Some 97,000 COVID-related deaths have been reported in Germany since the pandemic began two years ago, but according to Christian Drosten, director of the Institute of Virology at Charité Berlin, if the crisis continues on its current path there could be a further 100,000 deaths.

Recent polling suggests the German government is unlikely to persuade those who are unvaccinated to get jabbed. A survey commissioned by the German health ministry, which was published in October, found that 65 percent of those who have so far refused the jab said they would “definitely not” take a vaccine in the next two months, while a further 23 percent said they would “probably not” be immunized.

Public health experts point to the vast regional differences in policy being enacted across the country. Under Germany’s federal system, health authorities in the 16 states—rather than central government—are responsible for deciding health restrictions and infrastructure…

Anti-vax demonstrators have, on numerous occasions, attacked police officers, defied civil authorities and last August, during a 40,000-strong protest in Berlin, jumped police lines and mounted the German Parliament’s stairs.