News > Germany to re-enter hard lockdown ahead of Christmas to curb 'exponential' COVID-19 surge

Germany to re-enter hard lockdown ahead of Christmas to curb 'exponential' COVID-19 surge

Germany is closing most stores and schools, and further limiting social contacts in an effort to drive down the rate of coronavirus infections that have remained stubbornly high in recent weeks.

Chancellor Angela Merkel said she and the governors of Germany's 16 states agreed Sunday to step up the country's lockdown measures from December 16 to January 10 to stop the exponential rise of COVID-19 cases. "We are forced to act, and we're acting too," Merkel said.