Germany, which is Europe’s biggest economy, plans to open smaller shops next week and restart some schools in May in a cautious bid to begin returning to normal after a lengthy shutdown during the coronavirus crisis. But German Chancellor Angela Merkel stressed the need to maintain social distancing and said the country has achieved only “a fragile intermediate success” so far and doesn’t have “much room for maneuver.”
Germany has confirmed more than 130,000 coronavirus infections and over 3,500 deaths, according to a count by Johns Hopkins University. Rules banning gatherings of more than two people and requiring 5 feet of social distance will remain in place beyond Sunday, when it had been set to expire. Major gatherings won’t be allowed through Aug. 31.
