German State Premier Proposes Intermediary Lockdown Pending Vaccination Effect

BERLIN (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 05th April, 2021) Armin Laschet, a German regional governor and leader of the ruling conservatives, proposed a tougher lockdown on Monday as a way of bridging over to a vaccination coverage that would curb the pandemic.

He told a press conference that immunization was the surest way out of the health crisis but added more measures were needed before the nation saw "a comparable effect" of blanket vaccination.

"I think we need an intermediary lockdown. We must create a bridge to when many people will be vaccinated," Laschet told reporters inside a vaccination center.

The restrictions may include nightly curfews, moving more people to home offices to avoid commuting, closing eateries, reducing schooling to a bare minimum and limiting leisure activities.

The premier of North Rhine-Westphalia said that many Germans were tired of restrictions but were also ready to take "one more step so that we go into another phase from May or June.

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This summer is going to be a turning point in the fight against the virus, Laschet said. He estimated that more than a half of all Germans would likely be inoculated by June.

The premier said the chancellor and 16 regional governors should push the coronavirus conference forward from April 12 to agree stricter measures before the end of the Easter period.

Laschet concluded by saying that the "life-saving goal is in sight." The official argued that a speedy vaccination campaign has brought the country to "very close to the finish line" and "it is the last stretch and we only need to make one more step."