German Chancellor Merkel's reaction after she forgets her mask goes viral

Berlin: German Chancellor Angela Merkel, in a viral video, was seen alarmed after forgetting her mask in the country’s parliament, the Bundestag, in Berlin earlier this week. The video captures Merkel, who had risen to address lawmakers on the government’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic, rushing back to the podium to retrieve her mask, a look of panic on her face.

As she got back her face cover, Merkel was seen trying to hold back laughter while putting it on. The incident was not just relatable to her colleagues in parliament, but to people worldwide. The video, which was shared by Reuters news agency, got several people talking online.

Angela Merkel panics as she forgets her face mask on the lectern after a speech pic.twitter.com/qC4GAeWpVt

— Reuters (@Reuters) February 19, 2021

The lighter moment came after a rousing 22-minute speech, in which Merkel defended her government on its Covid-19 stance and extending the European nation’s tough lockdown until March 7. She acknowledged that the lockdown had caused a lot of suffering, saying, “This is a hard winter, both outside and when it comes to our lives.” However, she said it was her aim was to avoid another wave with out-of-control infection rates, DW reported.

While some praised Merkel for being a “responsible leader”, others responded saying they too had reacted in a similar way.