Updated May 4, 2020, 6:16 a.m.
Schools, hairdressers, many museums: after weeks of corona restrictions, public life is getting a little bit faster. Additional contacts are allowed in Saxony-Anhalt and the pressure on the cautious reminders continues to grow.
At the start of the week, the restrictions applicable due to the corona pandemic will be further relaxed in many federal states. Hairdressers are allowed to reopen their salons, hundreds of thousands of pupils can study in schools again.
Last week, the federal and state governments had already agreed to allow services and open playgrounds. Museums and zoos are also expected to receive visitors again in many places, all subject to hygiene requirements.
But the discussion about further easing continues. The next Wednesday, Chancellor Angela Merkel and the prime ministers of the federal states will give advice again. Further steps are expected from the conversation than from last Wednesday, when the current steps were decided.
The economy in particular is putting massive pressure in the face of the economic downturn.
That’s what the countries say
According to a “picture” report, the federal states want to enforce a relaxation of the ban on contacts.
A preparatory conference call by the Head of State Chancellery said that meetings of up to five people could be allowed again – as was the case as of this Monday in Saxony-Anhalt, reports the newspaper (online). So far, there has been a limit of two people who do not belong to the same household.
Bavaria’s Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU), who is currently Chairman of the Prime Minister’s Conference, said in the ARD program “Anne Will” on Sunday evening when asked about this expansion: “I don’t know about that.” And: “There is a lot of talk.”
The newspaper wrote about the conference call on the subject of football: “For the approval of so-called ghost games of the Bundesliga (without spectators in the stadium) planned for May, a regulation is to be found to broadcast these games on public TV.”
The background is that the subscription channel Sky has the television rights in the current season and the country heads fear that it could lead to real Sky parties by football fans.
North Rhine-Westphalia is threatening to go it alone with the daycare centers if the federal / state round does not decide on a uniform opening course. “We will not let ourselves be put off for another week,” said Vice Prime Minister and Family Minister JoachimStamp (FDP) in the “Morning Briefing” – Podcast by Gabor Steingart.
This is what the federal government says
Federal Interior Minister Horst Seehofer (CSU) warned of caution, but announced that on Wednesday there would be talk of the Bundesliga games such as grassroots sport, the opening of schools to other age groups and gastronomy. According to the “picture”, a plan to open the restaurants before Pentecost should be presented.
Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn (CDU) said on the ARD: “It is important that we also give a perspective there. I think that will happen on Wednesday.”
Finance Minister Olaf Scholz (SPD) announced at “Anne Will“that the coalition plans to launch an economic stimulus package in late May or early June to boost economic activity. This schedule was also confirmed Söder.
Seehofer ZDF also mentioned the benchmark for more openings at the same time: “I would like to see more and more relaxation, bit by bit, in the light of infection development.” How Spahn He believes that easing measures are only feasible because the restrictions and the discipline of the citizens have made it possible to curb the spread of the virus.
It is not defeated, and Spahn also believes it may take years to find a vaccine, he said.
That’s what skeptics say
The left-wing chairwoman Katja Kipping, however, calls for an “exit from the spiral of easing debate”. Looking at their supporters, she said in Berlin’s “Tagesspiegel”: “What (FDP leader Christian) Lindner, (NRW Prime Minister Armin) Laschet and Co. sell us as an exit strategy does not lead us out of the corona crisis, but into a second one Wave of infection. ” That costs the economy and people more than an extended lockdown.
The new easing at the start of the week
Hairdressers
For many hairdressers, Mondays are actually closed – but this time many salons will open: After around six weeks of compulsory breaks, the industry expects a rush to reopen. Due to the distance restrictions, fewer people can be served at the same time. “Face-related services” such as eyebrow and eyelash coloring and beard care are prohibited.
schools
In many countries, after the final classes, those who have final exams in the next school year, as well as the top primary school classes, are now also returning on a daily basis. Distance regulations and hygiene requirements apply to avoid a feared surge in the number of infections. The children of the other grades initially stay at home.
shopping
In some countries such as Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia and Rhineland-Palatinate, all shops are allowed to open again this week – regardless of their range and also with more than the previous maximum value of 800 square meters of retail space. However, you must comply with requirements. For example, a mask requirement and a limitation of people per square meter apply. Others such as Brandenburg and Hamburg remain within the limit for now. In other countries like North Rhine-Westphalia and Bavaria the rule applies with exceptions.
Contact restrictions
The nationwide applicable contact restrictions remain in effect almost everywhere – the exception is Saxony-Anhalt. There, the black-red-green state government decided on Saturday that groups of up to five instead of two people could meet on Monday – provided the minimum distance of 1.5 meters was observed. This allows numerous loosenings, for example in club sports, but also in educational offers. (jwo / dpa)
Also read: All developments related to the corona virus in our live blog
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A survey confirms that the relaxation of the coronavirus measures is too fast for every second German. Especially in federal states such as North Rhine-Westphalia, Lower Saxony and Baden-Württemberg, citizens would like to take a slower approach.
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