Coronavirus: curfew in Germany | It governs the …

Germany is entering a new phase of restrictions this Saturday, with National curfews and possible school closures, when he began to reign a new law that strengthens Angela Merkel’s power over regional authorities in the fight against the pandemic. Europe’s largest economy has launched what it calls “an emergency brake”, included in reform of infection protection law voted this week in Parliament and before several demonstrations against.

The text imposes a tightening of health rules until June 30 when the incidence rate (number of infections per week) exceeds 100 per 100,000 for three consecutive days. Large areas of Germany exceed this limit, from rural areas to large cities such as Berlin, Cologne, Frankfurt and Munich. The law allows the federal government to override the decisions of regional governments, which represents a major change in the relationship between Berlin and the federal states.

Supporters of the law, including the chancellor Angela Merkelargue that Germany should end the application of unequal measures and that uniform rules are particularly needed now that an attempt is made to control the third wave of infections. “It is hard, it weighs on all of us. But it is necessary for a temporary period,” said the Minister of Health, Jens Spahn.

The law also provides for the closure of cultural spaces, a tightening of contact restrictions and a curfew from ten in the evening to five in the morning. If the incidence rate exceeds 165 cases per 100,000 population, schools must also switch to distance education, while non-essential shops and restaurants must close, except those offering take-out.

“I see the possibility that the third wave may be interrupted,” he said optimistically in the face of the new regulations. Dirk heinrich, president of the association of doctors Virchowbund, in newspaper statements Osnabrück Journal. Heinrich added that the development of the vaccination campaign and the restrictions being applied have started to stabilize the figures and said that the “emergency brake” will accelerate this trend.

For the federal government, it is essential to assume control of the management of the pandemic whichand caused more than 81,000 deaths in the country. The third wave of infections, marked by a rapid spread of viral variants, has not yet reached its peak, according to virologists. Some national parties, such as the Liberals of the FDP, and other regional parties such as the Bavarians Free voters, oppose the regulation and the Supreme Court of Karlsruhe received 25 appeals against the law, according to a spokesperson.

Germany registered this Saturday 23,392 new cases of coronavirus and 286 deaths linked to the disease, reported on Robert Koch Institute (RKI).