(ANSA-AFP) - BERLIN, NOV 30 - Germany's constitutional court
ruled Tuesday that sweeping restrictions to stem coronavirus
infections such as curfews, school closures and contact
restrictions were lawful, in a decision that could pave the way
for further curbs. The verdict came hours before Chancellor
Angela Merkel was due to meet with her successor, Olaf Scholz,
as well as regional leaders of Germany's 16 states on whether to
toughen up restrictions to tame raging infections. Helge Braun,
Merkel's chief of staff, told the RTL broadcaster the court
decision would show "which of two paths we should go down". The
meeting, due to be held remotely, comes amid a record wave of
infections in Germany. The country recorded 45,753 new
infections on Tuesday and 388 deaths, according to the Robert
Koch Institute health agency. Hospitals have long been sounding
the alarm, with many already over capacity and sending patients
to other parts of Germany. To tame the surge, Europe's biggest
economy has over the last weeks began requiring people to prove
they are vaccinated, have recovered from Covid-19 or have
recently tested negative before they can travel on public
transport or enter workplaces. Several of the worst-hit areas
have gone further, cancelling large events like Christmas
markets and barring the unvaccinated from bars, gyms and leisure
facilities. But with infections shooting to new records day
after day, calls have grown louder for further curbs. Germany's
vice-chancellor-in-waiting Robert Habeck on Tuesday called for
tougher restrictions to slow the spread of the disease. "What
has to happen is absolutely clear: contacts must be reduced,"
the co-leader of the Green party said, also calling for
unvaccinated people to be banned from "all public facilities"
apart from essential shops. (ANSA-AFP).
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