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Published 20:10 IST, February 20th 2021

German Chancellor Angela Merkel forgets to wear face mask, video surfaces online

German Chancellor Angela Merkel briefly panicked when she realised she wasn't wearing a mask during a parliament session in Berlin. Netizens react to the video

Reported by: Chetna Kapoor
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Angela Merkel
German Chancellor Angela Merkel forgets to wear face mask, video surfaces online | Image: self

German Chancellor Angela Merkel briefly panicked when she realised she wasn't wearing a mask during a parliament session in Berlin. In a viral video, she is seen alarmed when she had no mask on and immediately rushed back to get one before she came back to the podium. 

Netizens had mixed reactions after watching the video. While some praised her for being a "responsible leader", a few commented on how it was wrong for her to grab a mask from someone who was already cleaning a table, while others could totally relate to her reaction.

One user wrote, "With great power comes great responsibility! She is a perfect example! Wearing mask is non-negotiable; even if someone is the country head!" The other wrote, "cleaner had already touched mask and she wore same mask."

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NETIZENS REACT

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The head of Germany's disease control agency warned Friday that a decline in new coronavirus cases the country saw has leveled off while the share of cases involving more contagious variants is rising.

Robert Koch Institute President Lothar Wieler said Germany may be heading toward another turning point in the pandemic after weeks of falling infections.

His agency reported 9,113 new COVID-19 cases in the past day, and 508 more virus-related deaths. Germany has recorded almost 2.4 million confirmed cases and 67,206 deaths from the coronavirus since the start of the pandemic.

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(With AP inputs)

Updated 20:10 IST, February 20th 2021