SHARE
COPY LINK

HEALTH

Berlin plans parties in parks and streets to revive techno scene

The capital city's senate has called on its districts to find suitable outdoor spaces to hold parties, so that dance clubs can come back to life during the corona scare.

Berlin plans parties in parks and streets to revive techno scene
Christopher Street Day prior to the corona epidemic. Photo: DPA

City economics minister, Ramona Pop, sent a letter to district mayors calling on them to find parks, streets, squares and sports halls that would make suitable venues.

“Berlin misses its diverse club scene. Clubs and bars are suffering economically during the corona crisis. That's why, in addition to providing immediate aid, we want to create legal opportunities to party in public areas for the clubs and Berliners,” Pop told the Berliner Morgenpost.

“In this way, legal celebrations can be organised professionally and in compliance with rules,” she added.

The city has reportedly made the move in response to unrest in Stuttgart and Frankfurt, where young drunk revellers attacked police in city centres. In Stuttgart the situation spiralled out of control, with people looting shops and smashing.

READ ALSO: Berlin boat demo turns into rave with little social distancing

Another motivating factor seems to be the illegal raves that having been taking places in and around Berlin in recent weeks.

“Unfortunately, the time window for this is short, as the summer months are of central importance for open air festivals. It is therefore important to quickly put the industry in a position to realise at least part of its revenues via open air events this summer,” said Pop.

All clubs had to close their doors at the beginning of the epidemic on March 14th. There is still no news on when they will be allowed to fully reopen but some have started to offer small outdoor parties.

READ ALSO: Berlin clubs receive an average of €81,000 to ensure corona doesn't kill off techno

Berlin, famous like no other German city for its cultural vibrancy, has already handed out €30 million in support to cultural venues. The city's culture ministry has promised to double that sum over the next two months.

Techno clubs including About Blank, Kater Blau and Tresor have received an average of €81,000 to ensure that they don't go bust.

SEE ALSO: Berlin to fine people who flout coronavirus face mask rules

Member comments

  1. The lives of plants and animals in those parks are certainly und incomparably more important than the club and the drug scenes.

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.

HEALTH

Could there be a new wave of Covid-19 in Germany this autumn?

It’s back again: amid sinking temperatures, the incidence of Covid-19 has been slowly rising in Germany. But is this enough to merit worrying about the virus?

Could there be a new wave of Covid-19 in Germany this autumn?

More people donning face masks in supermarkets, friends cancelling plans last minute due to getting sick with Covid-19. We might have seen some of those familiar reminders recently that the coronavirus is still around, but could there really be a resurgence of the virus like we experienced during the pandemic years?

According to virologists, the answer seems to be ‘maybe’: since July, the number of people newly infected with Covid-19 has been slowly rising from a very low level.

According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), nine people per 100,000 inhabitants became newly infected in Germany last week. A year ago, there were only around 270 reported cases.

Various Corona variants are currently on the loose in the country. According to the RKI,  the EG.5 (also called Eris) and XBB.1.16 lines were each detected in the week ending September 3rd with a share of just under 23 percent. 

The highly mutated variant BA.2.86 (Pirola), which is currently under observation by the World Health Organisation (WHO), also arrived in the country this week, according to RKI. 

High number of unreported case

The RKI epidemiologists also warned about a high number of unreported cases since hardly any testing is done. They pointed out that almost half of all registered sewage treatment plants report an increasing viral load in wastewater tests.

The number of hospital admissions has also increased slightly, but are still a far cry from the occupation rate amid the pandemic. Last week it was two per 100,000 inhabitants. In the intensive care units, only 1.2 percent of all beds are occupied by Covid-19 patients.

Still, a good three-quarters (76.4 percent) of people in Germany have been vaccinated at least twice and thus have basic immunity, reported RKI. 

Since Monday, doctors’ offices have been vaccinating with the adapted vaccine from Biontech/Pfizer, available to anyone over 12 years old, with a vaccine for small children set to be released the following week and one for those between 5 and 11 to come out October 2nd.

But Health Minister Karl Lauterbach has so far only recommended that people over 60 and those with pre-existing conditions get vaccinated.

READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: Who should get a Covid jab this autumn in Germany?

“The pandemic is over, the virus remains,” he said. “We cannot predict the course of coming waves of corona, but it is clear that older people and people with pre-existing conditions remain at higher risk of becoming severely ill from Covid-19”

The RKI also recommended that people with a cold voluntarily wear a mask. Anyone exhibiting cough, cold, sore throat or other symptoms of a respiratory illness should voluntarily stay at home for three to five days and take regular corona self-tests. 

However, further measures such as contact restrictions are not necessary, he said.

One of many diseases

As of this autumn, Covid-19 could be one of many respiratory diseases. As with influenza, there are no longer absolute infection figures for coronavirus.

Saarbrücken pharmacist Thorsten Lehr told German broadcaster ZDF that self-protection through vaccinations, wearing a mask and getting tested when symptoms appear are prerequisites for surviving the Covid autumn well. 

Only a new, more aggressive mutation could completely turn the game around, he added.

On April 7th of this year, Germany removed the last of its over two-year long coronavirus restrictions, including mask-wearing in some public places.

READ ALSO: German doctors recommend Covid-19 self-tests amid new variant

SHOW COMMENTS