Germany extends lockdown to March 28 with some relaxation | Abroad

The relaxation plan will take effect from next Monday, Merkel reported late in a press conference on Wednesday evening. The most radical contact restrictions are then somewhat relaxed because indoor gatherings with people from another household are again permitted up to a maximum of 5 people. In regions where, on average, less than 35 infections per 100,000 inhabitants have been diagnosed in the last seven days, meetings with people from three households up to a maximum of 10 people are also allowed.

Roadmap

It had already been decided that the hairdressers can get back to work and that the schools in Germany will be reopened. Bookstores, flower shops and garden centers should also follow in the second phase. These have already been opened in some states, but due to the joint decision of Merkel and the state prime ministers, this may soon also be the case in the other states. Hygiene measures and visitor maximums will apply in the opened cases.

In regions where the number of infections has fallen below 100 per 100,000 inhabitants, museums, zoos and historic memorials, among others, may reopen with advance booking and time slots. Sports outside the door is also allowed, alone or in pairs. Children up to 14 years old are then allowed to exercise in groups.

Subsequent easing may proceed if the situation does not deteriorate for two weeks. Then restaurants and cafes can once again receive guests outside and cinemas, theaters and music stages can reopen. If the number of infections falls below 50 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the last week, you no longer need to book in advance.

The plan of Merkel and the state prime ministers includes an emergency brake on the easing if the number of infections rises again above 100 per 100,000. The relaxation should be possible by speeding up vaccination and making more tests available. For example, German citizens can receive a free rapid test every week after Sunday. The vaccination program must be accelerated by having GPs also give injections.

The deliberations between Merkel and state prime ministers took much longer than planned due to disagreements over the conditions for relaxation. In the German system, the federal states largely determine the corona policy themselves. The current lockdown ends on Sunday and a recent poll says that only 26 percent of the population is behind strict corona measures.

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