Germany's stricter lockdown starts nationwide
In a special session on Tuesday, Berlin's government, the state Senate, decided that the rule would stay in place until the incidence rate keeps below 200 for seven consecutive days.
"The goal of everything we're doing is to reduce travel and contact," Finance Senator Matthias Kollatz told reporters after the session. "The 15-kilometer rule, when the rate hits 200, aims to achieve a further reduction."
Berlin has exceeded the 200 figure before. And on Wednesday this week, it was 199.9, with higher tallies in many parts of the city. Berlin's three "corona traffic lights" — one each for the incidence rate, the reproduction number, and ICU bed occupancy — all hit red for the first time on Monday.