States tighten anti-virus measures as Germany eyes total lockdown

Two of Germany’s 16 states announced lockdown measures aimed at slowing the spread of coronavirus on Friday, as the federal government warned the public to stay indoors or risk being forced to do so.

Germany has so far urged citizens to stay at home and avoid social gatherings where possible, but without issuing an official order at national level.

However, under the country’s federal division of powers, a number of states announced their own lockdowns, curfews and restrictions as cases of infection continue to rise across the country.

The southern state of Bavaria took the lead, with state premier Markus Soeder announcing that the region’s population of 13 million people must largely stay home, starting Saturday, or face fines.

Soeder told reporters that all non-essential businesses would close, including restaurants and retailers, and that residents would only be allowed to leave their homes when absolutely necessary, for example to work, help relatives or buy food.

The tiny western state of Saarland also announced similar measures, although it was unclear when they would come into effect.

In Baden-Wuerttemberg in south-west Germany, state premier Winfried Kretschmann announced a ban on gatherings of more than three people or more in public spaces, with exceptions for families.

Read also: French cities tighten virus lockdown as minister warns of extension

In the western state of Rhineland-Palatinate, authorities ordered the closure of all restaurants and banned gatherings of more than five people.

Via her spokesman, Chancellor Angela Merkel reiterated her plea to people to avoid meeting in groups, warning that more stringent measures to limit public movement could otherwise be put in place for the whole country.

Spokesman Steffen Seibert thanked the millions of Germans who are staying at home and refraining from travel, but said a minority continued to behave irresponsibly.

“We could change our minds at any time, we could respond with other instruments at any time,” he told a press briefing on Friday.

Amid reports of police dispersing “corona parties” and crowds still gathering in city parks to enjoy the spring weather, the head of Merkel’s Berlin chancellery also warned that tougher measures may be necessary.

“Firstly, we are relying on the population grasping the measures and being prepared to limit social life,” Helge Braun told German news weekly Der Spiegel, adding that lockdowns seen in countries like France and Italy have put a huge strain on the public.

“We will monitor the behaviour of the population this weekend,” he added, when asked whether a full lockdown was also possible in Germany. “Saturday is a decisive day that we will be watching in particular.”

In a special pre-recorded televised address earlier this week, Merkel urged millions of viewers to take the situation seriously.

“Stick to the rules that are in place for now. We will constantly reassess as a government what can still be improved, but also what may still be necessary,” she said.

In the capital Berlin, 91 pubs, bars and restaurants were given formal warnings for flouting curfew rules on Thursday evening and overnight to Friday, a police spokeswoman said.

Most of Germany’s population of 83 million will at some point catch the new coronavirus, according to the government’s disease control agency, the Robert Koch Institute.

With older people and those with pre-existing health conditions at risk of dying, the country’s response has focused on flattening the curve of the infection rate.

The aim is to keep the majority of people from catching it at once and preventing health care facilities from becoming overwhelmed. But already, there are warnings of a shortage in vital supplies.

Setting out plans to spend another 2.11 billion euros (2.28 billion dollars) on protective and respiratory equipment, Bettina Hagedorn, the Finance Ministry’s parliamentary state secretary, warned of “extreme bottlenecks in supply with simultaneously rising prices.”

The need for protective clothing, respiratory equipment and antiviral medicines is increasing in Germany together with the number of infections, with at least 15,030 cases now confirmed, 44 of them fatal, according to dpa’s own tally. (dpa)