Too soon to end German lockdown, says Bavarian leader Soeder

FILE PHOTO: A girl checks her mobile phone as she stands in front of an empty Apple store during an extended lockdown as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues in Frankfurt, Germany, January 21, 2021. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach

BERLIN (Reuters) - It is too soon for Germany to lift its lockdown without risking a third wave of COVID-19 infections, Bavarian premier Markus Soeder said on Sunday, ahead of a crunch meeting to review the restrictions aimed at stemming the pandemic.

Chancellor Angela Merkel and the leaders of Germany's 16 federal states are due to meet virtually on Wednesday to discuss whether to ease the restrictions from Feb. 15, or extend a lockdown that began in mid-December.