Germany: Government to implement partial nationwide lockdown from November 2 amid surge in COVID-19 cases /update 44

Event

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and state governors agreed on Wednesday, October 28, to implement a partial month-long nationwide lockdown from Monday, November 2, amid a surge in cases of the coronavirus (COVID-19). Under the new measures, restaurants, bars, cinemas, and other public leisure facilities will be closed during November. Restaurants will, however, be permitted to provide takeout food. Schools and shops will remain open during the partial lockdown. Additionally, residents are being asked to keep social contacts to a minimum and avoid all nonessential travel. The decision comes after Germany announced a new record in positive infections at 14,964, bringing the nationwide total to 475,738 with 10,196 associated fatalities since the beginning of the pandemic.

Previously, the government has devolved decisions over COVID-19 lockdowns to local authorities.

Further international spread of the virus is expected in the near term 

Context

The first case of COVID-19 was reported on December 31 and the source of the outbreak has been linked to a wet market in Wuhan (Hubei province, China). Since then, human-to-human transmission of the virus has been confirmed.

Cases of the virus have been confirmed in numerous countries and territories worldwide. On March 11, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the global outbreak a pandemic. Virus-screening and quarantining measures are being implemented at airports worldwide, as well as extensive travel restrictions.

The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, dry cough, and tiredness. Some patients may experience other symptoms such as body pains, nasal congestion, headache, conjunctivitis, sore throat, diarrhea, loss of taste or smell or a rash on skin or discoloration of fingers or toes. These symptoms (in most cases mild) appear gradually. Generally, most patients (around 80 percent) recover from the disease without being hospitalized.

Advice

Measures adopted by local authorities evolve quickly and are usually effective immediately. Depending on the evolution of the outbreak in other countries, authorities are likely to modify, at very short notice, the list of countries whose travelers are subject to border control measures or entry restrictions upon their arrival to the territory in question. It is advised to postpone nonessential travel due to the risk that travelers may be refused entry or be subject to quarantine upon their arrival or during their stay.

To reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, travelers are advised to abide by the following measures: