Ban on Public Transportation and Public Places
Quarantine Emergency as Confirmed Cases Surpass 60,000
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suhwan] As the daily number of COVID-19 cases in Germany surpassed 60,000, reaching an all-time high, the government has taken tough measures such as banning unvaccinated individuals from using public transportation and entering public places.
According to Bloomberg on the 18th (local time), Chancellor Angela Merkel announced, "We are currently in the midst of the fourth wave. We must address this dramatic situation," unveiling these measures.
Starting from this day, German authorities plan to allow only vaccinated and recovered individuals to enter public places such as restaurants, bars, and event venues, focusing on regions with high hospitalization rates due to COVID-19 infections. They also announced that only vaccinated, recovered, or negatively tested citizens will be permitted to use public transportation.
The authorities recommended that all workers work from home in principle, and plan to impose fines on unvaccinated individuals who violate these guidelines and enter public places.
The background for Germany's de facto lockdown measures on unvaccinated people is the recent rapid spread of COVID-19. The previous day, Germany recorded a daily new case count of 68,366, setting a record high. Additionally, the number of critically ill patients admitted to intensive care units has surged again, reaching the 3,000 range, the highest since May.
The Robert Koch Institute, the German federal agency responsible for disease control, stated on this day, "There has never been such an urgent situation," adding, "The news coming from hospitals is very bleak."
Meanwhile, other countries in Europe are also strengthening quarantine measures. Greece has expanded the ban on unvaccinated individuals entering public places, the Netherlands has reinstated partial lockdown measures, and Austria has implemented a policy since the 15th that fines unvaccinated people 500 euros (about 670,000 KRW) if they go out except for urgent reasons.
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