2020 'toughest year' of chancellorship, says Angela Merkel

In her traditional New Year's address to the nation, German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday described 2020 the toughest year of her chancellorship.

"I don't think I am exaggerating when I say: Never before, in the last 15 years, was a year tougher than the one that's just coming to its end," Merkel said, Deutsche Welle quoted the Chancellor as saying.

Among other large countries in Europe, Germany has faired well in dealing with the pandemic, ahead of France, United Kingdom, Italy and Spain. According to Johns Hopkins University, Germany has detected more than 1.7 million cases and 32,000 fatalities.

"The coronavirus pandemic was and is the political, social and economic challenge of the century," said Merkel, adding that "It is a historic crisis that has asked a lot of all of us -- and too much of some."

Reiterating her stand, the German Chancellor said that she would be vaccinated against the coronavirus when it was her turn. Contrary to countries like the US, Germany did not count top-tier politicians among the first to receive the vaccine, DW reported.

"The number of those vaccinated is growing every day, step by step it will come to other age and professional groups - and then to everyone who wants that. I will be also vaccinated when it is my turn," Merkel said.

As per the Johns Hopkins' data, globally 1,719,912 COVID-19 cases and 1,800,837 deaths have been reported amid efforts to vaccinate the people around the world.

(ANI)

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