With the number of infections and occupied intensive care beds in hospitals growing, a spokesperson for Angela Merkel has indicated that the chancellor is in favour of a tougher approach to coronavirus in Germany. 

Merkel indirectly gives support to bridge lockdown proposal

When asked whether Merkel supported CDU leader Armin Laschet’s proposal to impose a “bridge lockdown” in coming weeks, deputy government spokesperson Ulrike Demmer said, “Any demand for a short, uniform lockdown is correct.” 

She added that a “common nationwide approach would also be important”, suggesting that the patchwork of different approaches adopted by the federal states was not helping the situation. “The variety of the rules that have been adapted does not contribute to security and acceptance at the moment,” she said. 

At the same time, the federal government has rejected Laschet’s demand to bring forward the next coronavirus summit between the federal and state governments, which is currently scheduled for next Monday. There is “obviously no majority” in favour of the suggestion, Demmer said. 

Some other state premiers are on board

On Monday this week, Laschet called for a “bridge lockdown” to be imposed nationwide - something that he defined as a tougher lockdown, lasting two to three weeks, that would aim to bring the nationwide incidence rate below the target of 100, and buy Germany more time to get more people vaccinated. 

Although the demand was met with criticism from some quarters - especially SPD-led federal states - other prominent figures have since stepped in to side with Laschet. On Monday, the state premier of Bavaria, Markus Söder, indicated that he was on board, saying that the idea “only makes sense if everyone participates”. Support has also come from the state premier of Baden-Württemberg, Winfried Kretschmann. 

As of Wednesday, the Robert Koch Institute was reporting a nationwide incidence rate of 110,1. However, they tempered this with the observation that the real rate is likely higher, since fewer tests are carried out and infections reported over public holidays like Easter. Demmer said that the data is not currently complete enough to gain a good overview of the coronavirus situation, but that the number of occupied intensive care beds speaks very loudly.