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In case you missed the big news, the state government of Bavaria announced a comprehensive plan for the state’s lockdown exit strategy at a press conference yesterday afternoon. You can read our summary of the press conference here.
Among the changes announced were re-opening dates for restaurants, hotels, beer gardens, daycares, and also a replacement of the state’s exit restrictions with a contact restriction.
Here are the changes that come into effect today (May 6):
The state’s exit restrictions (Ausgangsbeschränkung) are now replaced by contact restrictions (Kontaktbeschränkung)
- From May 6 onwards, the previous exit restrictions in Bavaria (which meant people could not go outside without an essential reason such as work, doctor’s visits, and exercise) will no longer apply. People may now leave the house for any reason
- The contact restriction part however still applies, meaning you are still restricted to meeting only one individual outside your household, and, from May 6 onwards, also members of your family (they specify this means parents, grandparents and siblings)
- Distance rules will continue to apply, meaning a minimum distance of 1.5m must be kept between people
- At this time, public gatherings of groups are still not allowed, however religious services and demonstrations have been allowed since May 4, subject to strict restrictions such as minimum distance being kept between attendees
Playgrounds may once again re-open
- From May 6 onwards, playgrounds may once again reopen throughout Bavaria
- While the specifics of re-opening have not been clarified, some restrictions can be assumed based on the current contact restrictions. In particular, 1.5m should be observed between individuals on the playground at all times, and families should ensure they are not gathering in large groups
- Based on the playground rules in Berlin (who re-opened playgrounds last week) as reported by PNP, we can also assume the following: Picnics on playground sites are prohibited, individuals should wash their hands thoroughly before/after visiting the playground, and families should find another playground if the current one is too crowded and distance rules cannot be observed
Once again, you can read a full list of the changes to come here.
