Lockdowns extended across Europe amid sustained high infection rates

Germany is to extend its lockdown until the end of the month at a meeting of federal and regional leaders on Tuesday, following its European neighbours in prolonging Covid-19 restrictions well into the new year.

With the holiday break yet to make a noticeable dent on infection numbers, parents across the continent are scrambling to make alternative work plans to home-school children.

Germany’s incidence rate remains stubbornly high at 140 per 100,000 of population, with a fumbled vaccination start triggering a blame-game among officials in Berlin and state capitals.

Across the border Austria announced it was extending its lockdown of all but essential shops and services, along with a mandatory stay-at-home rule until January 24th at least.

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Ireland’s debate over off licences has found an equivalent with the Alpine republic’s official view of ski slopes as essential. Skiers have welcomed the move as a welcome valve in an otherwise pressured pandemic normality. But weekend images of crowds and queues at ski lifts have prompted critical comment among those who note infection rates now are higher than during the first wave in April.

Italy’s ski season opening has been pushed back from Thursday until January 18th at the earliest.

On Monday Rome and regional capitals relaxed restrictions for 24 hours, allowing essential travel between the regions ahead of its third mini-lockdown on Tuesday. Classifying the entire country once more as a red zone brings an almost total ban on gatherings. Only essential trips outside the home are permitted – with a curfew from 10pm to 5am. The restrictions will be relaxed again on Wednesday.

Death toll

Sweden’s government is preparing a new bill, to be passed by the Riksdag parliament in the coming days, to allow it impose – rather than recommend – travel and other restrictions on its population.

The move is the latest departure from the more liberal Swedish model, which has been blamed for much higher infection rates and a death toll far beyond its Scandinavian neighbours.

The shift began last month when the country’s civil contingencies agency texted all citizens urging them to avoid travel where possible. Now that agency’s head, Dan Eliasson, faces calls for him to resign after holidaying in the Canary Islands over Christmas.

Mr Eliasson insisted the trip was necessary “for family reasons”. He has a daughter living in the Canaries, and had celebrated Christmas with her after “giving up a lot of trips during the pandemic”, he said.

A growing number of countries, facing delays on vaccine deliveries and rollout, are mulling whether to follow the UK’s lead and extend the gap until the second jab and use existing stocks to give more people their first shot.

While Germany considers the move, Denmark’s health authority announced on Monday it would permit a gap of up to six weeks until administering the follow-up dose. The agency said the official gap of three to four weeks should still be adhered to where possible, but expressed doubts whether a delay of longer than six weeks would ensure protection.

Federal elections

Germany’s stumbled start with its vaccination programme has added political spice to the Covid-19 drama as the country heads into a year packed with state and federal elections.

Bavarian leader Markus Söder, said to have ambitions to be Germany’s next chancellor, has lead the vocal attack on what he called an “inadequate” pan-EU vaccine procurement programme.

In a process co-ordinated by the European Commission, EU member states joined forces to sign contracts with a number of vaccine developers of which only one, the German BioNTech product, has yet been approved for use in the bloc.

Anxious to distract from their own patchy records to date of administering the vaccine since December 27th, German regional politicians have attacked Berlin and Brussels for hedging their bets – and limiting orders with each developer.

“It is difficult to explain that a very good vaccine is developed in Germany but is vaccinated more quickly elsewhere,” said Mr Söder.