In Brief: Germany reports record number of daily COVID-19 cases
Dr. Lothar Wieler, who heads the Robert Koch Institute, said there are three times as many cases reported this week than two weeks ago.
Dr. Lothar Wieler, who heads the Robert Koch Institute, said there are three times as many cases reported this week than two weeks ago.
Berlin officials also strongly urge people to wear masks whenever they are outdoors, especially when they can’t maintain a minimum 1.5-meter, or 5-feet, distance from other people.
Bavarian State Premier Markus Söder, who wants to significantly tighten pandemic measures across the country, told reporters Tuesday that it is not the time to be looking for loopholes, but to do what’s best for Germany.
Two of the city’s three coronavirus “traffic lights” are also now red. But new rules to counter the second pandemic wave here and across Germany are being widely criticized.
The Verdi union called for the warning strike because transit officials are refusing to consider a collective wage agreement for Germany’s public transit workers.
The districts of Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg, Tempelhof-Schöneberg, Neukölln and Mitte, all currently have a seven-day incidence rate surpassing 50 cases per 100,000 residents.
Workers can remove their masks if they are sitting at their desks, according to new pandemic rules passed by the Berlin Senate.
Berlin public transit workers are going on a warning strike on Tuesday from 3 a.m. until noon.
Although Foreign Minister Heiko Maas’ first COVID-19 test was negative, he nevertheless called off an upcoming trip to Jordan.
Trade union Verdi and the German Civil Service Federation are demanding a minimum monthly raise of 150 euros.