Having to adjust to coronavirus measures has certainly brought out people’s creative side: to make sure all of its customers adhered to social distancing requirements on reopening day, a cafe in Schwerin dished out hats with swim noodles taped to the top. 

A unique way to enforce social distancing

Cafe & Konditorei Rothe in Schwerin, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, celebrated the easing of coronavirus restrictions in Germany - and gently poked fun at the new rules - by handing out the pool noodle hats to patrons. 

Last Saturday, the cafe posted a picture on Facebook of its customers enjoying their beverages in the sunshine outside, each of them wearing a straw hat with two foam rolls taped to the top, under the caption: “Today, like this, distance measuring”. 

Cafe’s stunt has attracted international attention

“In these difficult times it’s a pleasure to make other people smile,” said the cafe’s owner, Jacqueline Rothe. Indeed, the picture of the stunt has already garnered national and international media coverage, as well as hundreds of likes, comments and shares on Facebook - although the joke did appear to be lost on some people. One user wrote: “Are you really serious about humiliating people like this? Can only be a joke. What’s next?” 

Germany has slowly been easing its coronavirus restrictions over the past couple of weeks. Most retail spaces are already back open, but this week marks the first time that restaurants and cafes have opened their doors in nearly two months. 

Image credit: Cafe & Konditorei Rothe