Berlin – People in Germany also have to adjust to strict contact restrictions over Easter. The federal and state governments want to extend the existing strict contact rules due to the Corona crisis at least until the end of the Easter holidays.
As the federal and state governments decided in Berlin, contacts with other people outside of their own household should be reduced to an absolute minimum in accordance with the applicable rules.
The citizens “are encouraged to reduce contact with other people outside their own household to an absolute minimum, even during the Easter holidays, according to the applicable rules,” according to a draft resolution for the conference call from the German press agency in Berlin Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) with the Prime Ministers of the federal states.
With a view to Easter and the upcoming Easter holidays in the federal states, citizens are therefore asked to “generally refrain from private trips and visits from relatives”. This also applies domestically and for national day trips, the paper goes on to say.
According to this information, the corresponding regulations should initially apply until April 19. In almost all federal states, the Easter holidays of schoolchildren end on this day. It was emphasized among the participants whether there could be any easing afterward.
According to TEH information, Merkel warned for the Federal Government and the Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Soder (CSU) for the heads of state that there should be no discussion about easing the existing measures before Easter.
On April 14 – Tuesday after Easter – they wanted to discuss the situation again. There was also great agreement that there should be no obligation to wear protective masks. It had been made clear that the existing requirements must be adhered to even if one wears such masks.
After the switch, Merkel reportedly wanted to inform the public together with Soder and Hamburg Mayor Peter Tschentscher (SPD).
The draft resolution further states that the dynamics of the spread of the coronavirus in Germany are still too high. “We must, therefore, continue to do everything we can to slow the rate of infection and to keep our healthcare system functioning.” The reduction of contacts continues to play a decisive role.
On March 22, the federal and state governments had banned the gathering of more than two people in public across Germany for an initial period of two weeks – with the exception of relatives who live in their own households. Restaurants had to close, with the exception of the delivery of meals for home. Barbershops were also closed. Those who do not abide by the rules face punishments.
The Chancellor again conducted the conference call from her apartment in Berlin, as the cabinet meeting did in the morning. She went into quarantine at home on March 22 after a coronavirus had been diagnosed by a doctor who had given her preventive vaccination. No infection was found in the Chancellor’s third test on Monday.
