Michael Cardinal, FISM News

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On Thursday Germany imposed harsh restrictions on the unvaccinated, imposing a lockdown on those who have not received the shot.

Outgoing Chancellor Angela Markel and her successor Olaf Scholz passed the legislation alongside leaders from Germany’s 16 states, saying the measures were needed to curb a surge in daily infections in the country, despite the fact that the daily infection rate has fallen for the third day in a row in the country.

The order will ban unvaccinated individuals from all locations but the most essential businesses such as grocery stores, pharmacies and bakeries. The order also will allow those who have proof that they have recovered from COVID-19 to retain the same freedoms as those who are vaccinated. The ban will apply to approximately 31% of the population according to Reuters.

“The situation is very serious,” Merkel said during a news conference with Scholz, who is expected to be elected as chancellor by the Bundestag (lower house) next week. “The number of infections has stabilized, but on a far too high a level.”

Merkel said an ethics committee will be asked to draft legislation to make vaccination mandatory and the Bundestag would debate and vote on the disputed measure in February at the latest.

Merkel, who hailed the restrictions as a necessary “national act of solidarity,” said that in regions where the 7-day incidence hits 350, steps such as closing nightclubs and music venues and limiting indoor events to 50 people would kick in.

Scholz, who will formally take power next week, said Germany would seek to administer 30 million more jabs by Christmas.

Article written with contributions by Reuters