Hardware stores will reopen from Monday in Saxony: what else will open?

Dresden-Saxony as announced, it eases some restrictions on the Corona-Pandemie. The cabinet decided on Friday. The basis is the agreement between the federal and state governments last Wednesday.

Health Minister Petra Köpping (SPD) appealed to citizens to remain cautious. The virus is unforgiving, “not even the smallest mistakes,” he said, referring to the coronavirus mutations. These cases would currently double every week in the Free State. There are now 649 records of mutations and six deaths.

State Chancellor Oliver Schenk (CDU) spoke of a balancing act. Wherever there is openness, it should be tested as much as possible. Saxony only selectively deviates from some of the provisions of the federal-state agreement.

This is, for example, the obligation to test customers of providers of “body-friendly services”, such as cosmetics and tattoos, which can be reopened after a certain incident. Starting March 15, employees and freelancers with direct customer contact are required to undergo testing once a week. Employers must provide the proof.

In principle, the applicable corona measures will essentially continue, but the contact restrictions will be relaxed. Starting Monday, a maximum of five people from two households should be allowed to gather. Children under the age of 15 are not counted. Previously applicable restrictions, such as a night curfew, are no longer applicable.

Bookstores, hardware stores, tree nurseries, garden centers and florists are now considered part of the basic supply and can open with conditions starting Monday. Here a limitation of the number of customers and a hygiene concept are necessary.

The driving schools are fully open again, but they have to evaluate their staff on a weekly basis and have clients show them a quick test or a daily self-test.

Additional relaxations are tied to the condition that no more than 1,300 hospital beds are occupied with Covid-19 patients.

In addition, if the seven-day incidence falls below 100 across the country and in the corresponding district or urban district for five days in a row, local authorities can, for example, allow “Click & Meet” in stores after an appointment has been booked. .

Then you can also do individual sports outdoors alone, as a couple and in groups of up to 20 children under 15 years of age. “If the number of new infections constantly stays below 100 or even falls below 50, we will open up more opportunities in sport,” promised Interior Minister Roland Wöller (CDU).

The formula “five days below incidence of 100” is also used as a threshold for opening businesses with “body-friendly services”.

In addition, from March 15, botanical gardens, zoos and animal parks can be visited again by appointment. The same applies to museums, galleries, and memorials.

If the incidence of seven days in the country and the region does not increase for a further 14 days after the first opening steps, new relays are possible as of March 22. This includes open-air catering by appointment and the opening of cinemas, theaters, opera houses and concerts, as well as dance schools with quick tests for visitors. With this value, “non-contact sports” in the room and contact sports such as outdoor soccer are also allowed. Libraries are allowed to reopen.

If the incidence value falls below 50 or even below 35, the conditions that were in effect until then are no longer valid. On the other hand, they are gradually adjusted again as incidence values ​​increase.