33 new corona cases: That is clearly too much.
That is why the Garmisch-Partenkirchen district office significantly restricts the nightlife in town.
Gastronomers have to close at 10 p.m.
There are other measures.
The Garmisch-Partenkirchen district is clearly tearing the limit for new corona infections.
The District Office therefore issues restrictions for the location.
The gastronomy is particularly affected.
From now on it ends at 10 p.m.
Garmisch-Partenkirchen
- Everyone has always hoped that it wouldn't come to that.
District Administrator Anton Speer (Free Voters) was proud ten days ago at the opening of the Corona test station in Garmisch-Partenkirchen that the district shines with very good numbers in comparison to Upper Bavaria.
Less than two weeks later, the tide has turned: Now there is increased alert in the region.
The Corona crisis team met in the district office on Friday afternoon to discuss the situation and decide on the sanctions.
The trigger for this is an outbreak in the Garmisch-Partenkirchen nightlife and especially among employees of the US hotel Edelweiß Lodge Resort.
On Friday alone, 33 new positive cases were registered in the district
, The seven-day incidence is 54 - above the limit for the district.
The result of the crisis summit: The district office has a general decree that initially only applies to the Garmisch-Partenkirchen market.
It came into force on Friday evening.
From now on: restaurateurs in Garmisch-Partenkirchen have to close at 10 p.m.
The new regulations for the community area with all districts:
From Friday evening, 10 p.m., the entire gastronomy in Garmisch-Partenkirchen may only be open until 10 p.m.
Private events are limited - to 50 people indoors and 100 people outdoors.
A maximum of five guests can sit at one table in restaurants and bars.
The same applies to gatherings in public spaces.
According to the Infection Protection Measures Ordinance of the Free State of Bavaria, ten people are actually allowed.
These regulations initially apply for one week.
But
weekend events in Garmisch-Partenkirchen are not affected.
The demo "Ausbremst is '" on Saturday, September 12, as well as the rally of the Bavarian Farmers' Association on Sunday can take place under certain conditions.
According to the district office, these fall under the right of assembly.
"We have to shut down the nightlife," says Stephan Scharf, the spokesman for the district authority.
"Because too much is happening there at the moment." Those responsible have not yet addressed issues such as the general closure of schools - two classes are now in quarantine.
“We have to keep an eye on the number of cases, including how the situation at the schools is developing in practice,” emphasizes Scharf.
So that the rules are adhered to: the police in Garmisch-Partenkirchen will inform you
In order to monitor the new rules, the district office receives administrative assistance from the police.
"The officers will be on patrol more and more and also help to inform the catering trade," emphasizes Scharf.
The investigation teams of the health department currently have a lot of work to do.
Authority employees were still in the US hotel on Zugspitzstrasse on Friday evening to collect data.
The trigger for the skyrocketing number of cases is, among other things, a 26-year-old American who took part in the nightlife very much over the past weekend.
She was in various bars - apparently not knowing that she is Corona-positive.
This result resulted in a smear, the finding of which arrived in the middle of this week.
"We are currently assuming that it has infected numerous people," says Scharf very clearly.
Looking for contact persons and asked to take a test: Who was in these restaurants?
In order to verify this assumption, the focus of the investigation of possible contact persons is on two nightspots: the Peaches on Marienplatz in the Garmisch district and the Irish Pub on Rathausplatz in Partenkirchen.
Infected people stayed there on the evenings of Thursday, September 3, and Tuesday, September 8 (both Peaches), and on Saturday, September 5 (Irish Pub).
"So far, not all contact persons have been traced," emphasizes Scharf.
"Therefore, we are dependent on the cooperation of the population."
Those affected should be tested for the Covid 19 pathogen as soon as possible.
The station at the Alpspitz wave pool is available for this.
The Bavarian Red Cross will significantly increase staffing levels.
"In the coming days we will support the health department in taking as many smears as necessary in order to identify as many potential carriers of infection as possible," emphasizes Klemens Reindl, the district manager of the BRK.
To this end, the opening times will be extended by two hours a day.
Reductions are possible between 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.
"All 18 to 35-year-olds who have been to night clubs in the town in the past few days are particularly encouraged to have themselves tested," emphasizes Scharf.
Online registration at www.lra-gap.de or by phone at 0 88 21/751 900 is desirable.
"But nobody will be turned away who does not report in advance."
Increased number of corona cases: No need to panic, but do not underestimate the risk
The route to contain the infection is now clearly formulated: "Test as much and as quickly as you can," says Jörg Jovy, press spokesman for the BRK district association.
The Red Cross will also be putting the website www.coronagap.de back into operation to provide additional information to the population in the region.
"We noticed that information is the alpha and omega of this pandemic," says Jovy.
Reindl, who was the crisis staff in the district in the first wave one of the heads, holding despite the increased number of cases nothing of scaremongering:
"I am confident that we will get the infection process under control, even without a district-wide lockdown."
The assistants are much better prepared for the situation due to the experiences from spring.
But: "SARS-CoV-2 is a highly contagious pathogen that should not be underestimated.
Perhaps in the last few weeks one has become too careless in dealing with the virus in one place or another. "
Peter Messerschmitt, senior manager of the Peaches, reacted with dismay: "That is terrible," says the cult restaurateur.
On Thursday the health department was at the door - and informed the workforce.
“We have a hygiene concept that is strictly adhered to.” He immediately quarantined the employees concerned.
The bars published a call on Facebook to guests of the two evenings to be tested immediately.
The rules for Garmisch-Partenkirchen at a glance
All catering establishments must close from 10 p.m. on Friday, September 11th.
Private events are limited to: 50 participants in closed rooms or 100 people in the open air.
Contact restriction: A maximum of five people can sit at a table or spend time together in public spaces.
These rules apply for one week until September 18 and only for the market town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen.