"The idea of an Easter shutdown was drafted with the best of intentions. We urgently need to stop and reverse the third wave of the pandemic," Merkel told reporters on Wednesday. But it was not possible to implement the measures so quickly, Merkel said. Her comments came against a backdrop of growing public frustration with the conservative-led government over the slow rollout of COVID-19 vaccines and extended lockdown measures. Merkel, who has led Germany since 2005, has said she will not stand for a fifth term.
