Even as the federal government debates easing restrictions for vaccinated people, the state of Bavaria is pressing ahead. From Thursday, a number of coronavirus restrictions will not apply to fully vaccinated individuals, as well as those who have recovered from COVID-19. Further easings are planned for next week onwards. 

Bavaria eases restrictions for vaccinated people

The state premier of Bavaria, Markus Sӧder, has announced that his federal state will ease restrictions for vaccinated and recovered individuals this week. From Thursday, May 6 onwards, the test requirement and the nighttime curfew will no longer apply to these population groups. 

Fully vaccinated people will also no longer count towards the maximum number of participants at private get-togethers - as is currently the case for children under the age of 14. This means that larger gatherings, made up of a mix of vaccinated and unvaccinated people, will soon be possible. 

Reopenings planned for restaurants, cinemas, hotels & campsites

The southern state is also planning to further ease restrictions in the coming weeks - to benefit both vaccinated and unvaccinated residents. From Monday, May 10, outdoor dining areas at restaurants, theatres, concert halls, opera houses and cinemas will be allowed to open in districts and cities with a stable seven-day incidence rate of less than 100. Restaurants will have to close by 10pm, and strict hygiene regulations and a reservation system will also be in place. 

Sӧder also announced that holidays should once again be permitted in Bavaria by the beginning of the Whitsun holiday on May 21, in regions where the seven-day incidence rate remains below 100. This means that hotels, holiday homes and campsites will be allowed to open in these areas.

Speaking after a cabinet meeting in Munich on Tuesday afternoon, Sӧder said that the third wave of coronavirus “is now structured more positively than it was a few weeks ago” and is therefore “cause for cautious optimism.”