Corona regulations What is prohibited and permitted in NRW from Monday

Düsseldorf · Further Corona rules are being lifted in North Rhine Westphalia from Monday. For example, larger private parties and gatherings with more than 100 spectators are permitted under certain conditions – and all primary school children may return to school.

 Cinemas can reopen, as long as distances of at least 1.5 m can be maintained between visitors.

Cinemas can reopen, as long as distances of at least 1.5 m can be maintained between visitors.

Foto: dpa/Robert Michael

North Rhine Westphalia is loosening further corona measures. From Monday 15 June more customers will be allowed to enter shops at the same time. Larger celebrations and even visits to bars are permitted. The basic rules for restricting contact in public spaces and the obligation to wear masks in certain areas will remain in place. Large events remain prohibited until at least 31 August.

The following regulations and measures apply in NRW from Monday 15 June:

CONTACT

The contact restrictions have been extended until 29 June. In addition to the previously permitted constellations (families or two households), groups of up to ten people are now allowed to meet in public spaces. Prerequisite: It must be possible to trace all persons attending the meeting. MASKS Covering the mouth and nose with material should reduce the risk of infecting other people with the coronavirus. Homemade fabric masks or scarves and shawls pulled over the face are also permitted. This regulation has been in force since 27 April in buses and trains, in all shops and showrooms, at weekly markets, in shopping centres, at bus stops and railway stations, in taxis, doctors' surgeries and similar health care facilities, at the post office, in banks and at petrol stations. The obligation to wear face coverings has been extended up to 29 June.

ENTRY RESTRICTIONS IN SHOPS

From 15 June, the entry restriction in shops based on surface area will be extended from one person per ten square metres to one person per seven square metres of sales area. According to the Corona Protection Ordinance, this also applies to museums and exhibitions as well as zoos and animal parks.

EVENTS AND PARTIES

Large events and large parties remain prohibited. However, events and gatherings with up to 100 people are permitted, subject to distancing rules and protective measures, and events with more than 100 spectators may take place. But these are only permitted in agreement with the responsible health authority and they require a special concept with hygiene measures to protect against infection. If there are fixed seating arrangements and the traceability of participants can be ensured, the distance requirement of 1.5 metres may be waived.

There are exceptions for special private celebrations such as anniversaries, baptisms, weddings, birthday parties or graduations. These are permitted with a maximum of 50 participants, provided that hygiene rules are observed, and all participants are registered. In this case, facial coverings are not compulsory. These celebrations may be held in separate rooms in dining establishments and hotels.

HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY

The state of NRW allows bars to resume operations in accordance with the regulations applicable to others in the hospitality industry. Clubs and discotheques, however, must remain closed. Brothels also remain prohibited. Restaurants, cafés and pubs with seats have been able to open indoors and outdoors since 11 May. The prerequisite is 1.5 metres distance between tables, measured from backrest to backrest. The owners must register the guests by name. There are no restrictions concerning opening hours or length of stay. Buffets with open food are still prohibited.

FLEA MARKETS AND AMUSEMENT PARKS

From 15 June, flea markets and antique fairs may be held again in NRW if they follow hygiene and protective measures. Also “temporary amusement parks from a number of fairground operators” may be permitted in agreement with the responsible authorities.

SPAS AND ADVENTURE POOLS

Wellness spas and saunas as well as adventure pools and water parks may resume operations subject to hygiene and infection control standards. The limits on using pools with swimming lanes no longer applies.

INDOOR AND OUTDOOR SWIMMING POOLS

The number of visitors is restricted, a minimum distance must be continually observed - including in the pool and showers - and face masks must be worn in closed rooms. Every visitor must also be registered. Guests must wash or disinfect their hands after entering the outdoor pool. Open-air pools have been allowed to open since 20 May and indoor swimming pools since 30 May.

SPORTS WITH BODILY CONTACT

Contact sports are permitted in closed rooms from 15 June, within the framework of the current contact restrictions (groups of up to ten people, relatives in a straight line or members of two households). Outdoors, up to 30 people may play sports together, as long as it is possible to track all the participants. Competitions in mass sports and recreational sports are also permitted again in closed rooms and sports halls under certain conditions.

PRIMARY SCHOOLS

From Monday 15 June, all 600,000 primary school pupils in NRW will be allowed to attend school again every day. The NRW Ministry of Education announced that learning groups should remain strictly together, and the distancing requirement will then be dropped. Start times and break times must be staggered - if this is not possible, the distancing rules should continue to be observed in corridors, toilet facilities and in the playground. Minister for Education Yvonne Gebauer (FDP) emphasised that the slower rate of infection allows for “responsible normal operation”. Every day counts. The school year in NRW ends on 26 June. Parents and teachers have been highly critical of the new requirements.

KINDERGARTEN

After a compulsory break of several weeks, nurseries and day-care centres in NRW have been open since 8 June - albeit with reduced opening times. According to state regulations, up until 31 August children will be looked after for ten hours less than before - i.e. only 15, 25 or 35 hours instead of 25, 35 or 45 hours. Emergency care for the children of key workers and working single parents ended once limited regular operations were resumed.

CONCERTS, THEATRES AND CINEMAS

Cinemas, theatres, opera houses and concert halls may reopen, provided that a minimum distance of 1.5 metres between visitors is guaranteed and that there are special measures concerning entry. Special hygiene and protective measures are required if more than a quarter of the regular audience capacity or more than 100 people are in the audience. If there are fewer people, the hygiene regulations must nevertheless be observed.

TRADE SHOWS

Trade shows and congresses are now allowed, provided there are protective measures and a limited number of participants/visitors.

HOLIDAY CAMPS

Children and teenagers are allowed to go on holiday camps or city breaks. However, there are limits to the fun: the rules state that “activities involving direct physical contact should be kept to a minimum.” “Fixed reference groups should be formed for larger groups of over 15 participants,” - these are then exempt from maintaining the minimum distance. But if they meet with another group, the distancing rules apply again.

“If the minimum distance cannot be maintained due to spatial conditions or compulsory programme-related procedures, facial coverings must be worn. The participants must therefore always have a mask with them. Supervisors must have a replacement on hand. “Rooms/tents may only be occupied at half of the maximum capacity and the minimum distance between beds/sleeping mats or similar must be observed.”

TATTOO AND PIERCING SHOPS

Following massage and beauty centres, tattoo and piercing shops are now also allowed to reopen. The same hygiene requirements apply – including wearing face coverings and - for facial treatments - special masks, goggles or shields for the service providers.

PICNICS and BBQS

As announced by the state government on Twitter, picnics are permitted again. BBQs in parks are also allowed.

CHOIR PRACTICE

The Corona Protection Ordinance also includes rules for choir practice, which was previously banned. Since 20 May, several singers have been allowed to practice together in opera houses or concert halls. If standing next to each other, the singers must keep at a 3-meter distance. If they stand in several rows, things become more complicated: here, 6 metres distance in “ejection direction” is prescribed. Furthermore, “a room size of at least ten square meters per person must be provided.

TOURISM/HOTELS

Since 11 May, holiday apartments and camping sites may be used again for tourist purposes under certain conditions. Amusement parks, excursion boats, bicycle and boat rentals may open. Hotels have been allowed to open since 18 May. “Employees who have direct contact with guests must wear a face covering.” “For shorter stays”, rooms should not be cleaned daily but only after departure. Everything in the room - for example magazines or pens - must be cleaned at least after each change of guest.

The worldwide travel ban for tourists will be lifted for 31 European countries from 15 June. Specifically, this applies to travel to EU Member States, Schengen countries and the UK. A travel ban will continue to apply to 160 countries until the end of August.

CARE HOME VISITS

Since 10 May, visits have been allowed to residents of old people's and nursing homes under strict conditions. According to the plans of NRW Health Minister Karl-Josef Laumann, the visits are allowed to take place in separate areas or outside. Visitors wearing protective clothing may also enter the care homes and visit bedridden persons in their rooms. Visits of up to two people in each individual room are permitted. Only one person is allowed directly into a resident's room. The duration of the visit is limited to a maximum of two hours per visit and day. In addition, the usual hygiene rules apply, such as wearing masks and using disinfectant.

HOSPITALS

Since 11 May, individual hospitals have been able to allow visits, if they consider this appropriate whilst taking into account the occurrence of infection and ensuring hygiene measures. In general, however, hospitals and other in-patient health care facilities were only allowed to admit visitors from 20 May.

FITNESS CENTRES

Less strict access rules apply in fitness centres than, for example, at open-air swimming pools. 7 square metres - instead of 10 - are used as a benchmark per customer. On the other hand, “due to the respiratory load, any high-intensity endurance training (indoor cycling, HIIT and anaerobic threshold training)” is prohibited.

HAIRDRESSERS

Hairdressers have been allowed to open since 4 May. However, strict rules also apply. Among other things, distances of two metres must be maintained between the individual workplaces. In addition to haircuts, medical and cosmetic foot treatments have been permitted again since Monday, 4 May. According to the new regulation from Sunday, 17 May, for “close-to-face services and those where protective distances cannot be maintained,” employees must wear a special mask covering nose and mouth, “supplemented by protective goggles or a face shield.” Disposable gloves must be worn from the start of the service until after the hair has been washed.

PLAYGROUNDS

Children have been allowed to visit playgrounds again since 7 May – at the same time as school restarted for the fourth grade. According to the Corona Protection Ordinance, the accompanying persons at playgrounds must maintain a minimum distance of 1.5 metres from each other.

SUNDAY TRADING

The regulation states that “retail food stores, weekly markets, collection and delivery services and wholesale stores may, in addition to the existing legal provisions, open from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays and public holidays.” Pharmacies are generally allowed to open on Sundays and public holidays.

CHURCH SERVICES

Church services with strict safety regulations and a limited number of participants may be held in NRW.

DRIVING SCHOOLS

Driving schools may continue to offer their services subject to safety precautions and minimum distancing. In practical driving lessons, the minimum distance of 1.5 metres between persons cannot and need not be observed.

PENALTIES & FINES

Anyone who “intentionally or negligently” violates essential provisions of the Corona Protection Ordinance and organises an unpermitted event or takes part in such events or meetings may be punished with up to five years imprisonment. Administrative offences (Ordnungswidrigkeiten) can be punished with fines of up to 25,000 euros in accordance with the Infection Protection Act. It is an administrative offence to deliberately or negligently pay unauthorised visits to health or care facilities, to operate facilities that do not meet the required standards of hygiene, minimum distances and access regulations, to offer or provide overnight accommodation for tourists or to “participate in a picnic or barbecue in a public place or public facility”. The Corona Protection Ordinance lists a total of administrative offences in the version which is valid until 15 June.

(Original text: GA Bonn with material from dpa, Translations: Caroline Kusch)

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