Excerpts from the state government's press release from 6 October 2020
Brandenburg is tightening its corona rules in view of the significant increase in the number of corona infections. This was decided by the cabinet today. New are stricter upper limits for private parties and a general obligation to wear masks in office and administrative buildings if more than 35 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants occur in a district or independent city within seven days.
Anyone who does not enter their personal data in coronavirus contact lists completely and truthfully will face a fine of between 50 and 250 euros in Brandenburg in future. The social distancing rules in cinemas, theatres and similar cultural institutions will be clarified: If strict hygiene rules are observed, which are determined in a corresponding hygiene framework concept, the minimum distance between seats can be reduced from 1.5 metres to up to one metre.
There is also a clarification regarding the ban on accommodation for guests from high-risk areas within Germany: City states such as Berlin are regarded as a single municipality. This means that the accommodation ban in Brandenburg will only apply if the mark of 50 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants is exceeded within seven days in the entire city state. The amendments to the SARS-CoV-2 Ordinance will come into force on Sunday, 11 October, and will apply until 8 November 2020. The Quarantine Ordinance, which contains rules for travellers entering and returning from risk areas, will be extended until 8 November without any changes.
New upper limits and compulsory notification for private parties
If the mark of 35 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants is exceeded in a district or city within the last seven days, private celebrations are prohibited there.
- in a private residence and the associated pacified property with more than 25 people present at the same time and
- in public or rented rooms with more than 50 people present at the same time
prohibited.
If the critical mark of 50 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants in the past seven days is exceeded in a district or city, private celebrations are prohibited.
- in private living space and in the associated pacified property with more than 10 people present at the same time and
- in public or rented rooms with more than 25 people present at the same time
prohibited.
If the incidence of infection in the district or city in question is localised and this has been publicly announced by the competent authority, this prohibition is limited to the areas announced.
Obligation to notify: From a 7-day incidence of 35 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants, organisers of private celebrations must notify the responsible health authority at least three working days before the start of the event, stating the location of the event and the planned number of participants. The notification obligation applies to six or more participants outside the organiser's own household.
With this tightening of the SARS-CoV-2 by-law, Brandenburg is implementing a corresponding decision made by the heads of state governments with the Federal Chancellor last Tuesday (29 September).
In principle, the following upper limit for private parties continues to apply throughout Brandenburg: Private parties in private homes and associated pacified property with more than 75 people present at the same time are prohibited. If this upper limit is not adhered to, the organisers face a fine of 250 to 1,000 euros.
Important: The general hygiene and distancing rules apply to all events. Even at private parties with fewer than 75 people present at the same time, a minimum distance of 1.5 metres must be maintained between people (this does not apply to spouses or life partners, members of their own household or persons with custody or legal or court-ordered rights of access).
This upper limit does not apply to private parties that take place in a pub or community hall, for example. Here, the number of participants is determined solely by the size of the room in conjunction with the minimum distance of 1.5 metres between guests.
Private celebrations and other gatherings include, for example, birthday parties, weddings, anniversaries, funerals and christenings. Even if an entrepreneur uses his company premises for an event with guests, this counts as a private celebration. Important: The term private celebrations must be interpreted broadly, as situations can arise here in which people no longer maintain the necessary distance and hygiene.
Tightening of the mask requirement
The rules on wearing a face mask have been extended: for districts or independent cities in which there have been more than 35 new infections with the SARS-CoV-2 virus per 100,000 inhabitants within the last seven days. From this incidence figure, the following persons aged six and over must wear a face mask:
- in restaurants, employees with guest contact as well as guests, provided they are not staying at their fixed location; this also applies to closed parties in restaurants or other premises rented for celebrations,
- in office and administration buildings, employees and visitors, unless they are in a fixed location and the minimum distance of 1.5 metres cannot be safely maintained,
- Users of passenger lifts.
Fines for false information on corona contact lists
Anyone who does not enter their personal details in coronavirus contact lists completely and truthfully in restaurants, for example, will face a fine of between 50 and 250 euros in Brandenburg in future. At the same time, the person responsible must check the plausibility of the contact details.
New minimum distance in cinemas, theatres and concert halls
The Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Ministry of Culture have agreed special distancing and hygiene rules for cinemas, theatres, operas, concert halls and similar cultural institutions in a hygiene framework concept. Under certain conditions, the minimum distance between seats in cinemas and cultural institutions can be reduced from 1.5 metres to up to one metre if this is permitted as an exception in the hygiene framework concept and the area-specific distancing and hygiene rules specified therein are observed. One condition for this is that guests must wear a face covering throughout the performance.
The hygiene framework concept is published on the websites of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Ministry of Culture.
Clarification of the regulation on proper ventilation
In the autumn and winter months, when people spend more time indoors again, regular and correct ventilation becomes even more important for infection protection. For this reason, the Corona Circumvention Ordinance is being clarified in terms of hygiene rules in this area.
Previously, for meetings and events in closed rooms, for example, organisers had to ensure that the room air was regularly replaced with fresh air and that ventilation and air conditioning systems were to be operated without recirculating air.
This regulation is now becoming more specific. It now states that those responsible must ensure the regular exchange of room air with fresh air, in particular through shock ventilation via windows or by operating ventilation and air conditioning systems with a high proportion of outside air. If recirculated air operation of ventilation and air-conditioning systems is unavoidable for technical or technological reasons, they should be equipped with suitable filtration to remove airborne viruses.
Clarification of the accommodation ban for guests from city states
Since individual districts in Berlin have exceeded the 50 mark in the 7-day incidence, there has been a lack of clarity in the application of the Brandenburg accommodation ban in practice when dealing with Berliners.
The Corona Ordinance therefore clarifies this: The Brandenburg accommodation ban does not apply to individual districts, but to the entire city as a whole. The accommodation ban only applies if the critical 50 mark is exceeded in the entire city area. The Corona Ordinance therefore makes this clear: The Brandenburg accommodation ban does not apply to individual districts, but to the entire city as a whole. Only when the critical 50 mark is exceeded in the entire city area does the accommodation ban take effect.