Germans celebrate Carnival again despite high virus numbers

BERLIN (AP) — Carnival revelers in the western Germany city of Cologne were lining up to show  proof of their COVID-19 vaccinations before they could begin the start of the outdoors celebrations _ after a hiatus due to the pandemic last year. Despite strict pandemic rules, the start of the carnival season on Thursday was overshadowed by a coronavirus infection of Cologne’s official head of celebrations. Carnival Prince Sven I. announced Tuesday that he had tested positive despite being vaccinated and canceled all public appearances. On Cologne’s Heumarkt square in the old city, however, thousands of revelers dressed up as clowns, bees, pirates or tigers and seemed unfazed by the country’s spiking virus numbers as they danced tightly to brass band live music.