In Berlin, there will no longer be a limit on the number of participants for demonstrations. The Senate discussed this at its special session on Thursday. At first it was still unclear when the new regulation should apply. Public outdoor gatherings are currently limited to 100 participants due to the corona pandemic.
From next week, open-air events are again allowed. Accordingly, open-air events such as concerts or film screenings with up to 150 participants are likely to be possible from June 2, and from June 30 with up to 300 participants. Large events are prohibited until August 31. Gyms can also reopen in June.
Seehofer expects Corona warning app in mid-June
Federal Interior Minister Horst Seehofer assumes that the German Corona warning app will be available around mid-June. There was a “very, very good conversation” with the project promoters SAP and Deutsche Telekom on the evening before, the CSU politician said on Thursday in a meeting of the German-French Parliamentary Assembly. He was confident “that we would get this famous warning app around mid-June (…)”.
Seehofer pointed out that the infection process in Germany and France had developed very positively. If this remains the case, border controls on France would be completely abolished on June 15. “At the same time as June 15, the German government also wants to redesign its travel warnings and travel advice.” The Federal Cabinet will decide this next Wednesday. The aim is also to then not maintain the worldwide strict travel warning “but to loosen up taking into account the infection process”.
Seehofer emphasized that the border controls introduced in mid-March had made a contribution to containing the infection process. “It’s always about not importing the virus,” he said. “That is why this effort has already paid off.” With regard to easing, Seehofer emphasized: “The protection of health and life must be the top priority for these questions. It is not negotiable.”
72 UPS employees near Hanover infected with coronavirus
At the parcel service provider UPS in Langenhagen near Hanover, 72 employees at the distribution center were infected with the corona virus. This was announced by the Ministry of Social Affairs and the Hanover Region on Thursday. 55 employees, whose test was initially negative, should be tested again. The region also said that Covid 19 cases in a daycare center and a school in Hanover were related to the infection process at UPS.
Families with a professional connection to the company were asked to be vigilant about any symptoms of illness. According to current knowledge, parcel deliverers are not affected. Mail could therefore be received without risk.
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After there was a steady increase in cases after the first infection in mid-May, the health department and the company identified the affected departments on May 18, the region said. The hygiene measures had been checked on site to ensure that the distances in the workflow were observed. Masks have been mandatory on the company premises since mid-May. As a precaution, the health authority had another 80 employees tested on Tuesday – the result for 55 was negative. At UPS, no response was initially available.
Wage replacement for working people is extended
Working parents who have to take care of their children at home because of the corona crisis should get more help from the state. In future, wage replacement due to limited daycare and school operations will no longer be paid for just six weeks, but up to 20 weeks. The Bundestag decided on Thursday. It was also decided that grants from the employer for short-time work benefits remain largely tax-free.
In the same law, the value added tax on food in the catering trade was temporarily reduced from 19 to 7 percent. This is intended to support restaurants that have suffered major drops in sales due to the pandemic. The VAT rate on drinks remains. The opposition criticized that bars and pubs that only sell drinks are ignored. The law still requires the approval of the Federal Council.
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