Social distancing measures in Germany will be extended until May 10, Chancellor Angela Merkel’s chief of staff, Helge Braun, said. The statement came ahead of a government meeting on Thursday to review lockdown restrictions.
Merkel and state leaders will discuss proposals on reopening schools and nurseries and resuming sporting events. However, they will wait until May 6 for data on the effect of first steps to ease the lockdown before enacting any further changes, Braun said. “The contact restrictions will certainly now be extended until May 10 for the time being,” the official told broadcaster n-tv.
Germany began easing its lockdown last week, when some shops were allowed to open, provided they practiced strict social distancing.
The novel coronavirus reproduction rate in Germany is currently estimated at 0.76, on average, Reuters quoted the Robert Koch Institute for infectious diseases as reporting on Thursday.