Germany: The country has implemented a stringent lockdown in an attempt to curb the rapidly growing cases of the Covid-19 virus. Under which schools and non-essential businesses have been closed.
The new restrictions will continue till 10 January. On Christmas occasion, some relaxation will be observed and per house will be permitted to celebrate the festival with four close family members.
In Germany, there were 14,432 cases and 500 deaths on Tuesday.
Other European countries have also tightened restrictions on Christmas. France has imposed a curfew at night.
Only essential businesses such as supermarkets and banks would be allowed to open in Germany’s lockdown. Restaurants, bars have been closed since November. Some areas of the country had imposed lockdowns of their own.
Hair salons have to be closed. At the same time, the companies have been asked to get their employees working from home.
Lothar Willer, head of Germany’s Robert Koch Institute, says that the epidemic is in its most severe phase ever.
He says, “Cases are increasing at the fastest pace ever. There is a fear that the situation will continue to deteriorate, and it will become more difficult to deal with the epidemic and its consequences.”
This news has come at a time when the German government has said that it is pressurizing the European Medicine Agency (EMA) to speed up the process of approving Pfizer-Bioentech developed in Germany itself. This vaccine has been approved in Britain and America.
Health Minister Jens Spahn said he wants the vaccine to be approved before Christmas.
What is the situation elsewhere in Europe?
France – has imposed a curfew from 8 am to 6 am in the place of its second national lockdown. People will not be allowed to go out of the house without filling a government form.
There is an exemption for Christmas evening, but for New Year’s Eve, the rules will continue. Bars and restaurants will remain closed until at least 20 January.
In France on Tuesday, 790 people died due to Coronavirus infection and the total figure of those who died reached 59,072.
There is no longer any need to download or print the official form to give clarification to the French people to go out of the house during the day.
There is currently a five-week lockdown in the Netherlands; the sanctions now imposed are the most stringent since the epidemic began. Non-essential businesses, cinema, hairdressers and gyms are all closed. People have been asked to refrain from travelling non-essentials by mid-March.
But for Christmas, some restrictions will be relaxed for three days. Dutch people will be allowed to call three places in their house instead of two.
The strictest lockdown rules of England are going to apply in Britain, London from Wednesday. Pubs and restaurants will remain closed. Only packing the food and carrying it will be allowed. Also, indoor entertainment venues like theatre, the cinema will remain closed.
The number of daily deaths in Italy remains close to 500, and the government is considering tightening the rules in view of Christmas.
It is being said that a new lockdown can be imposed between Christmas night and New Year.
A new variant of virus in Britain
On the other hand, a new variant (type) of the Coronavirus has been found in some parts of Britain, which is spreading rapidly.
The country’s Health Minister Matt Hancock said that at least 60 different local administrations have received cases of Covid-19 infection in this new form.
He said that the World Health Organization has notified it and UK scientists are doing a detailed study on it.
The minister said that this disease could worsen and the vaccine may not work on it.
He told the house that cases of infection with the Coronavirus in parts of London, Kent, Essex and Hertfordshire have increased very fast last week.
The Health Minister said, “At present, we have received more than 1,000 cases of this type of virus, which have been reported especially in the southern part of England. These cases have been found in 60 different areas.