Germany has ratcheted up rules for wearing face masks, becoming the first major European country to require medical-grade protection in shops and public transit in hopes of controlling faster-spreading strains of the coronavirus.
Chancellor Angela Merkel announced the measures alongside new curbs late Tuesday, mandating that people wear surgical masks or higher-specification N95 or FFP-2 devices rather than simply donning cloth face coverings. The move comes as the country reports record COVID-19 deaths despite an easing of new infections, and echoes efforts in some Asian countries that have more successfully limited Covid’s spread.
Although medical-grade masks are often more expensive and may be harder to source, German lawmakers say there is enough supply for both the public and health workers, and promised financial aid to ensure people can access them.
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