Coronavirus in Germany: Hamburg lifts some restrictions

The Hamburg authorities decided on Tuesday to lift most of the restrictions that had been in force for weeks to curb the spread of the coronavirus in Germany. The senate of the city and also the federal state announced that the activities of the schools, kindergarten, larger shops and sports centres will be due for resuming. Restaurants will also be opened in this new decree while residents of retirement homes will be able to receive guests.

Up to 10 members will be able to meet starting from Wednesday, and members of two different households will be able to meet in the city for the first time since the setting of the lockdowns to curb coronavirus in Germany but they will however, have to maintain social distancing rules. The restaurants will have to maintain a distance of at least 1.5 meters between the tables, and restaurateurs will have to ask guests to provide their personal data. Discos will remain closed. Hotels can start receiving guests again, however, the total occupancy will not be higher than 60 percent. Tourist operators will be able to resume organizing bus trips and cruises, the number of tourists will not be able to exceed 50 percent for available places.

Stores with an area of over 800 square metres will be able to resume operations and cater to people, this will be done by receiving one customer per 10 square metres. Other places that will open are cosmetic stores and driving school. People living in Hamburg will be able to also engage in outdoor sports and this means that all outdoor sporting facilities could be opened for use.

The Senate also decided that after the May holidays all students should have lessons in schools at least once a week. Day care centres are due to resume full time from May 18th. Five- and six-year-olds will be the first to return to kindergartens, and from June 8 four-year-olds. As the last ones, three-year-olds will be able to return to kindergartens. In the following weeks, all crèches will also resume.

Here is a brief overview of what each state is planning:

Baden-Württemberg: Holiday homes and campsites open from May 18; hotels, visitor centers and leisure parks open from May 29
Bavaria: Hotels, holiday homes and campsites open from May 30, as well as tourist offerings like castles
Berlin: Tourist overnight stays allowed from May 25, along with city and guided tours
Brandenburg: Permanent camping allowed from May 15; all other tourist rentals permitted from May 25, including tours, boat trips and leisure facilities
Bremen: Hotels, holiday homes and campsites open from May 18, subject to conditions
Hamburg: Hotels, holiday homes and campsites already open (with restrictions)
Hesse: Hotels, holiday homes and campsites to open from May 15
Lower Saxony: Holiday homes and campsites already open; hotels and youth hostels to open on May 25 (limited capacity)
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern: Overnight stays permitted for Mecklenburg-Vorpommern residents (primary or secondary) from May 18; tourist overnight stays permitted from May 25
North Rhine-Westphalia: Holiday homes, campsites and amusement parks already open; hotels and youth hostels to open on May 18
Rhineland-Palatinate: All tourist overnight stays permitted from May 18
Saarland: All tourist overnight stays permitted from May 18 (limited capacity)
Saxony: Overnight stays already permitted in second homes; all tourist overnight stays permitted from May 15
Saxony-Anhalt: Hotels (May 22), holiday homes (May 15) and campsites (May 15) opening initially for Saxony-Anhalt residents only; tourists from other states should follow soon after
Schleswig-Holstein: All tourist overnight stays permitted from May 18
Thuringia: Hotels, holiday homes and campsites expected to open on May 15