Strong easing in the corona crisis

Carola Felchner is a freelance writer in the medical department and a certified training and nutrition advisor. She worked for various specialist magazines and online portals before becoming a freelance journalist in 2015. Before starting her internship, she studied translation and interpreting in Kempten and Munich.

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The corona rules are being relaxed nationwide - but the states must ensure that new infections do not exceed a certain limit value. Find out here what Chancellor Angela Merkel and the Prime Ministers agreed on.

In the Corona crisis, people in Germany can prepare for significant easing of the restrictions. The federal government leaves a lot of responsibility to the federal states. In a switch between Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) and the country chiefs on Wednesday (May 6th) it was about how to proceed.

Countries in responsibility

Although the countries are largely responsible for the relaxation, they should also guarantee any tightening that may be necessary. It must be ensured that in rural districts or urban districts with more than 50 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants in the past seven days, a consistent restriction concept is immediately implemented again. Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) and the Prime Ministers agreed on this during their deliberations, as the German Press Agency learned from participants.

What easing are possible?

In its draft resolution, the federal government made proposals for relaxation in various areas. It is up to the federal states whether, when and to what extent they implement them.

schools

All pupils should gradually be able to return to school under certain conditions until the summer vacation. Pupils with a special need for support, for example because of the situation at home or the technical equipment, should “receive targeted pedagogical classroom offers at the schools as soon as possible”.

childcare

In order to ease the difficult situation of families with children, extended emergency care can be introduced in all federal states from May 11th. This primarily includes children with special educational or language support needs, children who live in cramped living conditions - for example if they do not have their own children's room - and children who are transitioning to preschool or school. The countries should regulate the details. These are already gradually expanding the emergency care and have already announced further plans.

businesses

The federal states can reopen all shops - with no limit on the number of square meters. Hygiene, control of access and avoidance of queues would have to be met. It is important that a maximum number of customers and staff is specified in relation to the sales area.

Professional football

The federal government wants to give German professional football the green light to resume games in the 1st and 2nd Bundesliga, which have been suspended since mid-March. "The start of the game must be preceded by a two-week quarantine measure, possibly in the form of a training camp," says the draft resolution.

The expected date for the start of the “ghost games” without spectators is May 15 or 21 - an exact date is left open in the resolution proposal.

Popular sport

The federal government wants to allow the sports and training operations in popular and recreational sports in the open air under certain conditions. In the proposal, reference is made to a corresponding resolution by the sports ministers of the federal states of April 28th. There, the conditions for resuming sports activities include ensuring that there is a sufficiently large distance between people of 1.5 to 2 meters and that the sport is practiced without contact. This applies e.g. B. to sports such as golf or tennis. In addition, hygiene and disinfection measures must be observed, especially when sharing sports equipment.

Some federal states, e.g. B. Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, Lower Saxony and Hamburg have already announced corresponding plans. In Saxony-Anhalt, hobby pilots should also be allowed to start again under safety restrictions in aviation clubs.

Minimum distance

The draft also describes as crucial that citizens keep a minimum distance of 1.5 meters in public. This is the most important measure, especially in view of the openings. It will remain "for a long time to come".

Contact restrictions

The federal and state governments have basically extended the contact restrictions for citizens in public spaces to contain the coronavirus until June 5. However, Chancellor Angela Merkel and the prime ministers of the federal states agreed on a relaxation at their switch on Wednesday (May 6th).

According to information from the German Press Agency from among participants, members of two households should also be able to meet in the future. Saxony-Anhalt goes one step further: on the night of Monday, May 4, a regulation came into force, according to which five people are allowed to meet away from their own household.

Hospitals, nursing homes, retirement homes and institutions for the disabled

A regulation is to be included in all of the regulations already issued by the federal states, "which gives every patient / resident of such a facility the possibility of a recurring visit by a defined person, provided that there is currently no active Sars-Cov-2 infection in the Facility there ”.As early as Thursday, residents of old people's and nursing homes in Rhineland-Palatinate, for example, should be able to receive relatives and friends again.

Major events

Folk festivals, larger sporting events with spectators, larger concerts, festivals, village, street or shooting festivals as well as funfair events are prohibited due to the corona pandemic - probably until at least August 31. In some countries, major events have already been canceled until autumn, such as the Oktoberfest in Munich, the Cannstatter Volksfest in Stuttgart or the marathon in Berlin.

Culture

Museums, exhibitions, memorials, zoos or botanical gardens can reopen under certain conditions, as can church services and prayer meetings. In Bremen and Lower Saxony, the museums will receive visitors again on Thursday under strict hygiene regulations.

Industry and medium-sized companies

Since one continues to live in the pandemic, unnecessary contacts in the workforce and with customers must be avoided. At the same time, general hygiene measures would have to be implemented and the risk of infection minimized through special measures in the event of necessary contacts. The authorities responsible for occupational safety and the accident insurance institutions should advise the companies and carry out controls.

tourism

Even if many would prefer nothing more than to go on (summer) vacation as soon as possible: long-distance travel should be difficult. But even before the consultations on Wednesday it is clear: Holidays on the German North and Baltic Seas and in Bavaria should be possible. For the opening of tourist accommodation, an opening by the end of May is targeted.

For example, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania announced before the advisory board on May 6th that it would reopen hotels and guesthouses on May 18th and allow tourists from other federal states to enter the country from May 25th.

gastronomy

The economic ministers of the federal states are striving for a nationwide controlled opening of the hospitality industry in a corridor from May 9th to May 22nd. For example, Brandenburg will probably allow visits to restaurants again from mid-May.

According to information from the German Press Agency, this is a proposal for the next cabinet meeting, which is currently planned for Friday. The restaurants should not only be able to receive guests outside, but also inside. In Bavaria, the outdoor areas of restaurants are to reopen on May 18, and indoor eateries on May 25.

Further easing is a matter for the federal states

The federal states should regulate the following areas independently, taking into account the respective infection process and country-specific peculiarities:

• Lectures at universities
• Transition of childcare to restricted regular operations in accordance with the decision of the Conference of Youth and Family Ministers
• Adult education centers
• Music schools and other public and private educational institutions outside of school
• Catering establishments
• Bars, clubs and discos
• Hotels, guest houses and holiday apartments (accommodation offers for private trips)
• Measure
• Service companies in the field of body care such as cosmetic studios, massage practices, tattoo studios and similar businesses
• Theaters, operas, concert halls and similar establishments
• Sports operations in all public and private indoor sports facilities, swimming pools and fun pools, fitness studios and similar facilities
• Operation of other sports and leisure facilities as well as the resumption of competitive and competitive sports
• Smaller public or private events or celebrations as well as non-festive events
• Cinemas, theme parks and leisure activity providers (indoor and outdoor)
• Amusement arcades, casinos, betting shops and similar facilities
• Prostitution centers, brothels and similar establishments

(caf / dpa)

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