Published
Fri, Dec 3, 2021, 14:17
- The German government yesterday ruled that clubs must close in states with high Covid-19 infection rates.
Berlin is banning dancing indefinitely from Wednesday, December 8th.
Confirmed earlier today, December 3rd, by the Senate of Berlin, the decision was expected after Germany's federal government ruled yesterday that clubs must close in states with high Covid-19 infection rates. The cut-off point is 350 new infections per 100,000 people per seven-day incidence. Berlin has a rate of 361.
"20 months of pandemic and no better idea than to ban dancing," said Lutz Leichsenring from Clubcommission Berlin. "It doesn't take much imagination to figure out that you can't enforce a dance ban in party basements and private homes. Without 2G and without tests."
He continued: "No word about PCR tests, no data on level of infections assigned to clubs that justifies such massive restrictions."
Because the ban is only legally enforceable from next week, clubs can open this weekend at 50-percent capacity. For many venue owners and promoters, it might be their last chance for a while to make any income.
Though Leichsenring thinks the dancing ban won't threaten access to financial aid from the government, he admits "there are uncertainties here, since no legal closure order has been issued."
He added: "We feel the current legal situation is uncertain because we are allowed to open, but only under deficit conditions."
Here's a roundup of how Covid-19's fourth wave is currently affecting nightlife across Europe.
Photo: Leon Seibert