Berlin to impose curfew

The capital of Germany, which has always been famous for its vibrant nightlife, will say goodbye to parties until at least October 31st. After the Koch Institute put five Berlin districts on the red list, including the government quarter of Berlin-Mitte, the Senate decided to impose a curfew throughout the city. It will take effect from midnight Saturday 10 October. The authorities called these measures “compulsion to rest.”

Under the new restrictions, from 11 pm to 6 am in Berlin, all restaurants, pubs and other establishments that sell alcohol, which are prohibited at night, will be closed. For violation of the regulations, legal entities face an administrative fine of 5,000 euros, reports the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. In the event of relapses or attempts to work underground, they may be closed altogether. So the usual picture – the crowds at the entrance to pubs and clubs in the narrow streets – will no longer be possible. From now on, open air companies will be allowed to gather for a maximum of five people or within two “households”. For private parties indoors, a maximum of ten guests are allowed. Even the capital’s tourist chamber will temporarily stop advertising Berlin for travelers from other regions of Germany or foreigners.

Earlier, local politicians were bombarded with accusations that the situation with the coronavirus was out of control. “Nobody wears masks, does not keep their distance. After one wedding, dozens of new infected,” the Berliner Zeitung complained earlier. German Health Minister Jens Spahn directly called on Berliners to improve discipline. Even Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Seder, who is reputed to be an active fighter against the “crown”, did not deny himself the pleasure of observing from distant Munich that the situation with a pandemic in the capital region “teeters on the brink.”

The same measures were taken by the authorities of the business capital of Germany – Frankfurt am Main, where the incidence rate of covid has approached the critical level (50 infected per 100 thousand inhabitants in 7 days). There the curfew is introduced until October 18. In the evening hours in the city there will be a total “dry law” – no drinking of strong drinks on the streets, squares, in parks. Patrols are already preparing to disperse companies of idle citizens on the waterfront, where locals and tourists like to relax.

Belgium also imposes a curfew from Friday. This was announced by the new prime minister of the kingdom, Alexander De Croo. Previously, drinking establishments in the country were closed from one in the morning, now – from 23.00. All cafes and bars in Brussels will be quarantined for a whole month. True, restaurants will continue to operate, but subject to strict restrictions.