. Nevertheless, all restaurants and bars will be closed, meetings in public will be restricted to just two households and all recreational centers, such as pools and gyms, will be shut.
State and federal leaders will meet again in 10 days to assess if the new measures need to be tightened further still or whether they may be eased in December, depending on the rate of infections.
Euronews reporterJona Kallgren says despite the ‘no fun, just work’ restrictions, the majority of Germans support the measures.
