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As of today, Germany is in a tough lockdown.
In view of the aggravated corona situation, the federal and state governments have agreed on joint measures to shut down public life until at least January 10th.
Which rules now apply nationwide and what are the exceptions in the individual federal states?
An overview.
Retail and catering
The
retail
is closed in many areas until 10 January.
Exceptions
are food retailers, weekly markets and direct marketers for groceries, pick-up and delivery services, beverage stores, health food stores, pharmacies, medical supply stores, drug stores, opticians, hearing aid acousticians, petrol stations, car and bicycle workshops, banks and savings banks, post offices, dry cleaners, laundromats, newspaper shops , Animal and feed markets, Christmas tree stalls and wholesalers.
In contrast,
hairdressing salons, cosmetic studios, massage practices, tattoo studios
and similar businesses are to be
closed
.
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The consumption of
alcoholic beverages
in public spaces
is prohibited, violations will be fined.
Restaurants and cafes will remain closed - taking away food and drinks is allowed, but consumption on site is prohibited to prevent people from gathering in front of facilities.
Daycare centers, schools, work
Contacts
at
schools and daycare centers
are also to be “significantly restricted”.
Schools are generally closed, emergency care and distance learning would be offered.
Separate regulations may apply to graduating classes.
How this is actually implemented depends on the regulations of the federal states and municipalities.
In addition, “additional opportunities” are to be created so that parents can take paid leave.
Employers
are called upon to declare company holidays or to enable home office so that people nationwide can generally stay at home.
Private meetings, Christmas, New Years Eve
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Private meetings
are still limited to two households and a maximum of five people, with the exception of children up to 14 years of age.
This limit will be increased from December 24th to 26th.
It is then allowed to meet four other people beyond your own household from close relatives, i.e. “in a straight line” and life partner.
The sale of
pyrotechnics
before New Year's Eve
should be "generally" prohibited
.
Igniting fireworks is not advised, but it is only forbidden in “public places” that are to be determined by the municipalities.
On
New Year's Eve and New Year's Day
, a ban on arriving and gathering will also be implemented nationwide.
Bavaria's Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) spoke of a “de facto ban on firecrackers”.
Church services
Services
in churches, synagogues, mosques and meetings of other religious communities remain possible "under tight conditions".
The minimum distance of 1.5 meters must be observed, and a mask is required.
You have to register in advance for meetings at which a larger number of visitors is expected.
Retirement and nursing homes
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There are
"special safeguard measures"
are taken.
The federal government should provide medical protective masks and cover the costs for rapid tests.
The staff in retirement and care facilities should be tested several times a week.
Corresponding tests should also be carried out with mobile care services if possible.
In regions with a high number of cases, visitors to the home should have to present current negative corona tests.
Hot spots
In all hotspots from an incidence of 50 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants per week, currently in most of Germany, additional restrictions should apply, at the latest from an incidence
value
of 200, additional
exit
restrictions should be
checked.
to travel
There is an appeal to refrain from all non-essential trips by January 10th, but these are not prohibited.
Quarantine obligations when returning from foreign risk areas are reaffirmed.
Economy and business
Companies affected by the lockdown, self-employed persons and freelancers should continue to receive financial support from the federal government.
The so-called
bridging
aid III, which provides subsidies for fixed costs, is to be improved.
A higher monthly grant of up to half a million euros is planned.
Loss of value of goods and other assets should be absorbed with the possibility of unbureaucratic and faster partial depreciation.
The exceptions of the federal states
Baden-Wuerttemberg:
In Baden-Wuerttemberg, exit restrictions apply nationwide all day since Saturday.
Between 8:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m., leaving the apartment is only allowed for very few valid reasons - for example to exercise a profession, to take advantage of medical services or to accompany the sick or dying.
The nightly exit restrictions do not apply on the Christmas holidays.
Bavaria
: In Bavaria, exit restrictions apply throughout the whole day.
Between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m., leaving the apartment is only allowed for very few valid reasons - for example, in the event of medical emergencies, treatment that cannot be postponed, on the way to work or to look after people in need of support.
Anyone who is then on the road for no good reason can be fined 500 euros.
The night curfew also applies on the Christmas holidays.
The consumption of alcohol in public places remains prohibited.
Berlin
: There are also exit restrictions in Berlin.
People are only allowed to leave their homes for a valid reason such as shopping, visiting the doctor, working or doing sports.
There will be no easing of the upper limit for private meetings over the Christmas holidays.
The Berlin schools will no longer offer face-to-face teaching, but will offer school-based learning from home.
Emergency care at primary level - i.e. for younger students - is to be offered in the after-school care area.
The daycare centers are not generally closed.
Here too, “emergency care” should be maintained for parents who cannot easily look after their children at home.
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Brandenburg
: Exit restrictions apply from 10 p.m.
On Christmas Eve and New Year's morning, the restrictions should only apply at a later time.
Bremen
: The schools should remain open, but the compulsory attendance will be lifted until December 23rd.
Schoolchildren can study at home until the Christmas holidays.
Daycare centers remain open;
Parents are asked to look after their children at home whenever possible.
The sale of alcoholic beverages to take away, such as a mug of mulled wine, has been banned for the time being since this Monday.
Hamburg
: The schools will stay open until the Christmas holidays - but parents can decide whether their children should study in school or at home.
Attendance is still compulsory for exam situations.
The area of childcare remains unaffected - there are no changes here.
Hessen
: In Hessen, night exit restrictions have been in effect since Friday between 9:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. in rural districts or urban districts with an incidence of over 200 on three days in a row.
During this time, leaving your own home is only permitted for important reasons, for example for professional or medical reasons.
Compliance with the curfew is monitored by the public order offices, possibly supported by the state police.
There is also an all-day alcohol ban in public places.
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
: Pupils up to the 6th grade can basically continue to attend school.
Compulsory attendance in schools has been lifted.
Students and teachers must wear mouth and nose protection in the classrooms.
It is requested that all students study from home whenever possible.
In large parts of the state, pupils from the 7th grade onwards should study from home via the Internet from Monday.
Lower Saxony
: School-age children can study from home.
The requirement to be present is thus lifted.
The school holidays were extended to three weeks.
North Rhine-Westphalia:
Since Monday, compulsory attendance has been lifted in schools in North Rhine-Westphalia.
However, educational institutions and daycare centers will not be closed completely.
Pupils in the lower grades should take part in lessons from home, pupils from grade eight are taught remotely, i.e. at home on a laptop and with worksheets.
The school holidays are extended by two days.
The hotels in NRW are now not allowed to offer overnight stays for family visits over Christmas.
The municipalities can decide on exit restrictions for hotspot areas themselves.
Rhineland-Palatinate:
Prime Minister Malu Dreyer (SPD) announced that the schools would remain open until the start of the holidays on Friday - especially for children without childcare options at home.
Distance learning should take place across the board after the holidays.
Daycare centers should remain open in regular operation.
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Saarland:
Daycare centers and schools will only open to a limited extent in Saarland.
There should be emergency care for schoolchildren up to the sixth grade and daycare children whose parents are working.
There may also be separate regulations for graduating classes.
Saxony:
In Saxony, exit restrictions have been in effect all day since this Monday.
Leaving the house is only possible for good reasons - for work, shopping, visiting the doctor or for exercise in the open air within a radius of 15 kilometers.
They do not apply on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve.
From an incidence value of 200 on five consecutive days, an extended exit restriction applies in the affected district or the affected urban district between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.: Leaving one's own home is then only permitted for very few valid reasons - e.g. for work, delivery traffic or the care.
The serving and consumption of alcohol in public is prohibited.
Saxony-Anhalt:
At Christmas, the contact restrictions should not be relaxed, unlike the federal and state governments: Only up to five people from up to two households should still be allowed to meet.
Schleswig-Holstein:
There are no more face-to-face classes for students from the 8th grade.
For grades one to seven, parents are asked to check whether their children can stay at home.
There are no official restrictions on the offer in the daycare centers, but parents are encouraged to look after their children at home if possible.
Hotel overnight stays should only be possible for professional reasons or for funeral services.
The consumption of alcohol in public places is prohibited.
Thuringia:
According to the regulation, there will be a curfew in the Free State between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. at night.
For the Christmas holidays, the regulation provides for the curfew and contact restrictions to be relaxed.
Even on New Year's Eve, at least the curfew between 10 p.m. and 3 a.m. should not apply.