Since April 2nd, most of the Germany’s federal states have been operating with bare-bones Covid measures in place.

These include a basic requirement to wear masks on public transport and in places like care homes and clinics, though mask-wearing in shops has gone and there are no requirements to show a vaccine pass or negative test when going about your everyday life.

When the dropping of restrictions was announced, however, two states chose to take advantage of a get-out clause known as the ‘hotspot’ regulation. This allowed regions to define themselves as high-incidence areas and keep a number of restrictions in place.

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Hamburg was one of the states that decided to do this.

For the past month, the northern city-state has kept masks in place in pretty much all indoor public spaces, including shops, bars, restaurants, and all culture and leisure venues. 

People have also been expected to comply with strict entry policies in clubs and discos: to go out dancing in Hamburg, you currently need both a vaccination or recovery certificate and an official negative test. This system is known as 2G-plus. 

When will the rules change?

Hamburg’s hotspot regulations end automatically at the end of April, and with infection rates falling and the weather getting warmer, there isn’t much appetite to keep them.

On Tuesday, the Hamburg Senate met to discuss future measures – including mask-wearing and testing in schools. At the moment, the expectation is that Hamburg will join other states in dropping masks in most indoor public spaces and ending 2G-plus in clubs. 

In recent weeks, some states have started to phase out tests in schools, which pupils have until recently been expected to take three times a week.

Having already loosened mask-wearing rules in classrooms, it’s likely that the city-state will now go further and set out a place for reducing tests or ending them entirely. Mandatory masks in schools are expected to end on May 1st when other rules are dropped.

READ ALSO: German schools phase out mandatory Covid tests for pupils

What other states have kept rules in place?

The only other state to take advantage of the Covid hotspot clause was the northeastern state of Mecklenburg Western-Pomerania.

Initially, Mecklenburg kept the so-called 3G rule in place in most public venues, which meant people had to present either a negative test or proof of vaccination or recovery to enter. It also kept mandatory masks in place for most indoor spaces, much like Hamburg. 

However, on April 22nd, the court in Greifswald partially overturned these rules, meaning that masks and 3G are no longer required in places like bars and restaurants.

Currently, only tourists are subject to the 3G rule – which primarily applies in hotels and other overnight accommodation.

Interestingly enough, compulsory masks are now only needed in public transport and in tourist hotspots, including:

• at conference centres,
• at cultural events and in cultural venues 
• in tourist accommodation

Aside from masks on public transport, all of these rules are expected to end on Thursday, April 28th. 

Tests are also being phased out in schools. From April 29th, only pupils with Covid symptoms will be required to take a test.