Germany to chart way out of coronavirus restrictions

Chancellor Olaf Scholz is conferring with Germany’s 16 state governors to map a way out of coronavirus restrictions as official figures show new infections beginning to drift downward

BERLIN -- Chancellor Olaf Scholz is conferring with Germany's 16 state governors Wednesday to map a way out of coronavirus restrictions as official figures show new infections beginning to drift downward.

Germany saw infections caused by the omicron variant, which is highly contagious but generally causes milder illness than previous variants, surge later than in several other European countries.

Officials have attributed this to restrictions that include curbs on private gatherings, the closure of night clubs and requirements for people to show proof of vaccination or recovery to enter restaurants and bars.

But other countries, including neighboring Denmark, also have moved faster to lift restrictions, and there are growing calls for Germany to follow suit. Already, many German states have moved to scrap rules that prevented people without proof of vaccination or recovery from visiting nonessential stores.