Germany can't rule out lockdown, even for the vaccinated, minister says

Germany's coronavirus situation is so grave that a lockdown, including for people who have been vaccinated, cannot be ruled out, Health Minister Jens Spahn said on Friday.

Asked if Germany could rule out a lockdown that applies not only to the unvaccinated, Spahn told a news conference: "We are now in a situation -- even if this produces a news alert -- where we can't rule anything out."

Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Thursday Germany will limit large parts of public life in areas where hospitals are becoming dangerously full of COVID-19 patients to those who have either been vaccinated or have recovered from the illness.