Covid-19: Germany extends lockdown with the plan to ease restrictions

German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced on Wednesday evening a plan to relax COVID-19 restrictions, including conditions to reopen businesses. 

Merkel made the announcement following a meeting with the 16 state premiers on Wednesday that lasted more than 9 hours. 

The five-step plan

Step one: Schools, daycare, and hairdressers reopen. This step already took place on Monday, March 1.

Step two, beginning March 8: Bookstores and florists can reopen with the condition of one customer per 10 sq. meters. Contact-based professions, such as massage practices, are also allowed to reopen with a negative test result.

Step three, beginning March 8 at the earliest: If the recorded cases are less than 50 per 100,000 individuals, public spaces such as museums, zoos and gardens can reopen, as well as retail businesses with at least 10 sq. meters of space per customer.

Up to 10 individuals can practice contactless outdoor sports.

In case the incidence rate is between 50 to 100, access to areas such as museums and retail businesses will be on a pre-booking basis, with at least 40 sq. meters per customer in shops.

A maximum of 5 individuals, from two households, can practice contactless outdoor sports.

Step 4, starting March 22 at the earliest: If the rate remains under 50, outdoor dining, theaters, concert venues, cinemas, and opera houses can reopen.

Individuals can practice contactless sports indoors and contact-based sports outdoors.

If the infection charge is between 50 to 100, outside dining will be allowed on a pre-booking basis.

Step 5, beginning April 5 at the earliest: If the infection rate remains under 50, up to 50 individuals can gather for outdoor recreational events, and sports restrictions will be lifted.

If the infection rate is between 50 to 100, shops can reopen with at least 10 sq. meters per customer.

Outside contactless sports activities and indoor contact-based workouts are allowed. 

Germany’s top officials mentioned after Wednesday’s negotiations that some 200,000 jabs are currently administrated daily. 

Basic practitioners and specialist doctors’ vaccination will begin in late March or early April as Germany receive more doses. 

Merkel also mentioned that Germany’s Standing Committee on Vaccination was likely to reverse a previous decision that bans the use of AstraZeneca jab for people over 65. 

Health Minister Jens Spahn mentioned Germany would speed up the vaccination in the next few days after the committee’s decision on the AstraZeneca jab. 

Merkel also mentioned rapid testing shows “with good accuracy whether someone is infectious every day.” The rapid tests are set to be accessible and free of charge beginning March 8. 

Most shops have been closed since December 16. Restaurants, bars, sports, and leisure services have been closed since November 2.

Germany moved ahead with the first reopening steps this week. On Monday, hairdressers opened after two-and-a-half months. The same day, some German states also allowed businesses such as florists and hardware stores to open.