COVID-19: Germany imposes lockdown for unvaccinated citizens; 'Act of national solidarity'

Calling the COVID-19 situation in her country 'serious', the outgoing German Chancellor Angela Merkel and her successor, incumbent Finance Minister from the center-left Social Democrats (SPD) Olaf Scholz on Friday, December 3 announced a nationwide lockdown for unvaccinated population.

The leaders also plan to mandate inoculation in the coming month, German public broadcaster DW reported. The unvaccinated population in Germany now has a blanket ban across all non-essential businesses and public venues, including gyms, restaurants, theatres, cinemas, bars, malls, etc with an exemption on supermarkets and pharmacies.

Those who have recovered from COVID-19 are not subjected to the restrictions. The decision, agreed by 16 state premiers, came as the federal states stepped up the federal bans in order to bring the coronavirus pandemic’s unprecedented Delta wave trajectory under control.

The mandatory mask-wearing, physical distancing, testing regimes, and entry restrictions are in effect as 'not enough citizens have taken the opportunity to get vaccinated', Scholz had told lawmakers, stressing that everything must be done to prevent the virus. The duo approved a de-facto "lockdown for the unvaccinated" as the raging fourth wave of COVID-19 ravages the European nation. 

Merkel enacted the parliamentary majority that she used for a push through the controversial "emergency brake" act and the proposals for mandatory inoculations are in the making. This could come into effect as early as February. Unvaccinated individuals are allowed to meet only two other people from different households as per the new restrictions, and businesses in regions with incidence rates above 350 cases per 100,000 people for over a week have been ordered to completely shut down. 

Germans attending the public sporting events such as Bundesliga football matches, and large event gatherings will be limited. At a COVID-19 press conference, Chancellor Merkel stated that as Europe became the epicenter of the pandemic, Germany has tightened the grip over fears of the new Omicron spread. A vaccine mandate will be announced with the help of guidance from Germany's Ethics Council in February 2022, Merkel said, following in the footsteps of neighbours Austria. 

"We have understood that the situation is very serious and that we want to take further measures in addition to those already taken," Merkel told reporters at the COVID-19 news conference. "The fourth wave must be broken and this has not yet been achieved,” she stressed. 

1 in 100 contracted coronavirus in Germany 

Germany's Health Minister Jens Spahn announced at a presser that at least 1% of the one million population in Germany is infected with the novel coronavirus as the country recorded 74,352 new daily cases as of December 3, and 390 COVID-linked fatalities.

"If all German adults were vaccinated, we wouldn't be in this difficult situation," he told reporters in Berlin at the briefing. Of those infected with a novel respiratory virus, the figures of those seriously ill are much higher, he lamented.

Germany government spokesman Steffen Seibert meanwhile revealed that the lawmakers could vote on the vaccine mandate in early January. While Merkel’s government targetted 75% vaccinations, the country could hit 68.8% of inoculations. Germany's association for intensive care medicine, DIVI’s head Gernot Marx welcomed the lockdown, as he told the DPA news agency that the COVID patients treated in ICUs would likely reach a new record high over Christmas.