BERLIN: Chancellor Angela Merkel urged Germans on Thursday to show endurance and discipline to get through the coronavirus pandemic that is"still at the beginning", and called for a bigger European Union budget to support economic recovery in the bloc.
Germany has reported 148,046 confirmed coronavirus cases, with 5,094 deaths, but the latest figures showed cases where people recovered outnumbering new infections. "We are still far from out of the woods," she said."We are not living in the final phase of the pandemic, but still at the beginning."Germany's gradual easing of restrictions provides for social distancing rules to remain in place until May 3. Schools will start opening from May 4, with priority for final-year students. Hairdressers can also reopen then.
"That would be a very difficult process, cost time and wouldn't even help anyone in the current situation, since we need rapid-fire instruments to tackle the crisis," Merkel said.