The German federal and state governments agreed on Monday that some restrictions should be relaxed for people who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 - a change that should be put in motion in the coming weeks. But for some this is far too slow, and so a handful of federal states have already pressed ahead.

Testing obligation lifted for fully vaccinated people in Bavaria

People in Bavaria who have received both jabs will no longer be required to get a rapid coronavirus test before activities like going to the hairdresser or visiting a non-essential shop, state premier Markus Sӧder announced on Tuesday. 

“Those who have received two injections will no longer have to present tests as of tomorrow [Wednesday],” Sӧder said. According to the Bavarian state chancellery, fully vaccinated people are therefore on equal footing with people who have tested negative for the virus.

Bavaria is also planning on lifting the vaccine priority list in May, at which point all adults will be able to apply for an appointment - ahead of the government’s scheduled date of June. 

Restrictions also eased in six other federal states

Similarly, Berlin will also lift the test obligation for fully vaccinated people and those who have recovered from the disease. “We have clearly defined the group of people who are exempt from compulsory testing,” health senator Dilek Kalyci announced on Tuesday. 

To prove you have recovered from COVID-19, you must present a positive PCR test certificate. The regulation applies for six months from the 28th day after the test result. After that, you will need to prove that you have had at least one vaccine dose, or show a negative coronavirus test.

Fully vaccinated and recovered people will not have to show a test to visit non-essential shops or the hairdresser, and neither will they have to go into quarantine if they come into contact with an infected person - but they will have to self-isolate if they begin to show symptoms.  

Similar regulations now also exist in Hesse, Lower Saxony, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Thuringia, while Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is looking at adapting its ordinance to ease rules for fully vaccinated and recovered people from May 1. More states are likely to follow, so it’s worth keeping an eye on rules in your area.