German COVID-19 lockdown can't wait until Christmas - minister

BERLIN, Dec 11 (Reuters) - Germany must go into a hard lockdown immediately to slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, Interior Minister Horst Seehofer was quoted as saying on Friday.

"The only chance to regain control of the situation is a lockdown, but this must happen immediately," Seehofer told Der Spiegel magazine.

"If we wait until Christmas, we'll have to struggle with high numbers for months," he added.

Germany earlier on Friday reported record daily numbers of new infections and deaths. (Reporting by Thomas Seythal Editing by Caroline Copley)