BERLIN — Germany’s and France’s leaders urged caution on Friday to avoid the spread of a coronavirus strain that forced the United Kingdom to postpone the scheduled easing of pandemic restrictions in England this week.
Merkel told reporters in Berlin, “We can’t pretend that Corona is finished.”
“Even if it feels like it’s all over on a hot summer evening, one can learn from the example of Lisbon that things may change quickly,” she added. “That is why I believe it is important to exercise caution so that we may enjoy a summer with many but not all freedoms.”
Merkel said it was nice to see thousands of fans at the last Germany-France match in Munich when asked about travel linked to the Euro2020 soccer event.
“However, when I see fully packed stadiums in other European nations, I’m a little doubtful whether that’s the correct response to the current situation,” she added, referring to Hungary, where officials have permitted games to take place with no restrictions on the number of spectators.
Merkel made the remarks before a working dinner with French President Emmanuel Macron, the first foreign leader Merkel has hosted in Germany since last year.
Around half of the people in the EU, nations have gotten at least one dose of vaccination, and more than a third have had both. Britain, which quit the EU last year, has a higher vaccination rate than the rest of the EU.
Apart from the epidemic, the EU summit next week will also discuss foreign policy concerns including the bloc’s ties with Russia and Turkey, as well as the future of its shared defense and security strategy.
Macron praised US Vice President Joe Biden’s dedication to NATO.
Merkel agreed with him. “We can all be thankful that (Biden) has re-established an atmosphere of collaboration, in which everyone, of course, has a role to play,” she said.