Habemus relaxations.
After an exhausting summit night, the federal and state governments decided on a uniform easing plan.
The rules at a glance.
Berlin - The federal and state governments fought a real Corona summit marathon on March 3.
Nevertheless, after some fierce disputes, Chancellor Angela Merkel and the state princes came up with a new lockdown timetable.
A tiered system was agreed and far-reaching innovations in terms of vaccination strategy were agreed - the overview of the resolutions!
One is now on the threshold of a new phase in the pandemic, "in which we cannot enter with carelessness, but with justified hopes," said Angela Merkel at the press conference after the conference.
Spring 2021 will be different from last year.
Nonetheless, the lockdown was generally extended to March 28th.
Corona summit: Merkel presents a timetable with five easing stages
However, a
step-by-step opening strategy
with a built-in
emergency brake was
agreed
: If individual loosening leads to a sharp increase in the number of infections in a region, all the alleviations that have already been made are automatically canceled.
Important:
Merkel's 35 incidence limit has fallen
!
Opening steps should now be able to follow with an incidence below 50 - to a limited extent even with an incidence between 50 and 100.
A next step can always only be taken "if a stable or falling trend can be read 14 days after the last step," said Merkel.
If the incidence limit of 100 is exceeded on three days in a row, the emergency brake will be pulled: "So if we get into an exponential growth", explains the Chancellor.
Emergency brake means going back to the situation before March 8th.
The five opening steps at a glance:
Stage 1 - since March 1st:
schools, daycare centers, hairdressers open and regional openings
Level 2 - from March 8th:
bookshops, flower shops, garden markets open (1 customer per 10/20 sqm depending on the sales area).
In addition, body-friendly services as well as driving and flight schools open (some with daily updated test)
Level 3 - from March 8th:
a)
Incidence under 50: retail (1 customer per 10/20 sqm depending on sales area), museums, galleries, zoos, memorials, outdoor sports (contact-free) with a maximum of ten people
b)
Incidence 50-100 : Appointment shopping (“Click & Meet”), museums etc. with appointment booking, individual outdoor sports with a maximum of five people from two households
Level 4 - 14 days later / from March 22 at the earliest:
a)
Incidence below 50: outdoor restaurants, theaters, cinemas, concert and opera houses, sports (contact-free indoor, contact sports outdoor)
b)
Incidence 50-100: each with daily updated quick or self-test - outdoor catering (with appointment booking), theaters, cinemas, concert and opera houses, sports (contact-free inside, contact sports outside)
Level 5 - 14 days later / from April 5 at the earliest:
a)
Incidence under 50: outdoor leisure events (max. 50 participants), indoor contact sports
b)
Incidence 50-100: retail (1 customer per 10/20 sqm depending on sales area ), Sport (contact free inside, contact sport outside) - without test
Further steps will be decided at the Prime Minister's Conference on March 22nd.
Then it's about gastronomy, culture, events, travel and hotels.
Corona lockdown: contact restrictions will be relaxed
The contact restrictions are also to be relaxed from March 8th.
Meetings between two households with a maximum of five people are then allowed.
Children under 14 are exempt - couples are considered one household.
In addition, in regions with an incidence of less than 35, meetings with a total of three households and a maximum of ten people can be allowed.
Corona lockdown is being relaxed: quick and self-tests are coming
The planned easing should be secured with mass rapid and self-tests.
The tests showed "with good accuracy whether someone is contagious on a daily basis," said Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Every citizen should be able to be tested free of charge once a week.
“This offer is valid from March 8th, and the corresponding test centers will be made available on site,” announced Merkel.
The federal government bears the costs for the test.
Self-tests, which are easier to use, should also be used in schools and daycare centers.
A task force will be set up to procure these tests.
It has not yet been finally clarified whether employers will have to pay for tests for their employees.
Merkel announced that the federal government will continue talks on Friday.
Corona vaccination turbo is started
When it comes to corona vaccinations, the federal and state governments are kicking off the vaccination turbo.
From the end of March / beginning of April it should also be possible to vaccinate in general practitioners' and specialist practices.
This allows more people to be vaccinated in less time.
In addition, the federal states should now be able to flexibly decide on the vaccination sequence.
In addition, the Astrazeneca vaccine should also be approved for people over 65 in a few days.
In addition, the distance between the first and second vaccination is to be widened.
Vaccination doses should be vaccinated directly and not be set aside for a second vaccination.
A similar model is being carried out in the UK.
After tough measures, easing should now follow, said the Chancellor.
However, she also warned that this should not set the development back.
There are examples of a dramatic third wave in Europe.
"This danger also exists for us"
In addition, a hardship fund for economic aid will be set up.
The federal and state governments share the costs.
Details are still to be worked out.
