NPR

Germany Is Expected To Centralize Its COVID-19 Response. Some Fear It May Be Too Late

The country's scattershot approach, with each of 16 states imposing different regulations, has come under mounting criticism as cases surpass 3 million and hospitals warn they're running out of beds.
Lines form in front of a vaccination center in Hamburg, Germany.

This week, German Chancellor Angela Merkel is making good on a veiled threat she issued two weeks ago to centralize pandemic management. Amid growing calls for Merkel to take control of the situation and bypass the country's 16 state leaders, Germany's parliament is expected to pass a measure this month that will allow her to finally take charge of the country's COVID-19 response.

As the third wave of infection rages, some worry it may already be

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