Germany has extended its liquidity aid program for pandemic-hit companies until the end of this year, the finance and economy ministries said on Thursday as Europe’s largest economy is struggling to contain a third wave of coronavirus infections.

The government also decided to lift the upper limit for loans in the emergency program to a maximum of $2.1 million from April 1 to help also larger companies, the ministries said in a joint statement with the state-owned KfW bank.

The special loan program was launched in March 2020 and so far has channeled liquidity aid of $58 billion to mainly small- and medium-sized firms.