Hamburg moves forward: As the first German metropolis, the Hanseatic city is presenting an opening plan for the coming weeks of the coronavirus pandemic. The current curfew should be over in a few days.
In view of a relaxing corona location in Hamburg, the evening curfew is to be dropped in the coming week. This was announced by the First mayor of the Hanseatic City, Peter Tschentscher, on Friday after a Senate meeting. At the same time, the SPD politician presented a detailed plan for the coming weeks, which provides for numerous further loosening of infection protection measures.
Hamburg’s seven-day incidence below 100
“We broke the third wave,” said the trained doctor Tschentscher in the town hall. Next Monday, May 10, the number of new infections per 100,000 inhabitants within one week (seven-day incidence) will “in all probability” be below 100 for the fifth day in a row. The legal basis for the curfew and other restrictions on public life is thus eliminated.
In order to avoid a so-called jojo effect in new infections, the openings should be made in several stages, explained Tschentscher:
In addition to the end of the curfew, from next Wednesday (12 May) children’s outdoor sports with up to ten children will be possible again, the compulsory masks on playgrounds will be eliminated and the alternating lessons in all grades will be reintroduced. Five days later, the day care centres as well as museums and exhibitions will also be allowed to reopen.
The first stage of easing in Hamburg
© Senate Of Hamburg
All opening steps are to be flanked by test requirements, hygiene concepts and possibilities for contact tracking. “We must remain cautious,” says Tschentscher. If there are no setbacks in the first stage, the concept of the Hamburg Senate provides for further easing ten to 14 days later. These include, among other things, the opening of the retail trade and close-to-the-body services, fewer contact restrictions, the lifting of the obligation to make masks in parks and the enabling of children’s birthday parties.
The second stage of easing in Hamburg
© Senate Of Hamburg
Another ten to 14 days later, around the beginning of June, further openings could take place, for example in outdoor gastronomy, for cultural institutions or outdoor events. Gastronomy and the hotel industry should follow.
“I would like to thank all citizens”
All planned opening steps are subject to further positive developments in the infection process, stressed Tschentscher. The situation will be assessed continuously, added his deputy Katharina Fegebank (Greens).
According to the First Mayor of Hamburg, the seven-day incidence has decreased in all age groups and across the entire city area. At Easter, according to the Robert Koch Institute, it was 139, now 78.” I would like to thank all citizens who have made this possible through their discipline, ” said Tschentscher. He pointed to a significantly reduced burden on intensive care units in the city. The Hamburg Senate sees its cautious course in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic thus confirmed.
Tschentscher cited the night curfews as one reason for the positive development of the corona figures in the Hanseatic City. Since Easter, it was forbidden from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. to stay in the public space without good reason. The rule had been “well adhered to” by the citizens of Hamburg, the number of private meetings had been reduced, said the mayor – and the number of approximately 700,000 administered vaccine doses had also contributed to the decline in the number of new infections, it said.
