December 16, 2020 – 13:09 Clock
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Berlin (dpa / tmn) – Who can I visit and when? Can I still get my Christmas shopping? What about work when the kids are at home? The new lockdown raises many questions – especially given that Christmas is almost just around the corner. The most important information at a glance.
Consumers and the lockdown
Exchanges have to wait: Unloved Christmas gifts cannot be exchanged in stores immediately after the party, because customers have to wait until they are allowed to open again. Dealers are not generally obliged to exchange goods that are in perfect condition. “But many companies are accommodating and accept an exchange,” says Stefan Hertel from the German Trade Association (HDE).
Be careful when shopping online: In the lockdown, many people are likely to shop online more than ever – and are more likely to encounter fraudulent offers there. The consumer advice center and the Rhineland-Palatinate State Criminal Police Office warn of dubious shops that send goods that are produced cheaply, usually operate from abroad and are also active on well-known online marketplaces. You look in vain for an imprint on the website for these black sheep. Consumers should pay attention to one with a geographical and an email address and check the contact options.
Make appointments: Not everything is closed in lockdown. Bicycle workshops, for example, are open, and this also applies to some other service providers. However, customers should make appointments, advises the two-wheeler shopping community (ZEG). So you don’t have to wait too long in front of the store, the workshop can also plan better.
Work and childcare
Emergency care and special leave: Emergency care is provided in schools and day-care centers. Exactly how it looks varies from state to state. No details are yet known about an announced special leave for parents. Many parents therefore have to find other solutions in consultation with the employer, explains lawyer and labor lawyer Alexander Bredereck. These include, for example, taking unpaid or paid vacation, working from home or cutting overtime.
Compensation in the event of loss of earnings: Those who are at home with the children often cannot work and, depending on the regulations, may not receive a wage or salary from the employer. A regulation in the Infection Protection Act is intended to compensate for this, which promises compensation in such cases. The prerequisite, however, is that a child is not older than twelve years and there is otherwise no reasonable care option. In many cases, however, it is still unclear exactly what that means, says lawyer Bredereck.
Travel for Christmas
Quite empty motorways: before, during and after Christmas, traffic jams on German highways are likely to remain the exception – this is the forecast of the automobile clubs ADAC and ACE. At most on December 23, there is a risk of some commuting. In the city centers, too, things should be much more relaxed: Due to the lockdown, last-minute gift buyers and visitors to Christmas markets will no longer be there.
Safe rail travel: Deutsche Bahn wants to use special trains around the holidays to distribute the passengers to more connections and to make traveling as safe as possible. Rail travelers can also do something about it themselves – for example, by using the load indicator on the rail website to switch to rather empty trains, avoid rush hour, reserve a seat and maybe switch to first class. And the rule on the trains: consistently follow the mask requirement.
Family celebrations and visits
Self-isolation protects: If you want to protect family members at Christmas, you should isolate yourself for some time before the festival. The following applies: Better little than nothing, explains infectiologist Prof. Clemens Wendtner. Every day more brings more security and reduces the risk of infection. Wendtner also advises listening to your relatives before leaving: coughing, increased temperature, headache, diarrhea and problems with smelling and tasting are warning signals. Anyone who feels sick should refrain from visiting other people and exposing them to risk.
Home visits only with registration: Despite the consistently high number of cases and the new lockdown, visits to nursing homes at Christmas may be possible. “I would basically assume that everyone tries to do what is possible,” says Manfred Carrier from the Diakonie. Depending on the home and region, this can look very different – and if the number of cases continues to rise, more severe restrictions and closings are possible. Visitors should inform themselves in advance – and not stand in front of the door spontaneously and unannounced.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 201216-99-714833 / 2
Source: DPA
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