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Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) and the prime ministers agreed that the lockdown should be extended to March 7th, but the states may decide for themselves some early easing measures.

Throughout Germany, hairdressers are allowed to reopen from March 1st, subject to certain hygiene requirements.

The opening of schools and daycare centers is not regulated uniformly, but is at the discretion of the individual countries.

The next major opening step should only be when there is a stable 7-day incidence of no more than 35 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants.

Then the retail trade, museums and galleries as well as businesses with body-friendly services should be able to reopen.

All countries at a glance:

Baden-Wuerttemberg

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Baden-Württemberg's Prime Minister Winfried Kretschmann warned urgently of a slowdown in the fight against the corona virus.

However, daycare centers and primary schools should reopen on February 22nd, if the number of infections allows, said Kretschmann.

The concept for returning to face-to-face operations at the primary schools is already in place.

It is based on the regulations that applied after the first corona lockdown last year at the end of the Whitsun holidays.

In essence, it is about alternating operations, in which two grades come face-to-face and the other two grades learn from home.

Bavaria

The nationwide night curfew in Bavaria expires at the end of this week.

Only in Corona hotspots with a seven-day incidence of more than 100 there should continue to be night curfews, in future from 10 p.m. - so only regionally.

This was announced by Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) on Thursday after a video switch from the cabinet in Munich.

There will also be an opening of the first elementary and special school classes from February 22nd.

Daycare centers could also reopen on this date.

This was reported on Thursday from coalition circles.

However, the final decision on the opening steps must be made in the cabinet.

In addition, according to the information, the nationwide night curfew should expire at the end of this week.

In the future, nocturnal curfews are only being discussed in corona hotspots with a seven-day incidence of more than 100. However, the cabinet still has to make a final decision.

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Berlin

In Berlin, the primary schools are to gradually return to face-to-face classes from February 22nd.

This was announced by the governing mayor and current chairman of the Prime Minister's Conference Michael Müller (SPD) after the deliberations of the federal and state governments.

The opening will be organized in strict compliance with hygiene regulations and with alternating lessons, said Müller in the press conference with Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Brandenburg

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Brandenburg wants to gradually open the schools from February 22nd.

Initially, so-called alternating lessons with small groups at the primary schools are planned there.

"These are models that have already been used in schools," said Prime Minister Dietmar Woidke (SPD) on the RBB information radio.

Distance teaching only works to a very limited extent in elementary school, stressed Woidke.

That is why the signal is right, "that the little ones can go back to school first".

When the high schools open again, Woidke left it open.

The situation is different there, distance teaching works better there.

The state government wanted to inform the parliament about the new federal state resolutions in a special session of the Brandenburg state parliament in Potsdam on Thursday afternoon.

Bremen

Whether and what changes there might be for schools and daycare centers in Bremen should be discussed intensively in the Senate, the red-green-red coalition and with parents and teachers.

Changes would take effect on February 22 or March 1 at the earliest.

Schools are not closed in Bremen, but the compulsory attendance has been lifted.

Hamburg

Hamburg's Mayor Peter Tschentscher (SPD) has welcomed the extension of the corona lockdown.

The corona numbers in the Hanseatic city are currently pointing in the "right direction," said the SPD politician on Wednesday evening after the state heads of government had consulted with the chancellor.

However, in view of the virus mutants, the situation is still uncertain, so that one must assume that “the situation will become more difficult.” The incidence, i.e. the number of new infections per 100,000 inhabitants within seven days, must be further reduced significantly - “to under 35 to get security ”.

Hamburg is not making use of the agreement that the federal states can open schools and daycare centers earlier because of the spring break, which begins on March 1, said Tschentscher.

Hesse

Hesse's Prime Minister Volker Bouffier (CDU) was happy about the gradual school openings.

"We will open elementary schools and grades 5 and 6 with alternating classes from February 22nd," said Bouffier.

“I am glad that we were able to assert ourselves.” Daycare centers in Hesse could also go into restricted regular operation again from February 22nd.

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Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania

Elementary school students are scheduled to return to schools after the winter break on February 22nd.

This should apply to rural districts and urban districts that have an incidence value of less than 50.

The districts of Vorpommern-Rügen, Rostock, Northwest Mecklenburg and the Hanseatic City of Rostock have currently fallen below this important threshold.

What this means for the other three districts and the state capital Schwerin, which currently all have higher values, should be clarified on Friday at the Corona state summit.

The higher grades should continue to study at home nationwide, with the exception of final grades.

Daycare centers are also scheduled to open again from February 22nd.

However, the prerequisite is that the respective rural districts or the two independent cities have an incidence value of less than 50.

How to deal with daycare centers in the other regions should also be decided on Friday.

A special session of the state parliament is planned in Schwerin on Thursday.

The so-called Economic Task Force will also meet on Thursday, where possible easing plans will be discussed.

Lower Saxony

In Lower Saxony, the corona measures in the education sector will initially continue to apply until the end of February.

In the so-called scenario B, elementary school students receive alternating lessons in divided classes, observing distance and hygiene rules, the Ministry of Education announced on Wednesday evening.

Scenario B also applies to children with intellectual disabilities in special schools and to young people who graduate this school year.

School years five to twelve remained in pure distance learning, it continues, as do the students at vocational schools.

Emergency care up to grade 6 remains.

The day-care centers also continue to offer emergency care, usually up to half of the usual group sizes, but are generally closed.

Day care workers can continue to offer care for small groups of up to five foreign children who are being looked after at the same time.

For large day care centers, the same rules apply as for day care centers.

North Rhine-Westphalia

North Rhine-Westphalia wants to gradually open schools from February 22nd.

This should be done in coordination with the neighboring countries of Rhineland-Palatinate, Lower Saxony and Hesse, said Prime Minister Armin Laschet (CDU).

“Our promise to 'schools and daycare centers first' was kept today,” he emphasized.

The primary schools should then open in an alternating model, said school minister Yvonne Gebauer.

With a 7-day incidence below 50, NRW will then switch to face-to-face teaching.

Rhineland-Palatinate

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Rhineland-Palatinate wants to gradually reopen schools from February 22nd.

First of all, there will be mandatory alternation classes for elementary school students, Prime Minister Malu Dreyer (SPD) announced on Thursday in Mainz.

The 5th and 6th grades should then follow “quickly” in March.

Dreyer initially left open when there could be face-to-face lessons for older students again.

After the meeting of the heads of government from the federal and state levels, she was disappointed that it had not been possible to agree on a nationwide uniform step-by-step plan for easing the anti-corona measures: "The frustration was already extensive." In the morning Dreyer had informed the council of elders of the Rhineland-Palatinate state parliament about the resolutions of yesterday evening.

The federal and state governments had only agreed to extend the ban on contact and the lockdown of many areas of society until March 7th.

At the same time as the gradual opening of the schools, primary school teachers and kindergarten staff are expected to be given preference for vaccinations.

Dreyer promised that they could be offered a vaccination by Easter.

Sufficient vaccination doses would probably be available for this.

Saarland

The Saarland wants to enable primary school students to take alternating classes from February 22nd.

“And we don't look very meticulously at the incidence,” said Prime Minister Tobias Hans (CDU) on Wednesday evening in Saarbrücken after the federal-state consultations.

This means that this step should be taken within seven days per 100,000 inhabitants even if the target of 50 new infections is not reached.

"It would have to be very dramatic changes to dissuade us," emphasized Hans.

Because the lockdown showed how strong the pressure on families is.

From an incidence of 35 it is possible to aim for openings for retail, other services close to the body as well as museums and galleries.

The heads of the state chancelleries discussed other issues such as contact restrictions, hotels and restaurants with Chancellor Helge Braun (CDU).

A corona summit by the state government and district administrators is planned for Friday in Saarland.

Saxony

In view of the drastic corona incidences in the Czech Republic, Saxony wants to significantly restrict commuter traffic.

The sealing off of certain hotspots is urgently required, said Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer (CDU) on Thursday in Dresden.

The situation in the neighboring country is coming to a head, there is an incidence of more than 1000 in two regions. The British mutation of the virus is on the rise there.

Czech medical and nursing workers are to be exempted from the restrictions.

The “Click and Collect” pick-up service should be available in retail outlets as early as next Monday.

Saxony was the only federal state that had not yet allowed this service.

On Tuesday, Minister of Culture Christian Piwarz (CDU) announced the opening of daycare centers and primary schools in restricted regular operations from February 15.

The principle of strict separation of groups and classes with fixed reference persons applies.

The timetable should be finally decided this Friday when Saxony's cabinet adopts the new Corona Protection Ordinance.

There are exceptions for graduating classes: You returned to secondary schools and grammar schools in Saxony on January 18.

In Saxony, compulsory attendance for primary school students is to be suspended for the time being.

Parents can thus decide for themselves whether to send their child to school.

The big question now is how many parents are using it.

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Saxony-Anhalt

From March 1st, people in Germany can have their hair cut again.

From this date onwards, the providers of necessary body-friendly services should also reopen, said Prime Minister Reiner Haseloff (CDU) on Wednesday after a consultation with the federal and state governments.

An earlier opening date was not enforceable.

In addition, Saxony-Anhalt will stick to its plan to gradually reopen the schools from March 1, announced the head of government.

In principle, the lockdown should therefore initially be extended until March 7th.

At first, the Prime Ministers and Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) did not make a decision as to when the retail trade may reopen at the more than five-hour video conference.

This point is to be discussed again at the next federal-state switch on March 3rd.

Haseloff wants to discuss the results of the conference with the state government on Thursday.

The ministers should then resolve the agreement in the form of a new state ordinance, which will come into force next Monday.

Schleswig-Holstein

Primary school students in Schleswig-Holstein should start studying again in school from February 22nd and daycare centers should continue to open - these are the most important changes in corona measures.

Otherwise, according to the resolutions of the federal and state governments from Wednesday to March, the lockdown with largely closed shops, restaurants and leisure facilities.

The state parliament will discuss the measures and the corona situation overall in another special session on Thursday.

Thuringia

According to Prime Minister Bodo Ramelow (left), Thuringia will extend the lockdown until March 7th with the closure of restaurants, hotels and shops.

However, hairdressers should now be able to cut hair again at the beginning of March and not as initially planned in Thuringia on February 20.

The Free State is following the decisions of the Prime Minister's Conference with Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU), said Ramelow on Wednesday evening in Erfurt.

Like his counterparts, he was concerned that virus mutations could otherwise spread quickly, despite falling infection levels.

The federal states now have a largely free hand in opening schools and daycare centers.

In Thuringia, alternating lessons are conceivable from a seven-day incidence below 100, according to the Prime Minister.

"We have to open up new perspectives for children and schools." He pleaded for more rapid tests also in the education sector.

Simplified tests that adults could carry out themselves had been discussed at the Prime Minister's Conference.

With a value of 123, Thuringia is currently still the federal state with the highest seven-day incidence per 100,000 inhabitants in Germany.

Note: We update this article regularly.