In Bonn’s Old Town Mandatory masks as of Monday for cherry blossom visitors
Bonn · As of Monday, masks will be compulsory in Bonn's Old Town. During the cherry blossom season, the city administration wants to prevent streets from having to be closed. Meanwhile, the first buds have already bloomed.
The cherry blossom season in Bonn is expected to last for around two weeks this year as in previous years. This year, the city of Bonn does not expect many tourists coming to see the blossoms in April, but there will be numerous visitors in the streets of Bonn's Old Town nonetheless. In order not to have to close the streets like last year, the city will introduce a mask requirement for individual streets this year. It applies to visitors and residents alike.
In a general decree put out on Friday, the city said masks are mandatory from Monday, March 29, until at least Sunday, April 18. “The masks may not be removed for the consumption of beverages and food or other consumables such as tobacco," the city said. The city had initially coordinated the decision with the NRW Ministry of Health and waited for the current Corona Protection Ordinance published on Friday. People must wear either surgical masks, FFP2 masks or comparable masks such as KN95/N95 masks without a valve.
According to the city, if there are frequent violations of the protection ordinance or the crowds in the streets of the Old Town become too large, so that even the mask requirement does not allow "full compliance with the infection control measures", the city of Bonn reserves the right to close sections of the streets. The city said it planned to make additional personnel available for on-site monitoring.
Starting Monday, masks will be mandatory every day from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. on the following streets and public squares: Breite Strasse, Dorotheenstrasse (between Adolfstrasse and Breite Strasse), Franzstrasse, Georgstrasse (between Adolfstrasse and Heerstrasse), Heerstrasse (between Franzstrasse and Kölnstrasse), Im Krausfeld (between Adolfstrasse and Heerstrasse), Maxstrasse, Michaelstrasse, Paulstrasse, Peterstrasse, Schützenstrasse, Vorgebirgsstrasse (between Adolfstrasse and Heerstrasse) and Wolfstrasse. There are cherry trees already in bloom on Maxstrasse, but not yet on the other streets.
Mask requirement extended in pedestrian zones
The mask requirement in the pedestrian zones in Bonn and Bad Godesberg and in the shopping streets of Beuel and Hardtberg will now be in effect until April 18. At Bonn Central Station, people are required to wear a mouth-to-nose covering, including scarves, bandanas or other coverings made of fabric from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m. The same applies for Bertha-von-Suttner-Platz and Konrad-Adenauer-Platz. In the other previously specified areas, masks are mandatory from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. A medical mask must be worn when shopping, going to the doctor, on buses, trains and trams, and at bus stops.
