German Chancellor Angela Merkel wants state premiers to agree to close all restaurants and bars from Nov. 4 in a bid to curb coronavirus infections but keep schools and nurseries open, a draft resolution seen by Reuters showed.
Under the new restrictions people would only be able to go out in public with members of their own household and one other household, said the resolution.
People would be punished if they broke the rule, but did not give further details.
It noted that an exponential increase in infections in almost all regions of Germany meant that many local health authorities could not track and trace all infections so it was necessary to significantly reduce contact between people now in the hope that extensive restrictions are not required over Christmas.
If the leaders of Germany’s 16 states agree to the draft, fitness studios, discos and cinemas will close along with theatres, opera houses and concert venues.
Shops would be allowed to remain open if they implement hygiene measures and limit customer numbers, while restaurants would only be allowed to offer takeaways.
The government has so far been keen to avoid a second national lockdown after an initial shutdown earlier this year hit economic growth hard.
But Merkel warned on Tuesday that Germany’s health system could hit breaking point if coronavirus infections continue to spiral and Economy Minister Peter Altmaier said Germany was likely to reach 20,000 new infections a day by the end of the week.
If agreed, the measures would apply nationwide until the end of November, with leaders meeting two weeks after implementation to consult on whether adjustments are necessary.
