Step by step: Countries should decide on opening up gastronomy

Countries should decide on a gradual opening of gastronomy in the Corona crisis. This was agreed by Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) and the prime ministers of the Länder on Wednesday.

The countries should act on their own responsibility – against the background of the respective infection events as well as country-specific peculiarities. This is clear from the decision paper, which is available to the German Press Agency. This also applies to hotels, guesthouses and holiday apartments. The basis should be common hygiene and distance concepts of the respective ministerial conferences.

According to the decision paper, countries should also decide on the gradual opening up in other areas on their own responsibility. These include the teaching at universities, the opening of music schools, bars, clubs and discos, fairs, driving schools, beauty studios – as well as swimming pools, gyms. It also includes “smaller public or private events or celebrations, as well as events without a festive character”. It also applies to theatres, operas, concert halls and cinemas.

On Tuesday evening, the ministers of the Länder recommended that there be a nationwide controlled opening of the hospitality industry in a corridor from 9 to 22 May, subject to conditions. Hotels and guesthouses are therefore scheduled to open until the end of May. The prerequisite for opening up is strict compliance with hygiene rules, distance rules and the presentation of a plan to protect employees.

Pubs and restaurants had been closed in mid-March to prevent the virus from spreading. This excluded only the delivery and collection of food for consumption at home. Hotels and guesthouses were also not allowed to provide accommodation for tourist purposes.

Some countries, such as Bavaria, Lower Saxony and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, had already presented their own plans for the gradual opening up of the catering and tourism industry, subject to health protection requirements and restrictions.

The hospitality and tourism sectors are among the sectors most affected by the Corona crisis. Industry associations had called for uniform rules for the whole of Germany.