Chancellor Angela Merkel says Germany has made significant progress in fighting the coronavirus, but the situation remains fragile, and “caution should be the order of the day.”
She said, “the curve is flatter,” meaning infection rates are down, but added that models show those rates could easily go either way. The chancellor said if the right protections are in place, that will allow some restrictions to be eased.
Merkel made her remarks Wednesday after meetings with Germany’s 16 state governors aimed at planning a way forward for the country.
She announced that some shops will be allowed to open next week, but other strict social distancing and public gathering bans will remain in effect until May 3.
The Associated Press, citing Johns Hopkins University statistics, reports Germany had more than 134,000 confirmed cases of the COVID-19 virus and more than 3,800 deaths.
