Christmas, firecrackers ban: what countries plan for December

The second corona wave is significantly worse than the spring wave. Therefore, the restrictions that expire at the end of November are likely to be extended. Countries are targeting December 20. Whats Next?

The federal states want to extend the partial blockade until December 20 due to the tense situation in the crown. This stems from a first draft of the country chairing the prime ministers conference for Wednesday’s federal-state summit. Berlin currently holds the presidency. The document available for t-online also provides for further tightening of contact restrictions and oral protection rules. Then there should be relaxation during the holidays. There is a nationwide ban on firecrackers for New Year’s Eve.

The actual situation:

Since the beginning of November, all cultural and leisure offers in Germany have been suspended, bars, cafes and restaurants are closed. The partial lock should initially apply until the end of the month. After a rapid increase in October and early November, the number of new infections stabilized at a high level. The expected decline following the entry into force of the partial lockdown cannot be clearly seen, as figures from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) show on Sunday.

On Sunday, the RKI reported 15,741 cases that were reported by health authorities within 24 hours. On Sunday a week ago, the number was 16,947. The peak was reached on Friday with 23,648 cases. According to data from the German Interdisciplinary Association for Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine, the number of corona patients in the intensive care unit continues to increase, but less recently.

This is what the countries plan …

… for the next few weeks:

Without an extension, the restrictions would have to expire at the end of November. Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) had spoken at the “Bild am Sonntag” before an extension of “definitely two or more three weeks”. In the draft of the proposed resolution of the federal states, it is now given as the date December 20. That would be until shortly before Christmas.

The document expresses the hope that with it the numbers can be pressed. If this does not happen, “the measures must be extended for 14 days in a row until the objective of significantly reducing the incidence value is achieved.”

Contact restrictions need to be tightened again. Presumably, as of December 1, only meetings that are limited to one’s own home and to another home will be possible, “but in any case to a maximum of 5 people.” There are currently ten.

The table shows the current 7-day incidence (infections reported in the last seven days per 100,000 population) in individual districts (based on RKI). You can search for your district or use the arrow in the upper right to scroll. Click the triangle next to the 7-day incidence column heading to reverse the order and view the counties with the fewest cases per 100,000 population. The data is updated daily.

According to the draft resolution, the states propose to make the use of a mouth and nose cover mandatory everywhere in enclosed public spaces, as well as in crowded outdoor spaces. This regulation, as well as the modified contact restrictions, will apply until at least January 17 of the new year.

… for Christmas:

Depending on the country, the contact restrictions will be relaxed a bit during the Christmas holidays. Then meetings of a household with non-household or non-household members of the household should be possible up to a maximum of 5 or 10 persons. Children up to 14 years old are excluded.

Rhineland-Palatinate Prime Minister Malu Dreyer (SPD) told “Bild”: “Christmas and New Year’s Eve, people should be able to meet their loved ones.” Previously, Chancellor Helge Braun had told the Germany publishing network (RND): “I can’t imagine grandparents not celebrating at Christmas.

In a Forsa poll on behalf of Kaufmännische Krankenkasse (KKH), 41 percent of the around 1,000 respondents expressed concern about having to celebrate the festival in a small group or just because of the pandemic. CDU presidential candidate Friedrich Merz told “Tagesspiegel”: “It can be said in mid-November that Christmas can take place in families.”

… for New Years Eve:

At the beginning of the year, the federal states plan to ban firecrackers. According to the draft resolution, “the sale, purchase and lighting of fireworks should be prohibited.” This should serve in particular to “relieve emergency and auxiliary personnel, keep health system capacities free and avoid larger groups.”

Prime Minister Söder had raised a ban on firecrackers or alcohol in larger venues for New Year’s Eve, but rejected a blanket ban on firecrackers. Merz, former leader of the Union faction, said in view of the gatherings of people at New Year’s Eve parties: “Also in regards to New Year’s Eve, now they can give perspective: New Year’s Eve parties cannot occur”.

… for schools:

In regions with more than 50 new infections per 100,000 residents within seven days, the use of a mouth and nose guard in class should be mandatory from grade seven, states require. Schools without infection could be excluded.

To maintain face-to-face teaching, the draft suggests a testing strategy. If there is a case of infection in a class, the group and the teachers concerned must be quarantined for five days. “An antigen test is performed on the fifth day. If the result is negative, face-to-face teaching of this class can be resumed.” The federal government is requested to provide the testing capabilities required for the strategy.

Health Minister Jens Spahn has spoken out in favor of immediately sending affected classes to quarantine at home in case of corona infections in schools. (Source: dpa)

The former attitude of the federal states that schools are generally not an engine of the pandemic “is no longer sustainable”, the director of the university virological institute in Düsseldorf, Jörg Timm, had previously told the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung”. Younger children are less likely to be infected with the virus, but they can pass it on. Children from the age of twelve are “as contagious as adults.”

… for individual countries:

Federal states with an incidence of fewer than 35 new infections per 100,000 residents within seven days should be able to close the partial shutdown earlier, that is, before December 20, the states propose. According to “Bild”, the Union countries had also proposed an “opt-out rule” for individual counties if the incidence is less than 50 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants in seven days. Currently, this is no longer mentioned in the document.

… for entrepreneurs:

The federal states want to extend aid for companies that have to close due to crown restrictions until mid-2021 and “improve conditions for the main economic sectors affected.” The culture and events industry, freelancers and the travel industry are explicitly mentioned.

Federal Finance Minister Olaf Scholz (SPD) told “Bild am Sonntag”: “If restrictions are extended, it is clear to me that financial support for the sectors directly affected will also continue to be necessary.