German Chancellor Angela Merkel speaks to the media during her visit at the TUMO Center for Creative Technologies, in Berlin, Germany, November 22, 2021.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel speaks to the media during her visit at the TUMO Center for Creative Technologies, in Berlin, Germany, November 22, 2021.Markus Schreiber/Reuters
  • Germany announced a lockdown for people not vaccinated against COVID-19 on Thursday. 
  • Unvaccinated people will be banned from restaurants and bars, movie theaters, gyms, non-essential shops, and Christmas markets.
  • Outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel made the announcement alongside her successor, Olaf Schol.

Germany is putting a new COVID-19 lockdown in place, but only for people who are not vaccinated against the coronavirus, outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel and her successor, Olaf Scholz, announced Thursday.

"Culture and leisure nationwide will be open only to those who have been vaccinated or recovered (from Covid)," Merkel said about the new lockdown, according to The Telegraph.

Under the new measures, those who are not vaccinated will be banned from restaurants and bars, movie theaters, gyms, non-essential shops, and Christmas markets.

Merkel and Scholz made the announcement after meeting with leaders of the country's 16 states to discuss ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates. 

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