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Introduction – Dec 21, 2020

Britain isn’t the only country in Europe to tighten restrictions on movement and activity in the run-up to Christmas.

France has introduced what amounts to a night curfew while the Netherlands is in the middle of a strict five-week lockdown. Meanwhile Germany has imposed new restrictions, which will allow only essential businesses to remain open.

The reasons given for tightening controls vary. Angela Merkel cited the need to contain a rising number of Covid cases. While in Britain the need to control a more infectious variant of coronavirus was cited as the reason.

Different reasons but the end result was the same and all clampdowns came within a week. Is it a coincidence that this is all happening over the Christmas holiday?

Moreover, this isn’t just happening in Europe. On the other side of the Atlantic, in Canada, Ontario is about to launch a province-wide lockdown beginning on Christmas Eve, Dec 24.

As elsewhere on the planet, Canadians are being ordered to put their jobs, businesses and livelihoods on the line to contain a disease that in reality is only marginally more deadly than the common cold and flu.

To contain a “health threat” that is largely a creation of the government and media we are being asked to accept new procedures – mandatory masks, social distancing, travel bans – that could easily morph into full-on totalitarianism.

Covid: Germany begins hard lockdown ahead of Christmas, as Paris streets empty

Joe Middleton — The Independent Dec 16, 2020

Germany has shut schools and non-essential businesses in a strict lockdown to try and bring under control soaring coronavirus cases.

The fresh restrictions will be in place until January 10, but there will be a slight easing of measures over Christmas allowing one household to have up to four family members.

The country reported 952 deaths, the highest increase yet, along with 27,728 new cases on Wednesday.

Fears of the pandemic spiralling out of control drew swift action from Chancellor Angela Merkel and 16 state governors who announced the tough new restrictions on Sunday.

Ms Merkel told lawmakers on Tuesday she was worried by the upward trend in coronavirus infections and warned them that January and February would be very tough months.

Other European countries have also tightened restrictions after a rise in cases, with England in a strict tier system, France introducing a night-time curfew and the Netherlands currently in a five week lockdown.

Germany was more successful than many European countries in keeping the coronavirus under control in the first wave in the spring but the situation looks very different now

Continues …