'New COVID-19 Cases Decrease' Berlin to Allow Outdoor Dining and Drinking at Restaurants and Bars Next Week

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[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] Berlin, the capital of Germany, will allow outdoor operations of restaurants and bars, as well as the opening of coastal areas and outdoor swimming pools starting next week on the 21st, which is Pentecost. This is due to the decrease in new COVID-19 cases in Germany, leading to the easing of regional lockdown measures. The federal government plans to simultaneously open hotels, restaurants, and vacation homes nationwide from mid-next month.

According to foreign media on the 12th (local time), the Berlin city government will allow all children across Berlin to use childcare facilities starting from the 17th of this month. Until now, only parents working in certain professions were allowed to use childcare facilities.

If the number of new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people remains below 100 over the past week, museums, art galleries, and memorial facilities will also open from the 19th. Additionally, private gatherings will be allowed for up to 5 people from 2 households, and the curfew from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. will be lifted.

From the 21st, outdoor operations of restaurants and bars will be permitted. However, entry is only allowed for those who are vaccinated, recovered, or have tested negative for COVID-19. Coastal areas and outdoor swimming pools will also open.

Bavaria, Germany, will open its border with Austria starting today. As a result, citizens will be able to cross the border again for shopping or gatherings after about five months. Since December last year, the border between Germany and Austria has been closed, and those caught crossing faced fines up to 2,000 euros (approximately 2.73 million KRW).

Prior to this, Hamburg lifted its nighttime curfew after five weeks on the previous day.

The German federal government and 16 states are reportedly preparing to simultaneously open hotels, restaurants, and vacation homes nationwide from mid-next month.

According to data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), Germany’s disease control agency, there were 14,909 new COVID-19 cases and 268 deaths reported yesterday. The number of new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people over the past week is 107.8.