German government hesitant on lockdown as COVID cases rise

By FRANK JORDANS
Associated Press

BERLIN (AP) — Germany’s government has refused to back calls for a swift and sharp lockdown to curb the country’s worsening coronavirus situation, which has seen daily confirmed cases hit a new peak. Health Minister Jens Spahn said contacts between people need to be sharply reduced, warning Friday that “the situation is dramatically serious, more serious than it’s been at any point in the pandemic.” But he declined to say whether he would back blanket restrictions of the kind seen during previous stages of the pandemic. A spokesman for outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel likewise refused to be drawn on whether she favored triggering the so-called emergency brake measures last used in April.