Germany to extend lockdown until Feb. 15 - document

FILE PHOTO: A sign reads "terrace closed, don't sit down" in front of a closed restaurant as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues during an extended lockdown in Frankfurt, Germany, January 8, 2021. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach

BERLIN (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel wants to extend coronavirus restrictions until Feb. 15 and make medical masks obligatory on public transport and in shops, according to a draft resolution by the federal government seen by Reuters on Tuesday.

The draft proposed keeping schools closed until mid-February and improving aid for companies affected by the lockdown extension. It also proposed creating a working group to work out how to exit restrictions safely and equitably.