https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Germany in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed The coronavirus ‘emergency brake’ is set to be mandatory across Germany soon. But Hamburg has already had tougher Covid measures in place for weeks, including a curfew - and it appears to be working. https://www.thelocal.de/20210421/how-effective-are-the-emergency-brake-covid-measures-in-hamburg Wed, 21 Apr 2021 12:37:49 +0200 how-effective-are-the-emergency-brake-covid-measures-in-hamburg Germany is introducing national 'emergency brake' rules for areas with high Covid-19 rates, which includes most of the country. Here's what it means. https://www.thelocal.de/20210422/explained-what-you-need-to-know-about-germanys-new-nationwide-emergency-brake-covid-19-rules Thu, 22 Apr 2021 15:05:14 +0200 explained-what-you-need-to-know-about-germanys-new-nationwide-emergency-brake-covid-19-rules The German government is trying to introduce uniform Covid-19 rules for badly-hit areas. But before the plans pass into law, politicians are having a rethink on curfews and schools. https://www.thelocal.de/20210419/explained-these-are-the-planned-changes-to-germanys-emergency-brake-covid-rules Mon, 19 Apr 2021 18:56:36 +0200 explained-these-are-the-planned-changes-to-germanys-emergency-brake-covid-rules As the coronavirus emergency in Germany worsens, the government is set to seize power from states to implement measures - but regions are already getting tougher with extra Covid rules. https://www.thelocal.de/20210419/latest-when-will-germany-decide-on-new-nationwide-covid-19-restrictions Mon, 19 Apr 2021 13:14:24 +0200 latest-when-will-germany-decide-on-new-nationwide-covid-19-restrictions Germany may be facing a much longer shutdown, as new federal measures could last until the end of May or middle of June, reported Berlin’s Tagesspiegel on Monday. https://www.thelocal.de/20210412/german-lockdown-measures-could-last-until-the-end-of-may-or-mid-june Mon, 12 Apr 2021 17:09:25 +0200 german-lockdown-measures-could-last-until-the-end-of-may-or-mid-june Germany is in the grip of a third Covid wave, with intensive care beds filling up. As politicians and medical experts talk of a “lockdown”, many people are confused. Aren’t we already in a lockdown? No, and this is part of the confusion, writes Rachel Loxton. https://www.thelocal.de/20210410/opinion-germany-has-never-had-a-real-covid-lockdown Sat, 10 Apr 2021 12:25:09 +0200 opinion-germany-has-never-had-a-real-covid-lockdown Chancellor Angela Merkel’s statement to the press on Wednesday that she was cancelling the Easter shutdown resolved some questions, but left others wide open. Here's what we know, and what we still don’t. https://www.thelocal.de/20210324/explained-what-prompted-merkel-to-make-a-sudden-u-turn-on-easter-shutdown-in-germany Wed, 24 Mar 2021 18:19:02 +0100 explained-what-prompted-merkel-to-make-a-sudden-u-turn-on-easter-shutdown-in-germany Chancellor Angela Merkel wants to relax contact restrictions slightly from next week in Germany - but extend much of the shutdown until March 28th, a draft paper shows. https://www.thelocal.de/20210302/covid-19-measures-relaxing-shutdown Tue, 02 Mar 2021 14:01:42 +0100 covid-19-measures-relaxing-shutdown Pressure is growing on the German government and states to relax lockdown measures. Are opening steps on the cards? https://www.thelocal.de/20210301/what-can-we-expect-from-germanys-plans-to-ease-lockdown-2 Mon, 01 Mar 2021 20:13:39 +0100 what-can-we-expect-from-germanys-plans-to-ease-lockdown-2 Berlin has put together a reopening strategy that could become a template to end the nationwide shutdown. Here's a look at the plan. https://www.thelocal.de/20210223/is-this-germanys-roadmap-to-ease-lockdown-measures-february-2021 Tue, 23 Feb 2021 15:23:37 +0100 is-this-germanys-roadmap-to-ease-lockdown-measures-february-2021 Chancellor Angela Merkel is to put together a proposal to come out of shutdown in three stages. https://www.thelocal.de/20210222/merkel-set-to-put-forward-plan-to-ease-lockdown-in-three-stages Mon, 22 Feb 2021 12:40:29 +0100 merkel-set-to-put-forward-plan-to-ease-lockdown-in-three-stages A row has broken out across Germany as to whether travel the during Easter holidays in early April will be possible in 2021. https://www.thelocal.de/20210215/will-easter-holiday-travel-be-possible-in-germany-this-year-2021 Mon, 15 Feb 2021 12:42:19 +0100 will-easter-holiday-travel-be-possible-in-germany-this-year-2021 Germany's shutdown will continue until March 7th - but some things will open earlier, and there are changes ahead. Here are the details. https://www.thelocal.de/20210211/what-you-need-to-know-about-germanys-extended-covid-19-measures-and-opening-plans Thu, 11 Feb 2021 10:39:54 +0100 what-you-need-to-know-about-germanys-extended-covid-19-measures-and-opening-plans German Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) addressed the Bundestag on Thursday morning about why she felt it was necessary to extend Germany’s shutdown until March 7th. https://www.thelocal.de/20210211/the-virus-is-our-opponent-merkel-defends-germanys-shutdown-extension Thu, 11 Feb 2021 11:24:06 +0100 the-virus-is-our-opponent-merkel-defends-germanys-shutdown-extension Chancellor Angela Merkel's government agreed to continue the shutdown put in place to fight the coronavirus pandemic until at least March 7th. https://www.thelocal.de/20210210/germany-agrees-to-extend-lockdown-measures-to-march-7th Wed, 10 Feb 2021 20:49:11 +0100 germany-agrees-to-extend-lockdown-measures-to-march-7th Many people will be counting down to the day: From March 1st, hair salons in Germany will be allowed to reopen under strict hygiene regulations. https://www.thelocal.de/20210210/hair-salons-in-germany-to-reopen-again-march-1st Wed, 10 Feb 2021 20:19:56 +0100 hair-salons-in-germany-to-reopen-again-march-1st The German government wants to extend shutdown measures until mid-March - but parts of public life could reopen soon. Here's what else is in the draft document. https://www.thelocal.de/20210210/what-will-germanys-plan-to-extend-lockdown-measures-involve-february-2021 Wed, 10 Feb 2021 12:11:10 +0100 what-will-germanys-plan-to-extend-lockdown-measures-involve-february-2021 German Chancellor Angela Merkel's government wants to extend most strict curbs to fight the pandemic until March 14th, according to a draft text. https://www.thelocal.de/20210210/german-government-wants-to-extend-covid-19-shutdown-until-march-14th Wed, 10 Feb 2021 10:26:55 +0100 german-government-wants-to-extend-covid-19-shutdown-until-march-14th Ahead of Chancellor Angela Merkel's meeting with state leaders on Wednesday, calls are growing for a clear road map out of Germany's shutdown. https://www.thelocal.de/20210209/calls-grow-for-germany-to-offer-step-by-step-plan-to-exit-lockdown-february Tue, 09 Feb 2021 10:29:52 +0100 calls-grow-for-germany-to-offer-step-by-step-plan-to-exit-lockdown-february Chancellor Angela Merkel listened to the emotional accounts of parents on how they are dealing with the pandemic - and assured them schools and daycare were top priority. https://www.thelocal.de/20210204/merkel-assures-parents-that-schools-and-kitas-will-be-first-to-open-after-pandemic-shutdown-february-2021 Thu, 04 Feb 2021 17:09:26 +0100 merkel-assures-parents-that-schools-and-kitas-will-be-first-to-open-after-pandemic-shutdown-february-2021