German health minister calls for national lockdown to rein in third wave

Jens Spahn raises prospect of nightly curfews to contain spread of Covid-19

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  Medical Staff prepare vials of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine at a vaccination center at the Messe trade fair grounds in Erfurt, Germany. Getty Images

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  A woman waits her turn for vaccination in the the vaccination center at the Messe trade fair grounds in Erfurt, Germany. Getty Images

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  People, most of them elderly, wait in line to enter the Arena vaccination center in Berlin, Germany. Getty Images

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  Medical staff in protective suits treat a patient suffering from the coronavirus disease in the Intensive Care Unit at Havelhoehe community hospital in Berlin, Germany. Reuters

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Germany's health minister called for a national lockdown and raised the prospect of nightly curfews to break the third wave of Covid-19.

Jens Spahn called for "measures that are systematic and as nationally unified as possible", instead of the current patchwork of regional rules that drew criticism from Chancellor Angela Merkel.

"We have to break the third wave, and as quickly as possible. That means reducing contacts and mobility," Mr Spahn said on Friday.

“Private contacts have to be limited as much as we can – if necessary, as hard as it is, through nightly curfews.”

Mr Spahn echoed Ms Merkel’s criticism of regional leaders who the government has accused of failing to implement sufficiently tough measures.

Ms Merkel’s government is considering changing the law to allow ministers in Berlin to overrule rebellious states.

"If some people don't share the assessment of the situation, then of course it becomes difficult," Mr Spahn said.

“I call on everyone to put party disputes aside, election year or not, and to focus on the essential thing – fighting the pandemic.

“We need a lockdown to break the current wave.”

Mr Spahn said a fall in new infections over Easter was likely to be illusory and that the number of patients in intensive care was still climbing.

“In our hospitals we see how serious the situation really is. The number of Covid-19 intensive care patients is climbing far too quickly,” he said.

If this continues, it will be too much for our health system

“Doctors and carers are rightly sounding the alarm. They have been under constant stress for months.

“We cannot wait until our clinics are overloaded.”

As of Thursday there were 4,474 Covid-19 patients in intensive care in Germany, according to the DIVI intensive care association.

The figure is growing close to the peak of 5,762, which was reached during the second wave in the winter.

"If this continues, it will be too much for our health system," Mr Spahn said.

Ms Merkel and state leaders had hoped to ease restrictions after the winter peak, but case numbers began climbing rapidly again in mid-February.

On Friday 25,464 new cases were added to Germany's tally, up from 21,888 a week ago. There were 296 deaths, compared with 232 last Friday.

On a more positive note, Mr Spahn said the pace of vaccinations had accelerated in recent days after doctors' surgeries started handing out doses.

Figures from Germany’s Robert Koch Institute for infectious diseases show that a record 720,000 doses were handed out on Thursday.

About 14.7 per cent of Germany’s population has now had a first dose, with 5.8 per cent receiving a second.

Mr Spahn said Germany is negotiating with Russia about a purchase agreement for Moscow's Sputnik V vaccine.

Germany's requirements are approval by the European Medicines Agency and supplies that will be available in the next few months, Mr Spahn said.

The prolonged Covid-19 restrictions and slow pace of vaccinations so far have coincided with a drop in support for Ms Merkel's centre-right party ahead of September elections.

Ms Merkel is not running for a fifth term after 16 years in power.