Germany set for stricter lockdown from Wednesday

Germany is set to introduce a hard national lockdown on Wednesday, according to reports, as the country struggles to quell an exponential rise in coronavirus cases.

Under the plan, most stores will be ordered to close from December 16 to January 10 and that schools and day care centers would also be shut.

The decision will be a bitter blow to the nation's retailers, coming just nine days before Christmas, at the most profitable time of the year.

Companies will be asked to be flexible with those parents who lack childcare cover due to closure of education centers, the proposal says.