Germany and Netherlands face tightening Covid rules as Austria enters lockdown

German foreign minister says most of country will be vaccinated, cured or dead' by end of winter

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Germany and the Netherlands have been told they should face still tougher Covid restrictions as the German health minister, Jens Spahn, made the startling prediction that most of his compatriots would be vaccinated, cured or dead" by the end of winter.

With Europe again the centre of the pandemic, ushering in tighter controls mainly on the unvaccinated across the continent, on Monday Austria became the first west European country to re-enter lockdown since vaccination began earlier this year.