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UPDATE: As of Monday afternoon, the Katastrophenfall has officially been declared. Click here to read an updated article with a full list of coming changes.
On late Sunday evening, Bavaria’s Prime Minister Markus Söder announced that a 14 day Katastrophenfall (essentially a state of emergency) will soon take place as part of increased measures to slow the spread of COVID-19.
During this period, there will be significant changes to public life and institutions around Bavaria. While the official declaration has not yet been made, we have summarized the main takeaways below based on this announcement via Muenchen.de:
- From Tuesday onwards: bars, cinemas, and swimming pools will be closed
- From Wednesday onwards: select non-system essential shops will be closed, meaning most shops will be closed with the exception of grocery stores, pharmacies, drugstores, banks and petrol stations
- NOTE: A state-wide curfew is not currently planned
These measures join a series of announcements made over the past few days regarding closures, including:
- The public transport schedule will be modified from Monday, March 16 onwards. Click here for a summary of changes
- From Monday onwards, there will be severe restrictions on travel at borders with France, Switzerland and Austria. Travellers without a valid reason to travel will not be allowed to enter. Click here for more info
- All museums, libraries and cultural institutions will be closed until April 19
- Schools, kindergartens, and day cares will be closed until April 19. Click here for more info
- Countless public events have been cancelled or postponed. Click here for a list
In addition to the closures mentioned above, the Ministry of Health will also be taking this time to take inventory of respiratory equipment in the area and create an emergency plan for so-called ‘temporary hospitals’ should the need arise.
Click here to read the original announcement article in German.
