Angela Merkel backing ‘short, uniform lockdown’ for Germany

Chairs and tables outside a traditional Bavarian restaurant are locked at the city centre in Munich, Germany (Matthias Schrader/AP)

A spokeswoman for German Chancellor Angela Merkel is supporting calls for a “short, uniform lockdown” as the country grapples with a rise in coronavirus cases.

German state governors, who are responsible for imposing and lifting restrictions, have taken differing approaches.