Germany has extended its lockdown measures by another month and imposed several new restrictions in an effort to curb a surge of coronavirus infections in the country.
Chancellor Angela Merkel, while speaking early Tuesday after a lengthy video call with the country's 16 state governors announced that restrictions previously set to run through March 28 will now remain in place until April 18.
Adding that public life over Easter will be largely shut down.
"We basically have a new pandemic," Merkel told reporters in Berlin.
"Essentially we have a new virus, obviously of the same type but with completely different characteristics," she added.
"Significantly more deadly, significantly more infectious and infectious for longer."
Coronavirus infections have increased steadily in Germany as the more contagious variant first detected in Britain has become dominant.
At their last meeting three weeks ago, the two sides had agreed on a multi-step plan to relax restrictions. Since then, several states have tried to avoid going back into tougher lockdowns when the weekly number of new infections exceeds 100 per 100,000 residents on three consecutive days.
The Chancellor made clear that she wouldn't accept that. The weekly infection rate per 100,000 people stood at 107 nationwide on Monday, up from the mid-60s three weeks ago.
Officials agreed to largely shut down public life from April 1-3, adding a public holiday and shutting down most stores for the period. Public gatherings will be banned from April 1-5, to encourage people to stay at home.
Amid concern over the rise in Germans travelling abroad on holidays, authorities also agreed on a blanket requirement for air travellers to be tested for COVID-19 before boarding a flight to Germany.
Drawing up legally watertight rules has proved a headache at times.
According to Tuesday's agreement, authorities will aim to offer free tests to all students and teachers in German schools, many of which have only recently reopened after months of remote teaching.
Chancellor Angela Merkel, while speaking early Tuesday after a lengthy video call with the country's 16 state governors announced that restrictions previously set to run through March 28 will now remain in place until April 18.
Adding that public life over Easter will be largely shut down.
"We basically have a new pandemic," Merkel told reporters in Berlin.
"Essentially we have a new virus, obviously of the same type but with completely different characteristics," she added.
"Significantly more deadly, significantly more infectious and infectious for longer."
Coronavirus infections have increased steadily in Germany as the more contagious variant first detected in Britain has become dominant.
At their last meeting three weeks ago, the two sides had agreed on a multi-step plan to relax restrictions. Since then, several states have tried to avoid going back into tougher lockdowns when the weekly number of new infections exceeds 100 per 100,000 residents on three consecutive days.
The Chancellor made clear that she wouldn't accept that. The weekly infection rate per 100,000 people stood at 107 nationwide on Monday, up from the mid-60s three weeks ago.
Officials agreed to largely shut down public life from April 1-3, adding a public holiday and shutting down most stores for the period. Public gatherings will be banned from April 1-5, to encourage people to stay at home.
Amid concern over the rise in Germans travelling abroad on holidays, authorities also agreed on a blanket requirement for air travellers to be tested for COVID-19 before boarding a flight to Germany.
Drawing up legally watertight rules has proved a headache at times.
According to Tuesday's agreement, authorities will aim to offer free tests to all students and teachers in German schools, many of which have only recently reopened after months of remote teaching.
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