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Germany is closing: as of today, stricter crown rules apply. How many more people can you meet? What remains open Where do curfews apply? And what do you expect from all this?
How many people can I meet today?
Two households with a maximum of five people are still allowed. Children up to 14 years old are not counted. But: The federal states regulate this in detail in their respective Crown ordinances; there may be deviations, for example. In Berlin, for example, only children up to the age of twelve are exempt from contact restrictions.
The originally relaxed regulation for Christmas days has been withdrawn. However, there is a special family rule. From December 24 to 26, meetings with four other people who do not belong to their own home are allowed. In the end, more than two households can join and the five-person limit could also be exceeded in such a case. Children up to 14 years old are also not counted here.
Example 1: Four siblings living elsewhere could visit their parents without a partner, but with children up to 14 years old.
Example 2: Two siblings each with their partner and possibly children visit their parents.
Example 3: a brother lives alone and is a host. His parents could visit him and two other siblings without a partner. Meetings with friends in small groups are also possible.
And who controls it?
Probably no one actually. The state has little control. Article 13 of the Basic Law establishes: “The home is inviolable.” This makes the obstacles for the controls extremely high. The Rhineland-Palatinate Minister of the Interior, Roger Lewentz, has announced, for example, that the police will only monitor behavior in apartments in exceptional cases, for example when there is noise. NRW Prime Minister Armin Laschet also assured that there will be no random checks on private apartments. Politicians ask here for personal responsibility.
Where have there been curfews or exit restrictions so far?
In Bayern Exit restrictions apply throughout the country during the day. You can only leave the apartment for a good reason. These are, for example: the way to work or to the doctor, sports, shopping and meetings still allowed with another household, but this can be a maximum of five people in total. There is also a nightly curfew between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. In that case, staying in public space is only allowed for very few valid reasons. According to the decision of the cabinet, it deals with emergencies or emergency medical treatment, the way to work, the exercise of custody and access rights, the care of people in need of support, the accompaniment of the dying or going for a walk. Violation of the curfew at the national level will result in a minimum fine of 500 euros.
In Saxony The exit restrictions have been in effect all day since Monday. Leaving the house is only possible for compelling reasons: to work, go shopping, visit the doctor or exercise outdoors within a radius of 15 kilometers. From an incidence value of 200 in five days, an extended exit restriction is applied in the affected district or the affected urban district between 10 pm and 6 am In that case, it is only allowed to leave the house for a very few reasons, for example, for work, delivery traffic or care.
In Hessen Since Friday, night-time restrictions between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. have been in effect in counties or urban districts with an incidence of more than 200 in three days in a row. Leaving your own home during this time is only allowed for important reasons.
In Baden-Wuerttemberg Departure restrictions apply from Saturday between 8 pm and 5 am Leaving the apartment is only allowed for valid reasons. In Sedan Starting today, there should be daytime exit restrictions and tighter exit restrictions between 9 pm and 5 am People can only leave their homes for reasons such as shopping, visiting the doctor, working or playing sports. In Brandenburg the departure restriction applies from 10 pm In Thuringia It is forbidden to leave the apartment or accommodation from today between 22:00 and 17:00 without justified reason.
Where else can I buy?
Grocery stores, weekly markets, beverage markets, health food stores, and wholesalers stay open. Pick-up and delivery services, baby stores, pharmacies, medical supply stores, drug stores, banks and savings banks, post offices, dry cleaners and laundries will also remain open. Newspaper sales, pet supplies, pet food markets, hearing aid optics and acoustics don’t have to close either. Gas stations, car shops and bicycle shops continue to offer their services. Y: It is still possible to sell Christmas trees.
The retail sector continues to struggle to allow products ordered over the Internet to be allowed in stores. Electronics chains, hardware stores, or even bookstores might keep offering their wares during the holiday business.
Service companies in the personal care field such as hair salons, cosmetic studios, massage parlors, tattoo studios, and similar businesses must close. Medically necessary treatments, for example physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy, as well as podiatry / foot care, are still possible.
And the schools?
Schools are closed as of today, or there is no longer an obligation to be present. Emergency support is guaranteed. The regulations should also apply to kindergartens. In detail, however, the rules differ from state to state.
Is there help for parents who now have a care problem?
Parents must “create additional opportunities” to take paid leave. The federal and state governments have agreed. How this should look in practice was initially unclear on Monday. The Ministry of Labor claims to be working on the fastest possible solution. The government also referred to an already applicable compensation scheme: parents (of children up to 12 years old) who are absent from work because the health department has quarantined their children or because schools and nurseries have been officially closed they can receive 67 percent of the net income. received as compensation from the state.
What are the consequences of the closure for all other employees?
Employers should check whether businesses can be closed during company holidays or generous home office solutions can be offered. Federal Minister for Family Franziska Giffey has called on employers to support employees with children. “The massive restrictions that have been decided will again place a lot of demands on working parents,” he told the newspapers of the Funke media group.
What about restaurants and pubs?
Restaurants, cafes and pubs will be closed. However, it is still possible to receive food. Alcoholic beverages can no longer be consumed in public spaces, including mulled wine.
What about church services?
Services in churches, synagogues and mosques, as well as meetings of other religious communities, are permitted with restrictions. That means: 1.5 meters distance, no edge, mask requirement and mandatory registration. The federal states set the rules in detail. However, overall, concerns are mounting. Saxony Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer advises against going to church at Christmas. Everyone has to cut back on contacts, Kretschmer said. MDR: “That is bitter for many people. But we do it for our relatives, we want to protect them.” Chancery Chief Helge Braun suggests hybrid religious services. A part of the congregation sits in the place of the church, another part follows the service through video transmission. In Bavaria, the curfew scheduled for Christmas Eve starting at 9 pm will also have consequences for religious services. So far it has been said that visitors to Christmas masses should be exempt from this. “There is a curfew for New Year’s Eve and also for Christmas. And it applies to everyone,” Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder said. There will be no special regulation, not even for families and the church.
Are there also new rules to protect the elderly?
Personnel in care and retirement centers are required to be tested several times a week. If possible, appropriate tests should also be performed with mobile care services. In regions with high caseloads, home visitors must present current corona negative tests. However, patient advocates doubt implementation. “There is no shortage of rapid tests in Germany, but there is a lack of people doing them,” said Eugen Brysch, director of the German Foundation for Patient Protection, the AFP news agency. For this problem, which has been known for months, the federal and state governments have not found a solution even with their total closure resolutions. Regulation of testing for family members of people in need of care is “unrealistic,” criticized Brysch. If rapid antigen testing were not carried out directly prior to admission to a nursing home, this would practically amount to an “entry ban”.
Since Tuesday, people 60 and over and people with certain chronic conditions have been able to get three FFP2 masks for free at the pharmacy. To obtain the masks, an identity card or a personal report of belonging to the risk group is necessary.
Are you still allowed to travel?
Yes, but there is a call to refrain from all non-essential travel before January 10. In fact, travel is practically impossible, especially on Christmas days, as many countries have strict exit restrictions and a quarantine obligation. Also, there is often a quarantine when returning to Germany.
Will the measures be enough?
Hard to say. Experts point out that it basically depends on how people implement and support the specifications. “No one will be able to answer this question seriously,” said Max Geraedts, director of the Research Institute of Health Services and Clinical Epidemiology at the University of Marburg: “The experience with the first blockade in Germany suggests a positive effect, while the Experiences from abroad sometimes have none to show resounding success. ” Hajo Zeeb, from the Leibniz Institute for Prevention and Epidemiology Research, expects the increase to stop by Christmas. At best, there would be a significant downtrend for a few days on January 10. According to the chief virologist of the University of Heidelberg, Hans-Georg Kräusslich, as always, it will only be possible to say in about two weeks the success of the measures.
Whats Next?
The crown situation is “more dire than ever in this pandemic,” says Robert Koch Institute president Lothar Wieler. Last Friday, highs of 29,875 new infections were registered and 598 deaths were reached. The seven-day incidence was over 170. The federal and state governments are targeting the 50 target. “The goal remains to make it possible to follow up contacts again,” Chancellor Angela Merkel said after Sunday’s deliberations. The next meeting with the country’s leaders will take place on January 5, then it will also become clear whether the measures will be extended, toughened, or, currently quite unlikely, even relaxed.
Source: dpa
