Measures taken by the city of Chemnitz to protect against the coronavirus

Today, a new Corona Protection Ordinance(SächsCoronaSchVO of 27 November 2020) comes into force in the Free State of Saxony due to the persistently high corona infection figures. The new regulation stipulates the obligation of districts and independent cities to order stricter measures if the incidence value of 50 or 200 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants is exceeded for five days or more within seven days.

In recent days, the incidence value published by the Robert Koch Institute for the city of Chemnitz was more than 200 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants within seven days. The city is therefore taking more stringent measures.

Lord Mayor Sven Schulze: "The situation is very serious, and Chemnitz's hospitals are also reaching the limits of their capacity. It is therefore absolutely essential that everyone adheres to the regulations and reduces contacts to the bare minimum. I would like to expressly thank all those who are adhering to these rules. Unfortunately, not everyone does, so I would particularly urge them to take the rules seriously.
I appeal to all residents of Chemnitz: when it comes to curfews, don't weigh up whether they are absolutely necessary or possibly possible. My request: Weigh up whether you really have a valid reason to leave your home.
Only if we manage to bring the numbers down together will we be able to find our way back to normality. We need a clear downward trend by Christmas."

For this reason, the "General decree on the implementation of the Infection Protection Act, measures in response to the coronavirus pandemic" will come into force on Wednesday, 2 December 2020. At the same time, a general order comes into force that regulates who has to go into quarantine and when. Like the Corona Protection Ordinance, both decrees are valid until 28 December 2020 and can be amended before then if necessary.(Both general decrees in full at www.chemnitz.de)


The most important regulations (valid from 1 to 28 December 2020) at a glance

• Contacts are limited to five people from a maximum of two households, children up to the age of 14 are not counted as five people
• Deviating from this, ten people from the closest family environment are allowed to meet over Christmas. Here too, children do not count as one of the ten people.
• Mouth and nose coverings must be worn on all buses and trains, in all hospitals, retirement and nursing homes, in all publicly accessible buildings, shopping centres, including those outside of shops, administrative offices and in public buildings.outside shops, administration offices, banks, insurance companies and savings banks, in and in front of churches and other religious communities, on the grounds of daycare centres, schools and other educational institutions,
• At bus stops, in railway stations, in pedestrian zones and sports areas, at weekly markets, masks are compulsory from 6 a.m. to midnight
• In principle, masks must also be worn at work or in buildings if the distance of 1.5 metres cannot be maintained.
  

Closure of facilities

• Closed from 1 December:
  • All private further education and training facilities - with the exception of online programmes.
  • Outdoor swimming pools, indoor swimming pools, spas, thermal baths unless they are rehabilitation facilities
  • Steam baths, steam saunas and saunas
  • Fitness studios and similar facilities, unless they are used for medically necessary treatments
  • Casinos, amusement arcades, betting shops and similar facilities
  • Sports facilities with the exception of individual sports alone, in pairs or with one's own household in a demarcated area.
    Pupils, sports students, national squads up to junior squad 1 and athletes with an employment contract are permitted to play sport
  • Animal parks, amusement and leisure parks, botanical gardens
  • Folk festivals, fairs, Christmas markets, special markets
  • Discos, dance parties
  • Trade fairs, conferences and congresses
  • Museums, memorials, adult education centres, cinemas, theatres, opera houses, concert halls, concert events, music theatres, clubs and similar facilities.
  • Music schools with the exception of individual lessons
  • Libraries with the exception of media lending and the university
  • Circuses
  • Prostitution centres, prostitution agencies, prostitution events, vehicles
  • Coach trips, school trips
  • Overnight accommodation with the exception of necessary professional, social or medical events
  • All entertainment events
  • Catering establishments, pubs, bars. Excluding the delivery and collection of take-away food and drink and the operation of canteens and cafeterias
  • All businesses providing body-related services with the exception of hairdressers and medically necessary treatments
  • All other institutions used for leisure activities.
    

Sales areas

• All shops that are open must have a hygiene concept. The wearing of mouth and nose protection is mandatory
  • In shops up to 800 square metres, a maximum of one customer per 10 square metres is permitted
  • In shops over 800 square metres, a maximum of one customer per 20 square metres is permitted
  • In shopping centres, the total area is used for the calculation, admission concepts must be available
    

Schools/day care centres

• In the event of an incidence of more than 200 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants five days in a row, the state can order alternating lessons or closure for schools with positive cases - special rules are possible for final-year classes
• In the event of an incidence of more than 200 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants for five consecutive days, the state may order the wearing of a face mask in class from grade 7 onwards
• In the event of an incidence of more than 200 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants for five days in a row, the state can order daycare centres and after-school care centres to only operate with fixed groups and caregivers. Open concepts are then no longer permitted.
  

Gatherings

• Gatherings of up to 1,000 people must be approved by the regulatory authorities if all participants wear a face covering, a distance of 1.5 metres is maintained and the gathering only takes place in one place.
• If there is an incidence of more than 200 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants five days in a row, the number of participants is limited to 200.
  

Additional rules of the city of Chemnitz - according to the general decree:

• No alcoholic beverages may be consumed on public streets, paths, squares and in facilities in Chemnitz city centre (see map).
• Wearing a face mask is also compulsory in this area. Exceptions apply to cyclists and joggers.
• Alcoholic drinks may not be sold by sales outlets, including petrol stations and catering establishments, anywhere in the city from 10 pm to 6 am. This also applies to delivery services.
• Take-away food and drinks for consumption at home, e.g. from restaurants or similar, may only be collected. Consumption in public areas is prohibited.
• The number of participants at funerals is limited to 25 people.
• Leaving the home without a valid reason is prohibited.
  Valid reasons are in particular
  • danger to life
  • occupation
  • attending school and childcare facilities, academic institutions, churches and other places of worship
  • Shopping and postal errands
  • Visits to doctors and vets
  • Visits to spouses and partners as well as partners in cohabitation, people in need of assistance, the sick or people with disabilities, unless they are in an institution, and the exercise of custody and access rights in the respective private sphere,
  • attending meetings of the state parliament, the state government and local representative bodies as well as authorities, courts, public prosecutors' offices or other bodies that perform public duties.
  • Attending appointments with bailiffs, lawyers, notaries, tax advisors, auditors and undertakers that cannot be postponed together with a person from another household and for legal support,
  • Accompanying persons in need of support and minors,
  • accompanying the dying and funerals in the immediate family circle, whereby the number of people may not exceed 25,
  • outdoor sports and exercise within a radius of 15 kilometres of the residential area as well as visits to one's own allotment garden or property in compliance with contact restrictions.
• In the event of a check, the valid reasons must be substantiated by the person concerned in an appropriate manner.