Government spokesperson Ulrike Demmer stated that the German government is looking into the possibility of temporarily preventing trips to popular holiday destinations abroad from Germany, during a press conference in Berlin on Wednesday.

Her remarks come following a boom in bookings for trips to Mallorca, in Spain, after holidays to the destination were allowed without the requirement to quarantine upon return. This despite limitations on vacationing within Germany itself.

Demmer also commented on Chancellor Angela Merkel's decision to reverse the Easter lockdown announced earlier in the week.

“The chancellor took responsibility for bringing in an idea that was not fully thought through," she said.

“Nevertheless the general idea behind it remains correct,” she stressed.

Demmer also commented on the idea of limiting vaccine exports from the European Union saying "we have to be careful with general export bans."

Steve Alter from the Interior Ministry for his part outlined Minister Horst Seehofer’s disapproval of a request to refrain from in-person religious services during the Easter holidays.

Commenting on Foreign Minister Heiko Maas' private conversation with his US counterpart Antony Blinken on Tuesday, the ministry’s spokesperson Andrea Sasse confirmed that Nord Steam 2 was among the topics discussed.

However she didn’t share any further details, despite reports that Blinken had mentioned possible sanctions concerning the project. However, she did reiterate US-German differences over the pipeline which is now almost complete.