According to leaks in the media, the Saxon state government in Germany is considering a total lockdown and shutdown for municipalities with a disproportionately high rate of daily new infections. All roads leading into those municipalities would be blocked and controlled by police; the nightly curfew already decreed would be extended to daytime—with the exception of a small daily window to allow people to shop. Companies would have to stop production as well, sending their workforce home. The increased new measures may be imposed even before Christmas and stay in place until at least Jan. 10.
Saxony has shown considerably higher new infection rates than the other German states during the past few weeks, but the entire country is facing an escalating crisis. AP reported today that “the country recorded 180 virus infections per 100,000 residents over the last seven days, a new high and significantly more than the 149 per 100,000 reported a week ago by the Robert Koch Institute, the country’s disease control center. It also vastly exceeded its previous daily death toll, with Germany’s 16 states reporting that 952 more people had died of the virus, the institute said. That was far greater than the previous daily record set Frida, Dec. 11, of 598 deaths, although it included two days of figures.
Across the country, new, very strict lockdown measures have been announced, which however are supported by 80% of the population, according to AP.
