Bavaria’s new coronavirus restrictions came into force this week. Restrictions on shopping and new requirements for students to be allowed to attend school will be in place to try and control the spread of the coronavirus.

New restrictions for the state of Bavaria

New restrictions in the federal state of Bavaria came into force on Monday, in an attempt to try and control the spread of the coronavirus. The new measures will see shops, that have previously been allowed to stay open, close and enforce entry requirements on students in schools and classrooms.

New retail restrictions force shops to close

From Monday, bookshops, garden centres and DIY shops in Bavaria have been forced to close as they no longer count as essential businesses. These shops will have to adhere to the same rules as other shops that have been deemed non-essential. Supermarkets, grocery shops, pharmacies, petrol stations and bakeries are all considered essential and therefore will be allowed to stay open.

The new rules set restrictions on the retail industry based on the seven-day incidence rate (the number of infections per 100.000 residents over seven days) in districts and cities. When the seven-day incidence rate is below 50, all shops, including non-essential retailers, are allowed to open, although they will have to adhere to certain restrictions, such as requiring staff and customers to wear facemasks.

If the seven-day incidence rate is between 50 and 100, shoppers can only enter shops with a prior appointment. If the incidence rate rises between 100 and 200, then shoppers will also have to present a negative coronavirus test when arriving for their appointment. Rapid tests will be accepted, providing the test was taken within 24 hours of the appointment. PCR tests will also be accepted and are valid for 48 hours. Should the incidence rate rise above 200, shops will only be allowed to open for “click and collect.”

New rules for students

Mandatory testing for students will apply from Monday in Bavaria. Students will be required to either take a PCR, rapid test or self-test twice a week at school and will only be allowed to attend the classroom with a negative test result. Any students who refuse to do the test, return a positive test or have come into contact with someone infected with the virus will now receive online teaching.

In any district or city that has an incidence rate of under 50, face-to-face teaching will be allowed in primary schools and older children will receive alternating classes, online and in-person. If the incidence rate rises above 50 but stays lower than 100, all pupils must attend alternate classes. However, in any area where the incidence rate rises above 100, all schools must switch to online classes. In this case, final year pupils: year 4 in primary school and year 11 in high schools, and students in higher secondary vocational schools are exempt from distance learning.

The coronavirus in Bavaria

According to the most recent situation report by the Robert Koch Institute, Bavaria has recorded a total of 517.336 cases, 15.622 in the last seven days. The seven-day incidence rate for the past week sits at 119, although this has come down from 142 in the previous week’s report.