German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she felt the partial loosening of restrictions this week had led to excessive "reopening discussions orgies" in some federal states about how and when to end lockdown measures.

She made the comments, choosing a particularly descriptive term for Germany's keenness to emerge from partial lockdown, during a party conference call on Monday.

Her warning comes as Germans flocked to the shops on Monday. Small stores, car and bicycle dealers, and bookstores re-opened, under an agreement Merkel reached with state leaders last Wednesday.

Germany is currently the country with the fifth highest number of COVID-19 infections, but it has seen a slowdown in transmission rates following a partial lockdown and social distancing regulations in mid March.

Endless discussions about swift further easing of restrictions were not helpful, said Merkel. Germany must stay cautious and disciplined to avoid running the risk of increasing transmission levels again.

"We stand at the beginning of the pandemic and are still a long way from being out of the woods," Mekel told journalists in Berlin.

It would be a "crying shame if we were to stumble into a relapse with our eyes wide open".

Read more: Coronavirus no end in sight for travel restrictions

#Öffnungsdiskussionsorgien

The hashtag #Öffnungsdiskussionsorgien (reopening discussion orgies, loosely translated) was trending second place on German Twitter on Monday afternoon.

Germany's public service broadcaster ZDF tweeted: "Angela Merkel criticizes "#Öffnungsdiskussionsorgien" – but often wins at Scrabble." – referring to the popular board game, but apparently forgetting that players only receive seven letters in it.

Bettina Stark-Watzinger from the opposition liberal Free Democrat Party (FDP), was not amused: "The current restrictions should be justified every day. A debate about how we can moderately regain our freedoms is essential for our democracy. Merkel should therefore not dismiss discussions as #Öffnungsdiskussionsorgien!" she tweeted.

But Merkel cautioned state leaders against further easing restrictions. "We must remain vigilant and disciplined," she said.

Owing to Germany's federal system, states are largely responsible for how they enact restrictions to curb the novel coronavirus. Among Merkel's conservative allies, North Rhine-Westphalia's state premier Armin Laschet has been among those most keen to relax the shutdown, while Bavaria's Markus Söder has been calling for a gradual approach.

In Germany, more than 4,600 people have died from complications caused by the novel coronavirus, according to Johns Hopkins figures. At least 145,000 people have tested positive.

kmm, rg/msh (dpa, Reuters, AP)

Coronavirus: Life returns to Germany as lifting of lockdown begins On your marks, get set ... After a month of life under lockdown, Germans are regaining a few freedoms. But they are doing so in patchwork fashion. The 16 individual states are responsible for lifting their lockdowns. The biggest change is that all shops under 800 square meters (8,610 square feet) are allowed to open their doors from April 20. But shoppers in some states — such as Berlin — will have to wait a little longer.

Coronavirus: Life returns to Germany as lifting of lockdown begins Getting out and about Germany’s most populous state, North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), was one of the states to allow stores to open right away. Shoppers in Bonn appeared to take full advantage. NRW has also gone a baby-step further than other states, allowing large stores specializing in maternity products to open up.

Coronavirus: Life returns to Germany as lifting of lockdown begins On your bike Cyclists looking for a new purchase were already lining up outside a bike shop in Dinslaken, NRW, after it reopened on Monday. Bike stores, bookstores and car dealerships throughout Germany are allowed to welcome customers again, no matter the shops' size.

Coronavirus: Life returns to Germany as lifting of lockdown begins Back in business Store owners were just as delighted to welcome back customers, with some launching spring sales to try and tempt a few more inside. A lifestyle store in Ludwigsburg, Saxony-Anhalt, put up a banner reading, "We are back! Nice to see you again."

Coronavirus: Life returns to Germany as lifting of lockdown begins Back to school Pupils are slowly being allowed back in through school gates. The states of Berlin, Brandenburg and Saxony are permitting older students to return on Monday for classes to prepare them for their school-leaving exams, as well as the tests themselves. Most areas of Germany are targeting May 4 as the day to open schools more widely, but Bavaria, one of the hardest hit states, will wait until May 11.

Coronavirus: Life returns to Germany as lifting of lockdown begins Zoos and museums to open doors Animals have had a month off as zoos and safari parks were closed by Germany's lockdown. But some states are ready to allow visitors to return. Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Brandenburg and Rhineland-Palatinate are all permitting zoos to open to some extent. In these and other states people will be able to visit museums again.

Coronavirus: Life returns to Germany as lifting of lockdown begins Masks will become more prevalent Some people have been wearing masks out of choice, but in certain regions they will become a more common sight. There is no nationwide requirement to wear them, but some states are introducing one. From April people using busses and trains and going into shops in Saxony will need something to cover their noses and mouths. Bavaria and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania will follow with similar measures.

Coronavirus: Life returns to Germany as lifting of lockdown begins Keep your distance What won't change are social distancing guidelines. No matter where they are, Germans are still being encouraged to keep 1.5 meters (4.9 feet) away from people they don't live with. Stores that are reopening are marking this distance in various ways to help customers keep clear of one another. Author: Alex Matthews



Each evening, DW sends out a selection of the day's news and features. Sign up here.