Corona summit on lockdown: Merkel and countries with a new timetable – the rules at a glance

Habemus relaxations. After an exhausting summit night, the federal and state governments have 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 extensive innovations in terms of vaccination strategy were agreed – the overview of the resolutions!

We are now on the threshold of a new phase in the Corona * 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

But one was agreed gradual opening strategy with built-in Emergency brake: If individual loosenings lead to a sharp increase in the number of infections in a region, all alleviations that have already been made are automatically deleted.

Important here: Merkel’s 35 incidence limit has fallen! Opening steps should now be able to follow at an incidence below 50 – to a limited extent even at 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 applied: “So if we get into 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 and regional openings are opening
  • Stage 2 – from March 8th: Bookstores, florists, garden centers open (1 customer per 10/20 square meters, depending on the sales area). In addition, body-friendly services as well as driving and flight schools open (some with daily updated test)
  • Stage 3 – from March 8th:
    a) Incidence under 50: retail (1 customer per 10/20 m2 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
  • Stage 4 – 14 days later / at the earliest from March 22nd:
    a) Incidence under 50: outdoor restaurants, theaters, cinemas, concert and opera houses, sports (contact-free inside, contact sports outside)
    b) Incidence 50-100: each with a daily quick test or self-test – outdoor catering (with appointment booking), theaters, cinemas, concert and opera houses, sports (contact-free inside, contact sports outside)
  • Stage 5 – 14 days later / from April 5th 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 is to 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. The federal government will continue the talks on Friday, announced Merkel.

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 decide flexibly 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. (rjs with dpa) * merkur.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA.



source https://pledgetimes.com/corona-summit-on-lockdown-merkel-and-countries-with-a-new-timetable-the-rules-at-a-glance/