Corona update

Today, the federal government and the governments of the federated states have decided in the Consultation Committee to implement a stricter lockdown. The stricter rules are necessary to stem the growing pressure on our hospitals and reverse the infection curve as quickly and drastically as possible.

• Social life

  • Each family member is entitled to close contact with 1 person. Families can only invite 1 person to their home at any one time, with whom they have close contact. No other visitors are allowed to the home. An exception can be made for people who live alone: they are still allowed 1 visitor in addition to the 1 person with whom they have close contact, but not at the same time.
  • Gatherings outdoors: rule of four, with social distancing
  • Funerals are allowed with up to 15 attendees. Without catering or reception afterwards.
  • Houses of prayer can be open, but without worship services. Gatherings of up to 4 people are allowed, with face mask and with social distancing.
  • Borders are not closed in accordance with European guidelines, but travelling abroad is strongly discouraged.
  • Marriages can only take place in the presence of the spouses, witnesses and civil registrars.

• Economic life

  • Homeworking is mandatory wherever possible. Where homeworking is not possible, face masks and ventilation are mandatory.
  • Holiday parks and campsites must be completely closed from Tuesday morning 3 November. In holiday parks, indoor and outdoor activities must cease until then. Swimming pools, restaurants and bars must close.  Meals must be eaten in holiday homes, each family individually.
  • Hotels and B&Bs remain open, but restaurants and bars must close. Meals must be eaten in rooms.
  • Non-essential shops must close, but are allowed to organise collection and home delivery of goods ordered in advance. There is no access to shops if goods are collected.
  • To maintain a level playing field, supermarkets and markets (< 200 people) must limit their offering to what is on sale in essential shops.
  • Garages and bicycle shops can only carry out repairs.
  • Non-medical contact professions (including hairdressers, make-up artists, wellness centres, massage parlours, beauty salons) must close.
  • Companies and agricultural businesses can remain open, subject to compliance with homeworking, face mask and social distancing obligations.
  • Zoos must close.

• Schools

  • Classes for all education levels will be suspended on 12 and 13 November. Classes will resume on Monday 16 November.
    For secondary education, pupils in the second and third grades will switch to a maximum of 50% contact education until 1 December. Before 1 December, we will evaluate whether up to 100% contact education will be possible again.
    For higher education, distance learning will be provided:
  • For first-year students: until 1 December when they can follow contact education again.
  • For older students, at least until the end of the calendar year.
  • Teachers must have online meetings; the same applies for pedagogical study days.
  • No physical teambuildings are allowed

Start date and end date

• The measures will apply throughout the territory from Monday 2 November 2020.
• The measures will apply for one and a half months until Sunday 13 December 2020 inclusive. For non-essential shops, the situation will be assessed by the Consultation Committee on 1 December.