Federal and state governments come to an agreement
The Chancellor and the state premiers of the federal states have reached an agreement on the next steps to stem the coronavirus. The overriding goal when modifying restrictions is to underpin the achievements of recent weeks, when modifying rules.
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Chancellor Angela Merkel reported on the decisions reached along with Bavarian state premier Markus Söder (at left), Hamburg's First Mayor Peter Tschentscher (2nd from right), and Federal Finance Minister Olaf Scholz (at right).
Photo: Bundesregierung/Steins
The contact restrictions that have been in place since mid-March are to be extended until 3 May 2020.
- Schools are to reopen gradually as of 4 May. The initial priority will be to reopen for graduating students and students of grades deemed relevant for school qualifications, including the final year of primary school.
- This year’s graduating students are to be able to prepare for and take their school leaving exams.
- The Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Länder of the Federal Republic of Germany has been commissioned to present by 29 April a concept laying out how schools as a whole can reopen.
- Emergency childcare will be continued and expanded to cover additional parent occupations and sections of the population with specific needs.
- Shops with a sales area up to 800 square metres may reopen, along with car dealers, bicycle shops and book shops irrespective of their sales areas. They will be required to comply with hygiene requirements, as well as limiting access and avoiding queues.
- Hairdressers are to prepare to reopen as of 4 May, with similar restrictions and using personal protective equipment.
- It will still not be permitted to hold meetings in churches, mosques and synagogues or any religious celebrations or events.
- Everybody in Germany is still requested not to undertake any private travel or visits.
- No large-scale events may take place before 31 August 2020, at the earliest.
In good time before 4 May, the Chancellor and the state premiers will once again consult, re-assess the situation and decide on additional measures.
The original resolution can be found here PDF, 145 KB, not barrier-free .