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While no formal announcements or decisions have yet been made, multiple news outlets (including AFP and Spiegel) are reporting today that the German federal government will be proposing to extend coronavirus contact restrictions until July 5.
This proposed extension is mentioned in a draft resolution (presented to German state leaders on Monday) that has been made available to Spiegel. In addition to a proposed extension of the restrictions currently in place until June 5, the paper also mentions the following recommended changes:
- An easing of measures that will allow up to 10 people or members of two households to gather in a public space, although the number of contact people should be minimized and gathering groups should be kept as consistent as possible
- A recommendation to also implement hygiene/distance rules even at gatherings taking place in private homes
- A recommendation to hold all gatherings outdoors whenever possible to minimize infection
Of course, as with all coronavirus restrictions so far, the specific measures taken will ultimately be decided individually by state. However, based on Bavaria’s cautious approach in the past few months, in addition to Minister-President Markus Söder’s criticism earlier this afternoon of Thuringia’s plans to end lockdown, it is safe to assume that contact restrictions will likely extend past June 5 in Bavaria.
The next meeting between Germany’s state ministers is set to take place on Wednesday.
More on this as it develops.
