Germany agrees cautious liberalisation of lockdown

Germany has agreed a staggered reopening of shops and schools and recommended the use of face masks in public – while extending movement restrictions to contain the spread of coronavirus.

After heated discussion with Germany’s 16 federal state leaders, chancellor Angela Merkel announced that shops with floor space up to 800sq m can open their doors next Monday.

All retailers will be obliged to devise plans to avoid clusters of customers and long queues outside their doors.

While kindergartens remain closed, some school classes will follow on May 4th, but only if distancing rules can be maintained in breaks and on school buses.

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Germany’s federal government and states have issued an “urgent recommendation” for citizens to wear simple face masks in public, without following Austria’s example to make them obligatory.

Restaurants, bars, hotels, shopping centres and other places where larger groups congregate will remain shut. Large events remain banned until August 31st and citizens have been asked to avoid any unnecessary travel.

‘Fragile success’

In two weeks’ time German politicians will review the virus infection rate under the looser lockdown and, if necessary, tighten up again. “This is a fragile intermediate success,” said Dr Merkel. “We don’t have much wriggle room and have to proceed carefully, we’re living with the virus as long as there is no vaccine.”

To date Germany has 130,618 recorded coronavirus cases, of which 72,600 are classified as recovered. Nearly 3,500 have died to date and rates of infection and spread have been slowed.

But Dr Merkel warned that even a small upward tick could overwhelm the country’s intensive care system by late summer.

Different infection rates combined with regional state competences for health and education have complicated Germany’s easing of restrictions. State leaders clashed in a video conference on Wednesday over the pace and ambition of new rules.

Bavarian leader Markus Södersaid it was important than Germany maintain its strategy of caution. Bavaria has a higher infection rate of 35,000 cases and nearly 1,000 deaths.

“We acted differently to other countries, we acted quickly and remained consequential,” he said. “We think the greatest danger is to see good figures and think normality can simply return.”

Germany will maintain controls it imposed last month on its borders with Austria, France, Luxembourg, Denmark and Switzerland.

After a blanket ban on religious services over Easter, Dr Merkel said she was anxious to allow a return to religious services and announced talks with faith leaders to reduce infection risks.