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Chancellor Angela Merkel and the premiers of the federal states have decided that the restrictions currently in place to contain the COVID-19 pandemic are to be extended until the end of January. Private meetings are to be further limited. In areas with high incidences, there will also be a restriction on how far people may move from their homes.

Vaccinations against COVID-19 have begun across Germany. According to the Robert Koch Institute, 367,331 people had already been vaccinated by 6 January. The strategy is to protect the weakest first. Mobile teams are vaccinating residents of pension, care and nursing homes, and the staff who look after them. At this stage, people over the age of 80 are also being offered the vaccination.

Following the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union on 1 February 2020, the transition period agreed upon in the Withdrawal Agreement will end on 31 December 2020. The UK will thus leave the single market and the customs union and EU rules will no longer apply to it.