Berlin is further easing its coronavirus restrictions, by allowing pubs and fitness studios to reopen and increasing limits for public gatherings, according to the region’s Senate.
Starting this weekend, outdoor prayer services with an unlimited number of people will be allowed in Germany’s capital, in time for the Christian holiday of Pentecost.
Starting on Tuesday, June 2, pubs will be allowed to reopen — but rather than standing at a bar, guests will need to sit at tables set 1.5 metres (about 5 feet) apart. Nightclubs remain closed.
Open-air events such as concerts or film screenings will be allowed starting June 2, though they will have a cap of 200 people. This limit will be increased to 500 by June 16, and up to 1,000 participants by June 30.
Indoor cinemas that meet hygiene rules will be allowed to reopen on June 30.
The Senator of the Interior of Berlin, Andreas Geisel, has warned that stricter rules would be reimposed if the coronavirus situation deteriorates again.
The number of confirmed cases in Germany increased by 741 to 180,458 on Friday, according to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases. The reported death toll also rose by 39 to 8,450.
