Berlin wants to curb private parties and restrict alcohol sales in a bid to slow the spread of the coronavirus, according to German media reports. Merkel has warned that daily cases may rise to 19,200 by Christmas.
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The German government is expected to propose a raft of stricter coronavirus-related regulations during talks between state leaders and Chancellor Angela Merkel on Tuesday.
According to a draft resolution seen by news agency DPA and the mass-circulation Bild newspaper, the federal government is in favor of rules that would limit private parties to 25 people, while parties held in public spaces would be capped at 50.
In order to minimize the risk of infection at restaurants and bars in hard-hit areas, the draft also proposed "time-limited bans on the sale of alcohol."
The new regulations would only come into effect in cities and regions where the number of infections rises to 50 per 100,000 inhabitants over a period of seven days, according to the reports.
The government's draft resolution also proposes restricting the number of people at festivals if a state reports more than 35 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants over a period of seven days.
The critical number of new infections for this regulation to come into force will be negotiated at the conference.
The federal government's draft continues to call for a a regional approach instead of blanket measures to deal with rising infections. However, the draft resolution says that the easing of restrictions that are currently in place should not be permitted.
The proposals also calls for stricter measures to improve contact tracing and ensure people provide accurate information. When visiting bars, restaurants, and events, people would be obligated to provide their "correct and complete personal data and contact information" which helps in contact tracing in case of a local outbreak.
Regulatory authorities would also be allowed to impose a €50 ($58) fine in cases where restaurants are provided with false personal information.
It remains to be seen whether state leaders will sign off on the federal government's new package of regulations. The proposed COVID-19 curbs will be discussed at the meeting on Tuesday afternoon, which will be held via video conference.
According to Bild, the state premier of Rhineland-Palatinate opposes imposing stricter rules in private spaces, while the head of the northern state of Lower Saxony does not want to have fixed limits in the resolution.
Currently, each of Germany's 16 states sets their own limit on the number of people who can attend private parties and events at large venues. States with lower infection rates have tended to push back against federal rules concerning celebrations, and attempts to push for nationwide rules have fallen through in the past.
Weddings, parties and other private gatherings have been blamed for fueling a rise in COVID-19 cases across Germany. In North Rhine-Westphalia, the country's most populous state, an outbreak at a wedding in the city of Hamm caused over 100 people to become infected, including 40 children.
Germany's most beautiful tourist destinations less crowded than ever
Strolling around Neuschwanstein Castle without crowds, gazing for minutes at the imposing face of Nefertiti: This is how relaxed a visit to Germany's most popular sights in the time of the coronavirus can be.
Image: DW/Emily Gordine & Olivera Zivkovic
Neuschwanstein Castle
King Ludwig II of Bavaria was shy and sought solitude in Neuschwanstein Castle. After his death in 1886, life entered his refuge when it was opened to visitors. In previous years, 6,000 people a day walked through the castle of the "fairy-tale king" in the Allgäu region during the high season. In times of COVID-19, the daily figure is only 1,080. Ludwig would have approved of the peace and quiet.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/S. Puchner
Cologne Cathedral
Only 300 visitors at a time are allowed into the cathedral until further notice. This leads to long queues, especially on weekends. Once inside, the experience is all the more impressive. Visitors have much of one of Germany's largest cathedrals nearly to themselves. Although tourists must also be prepared for longer waiting times when climbing the tower, it is worth it.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/F. Gambarin
Heidelberg Castle
This summer it is also quieter than usual on the romantic ruins high above the Neckar River. Instead of 4,000 visitors a day, only half of that amount visit the Emperor's Hall, the Great Barrel or the castle garden this year. "You can enjoy a more individual experience of the castle," says Michael Bös, head of the castle administration.
From the public viewing platform at a height of 37 meters (121 feet), guests can enjoy a sensational view of Hamburg and its harbor. Currently, there are even tickets available for last-minute visitors. Nevertheless, the Elbphilharmonie Concert Hall recommends booking tickets in advance online. Due to social distancing rules, not as many people as usual are allowed in at the same time.
Image: picture-alliance dpa/C. Charisius
The dome of the Reichstag in Berlin
Seeing the Brandenburg Gate or the government quarter from the roof terrace of the Reichstag building and looking through the glass roof into the Bundestag plenary chamber is currently only available to registered individuals. The Reichstag dome, designed by architect Norman Foster, will not be accessible to groups until the end of September. There are also no guided tours of the building.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/imageBROKER
Berlin's Museum Island
Access to the State Museums in Berlin is also limited and only possible with reserved time slot tickets, for example for the Panorama of the Pergamon Museum and the Neues Museum. You can finally enjoy attractions like the bust of Nefertiti in peace and quiet! In 2019, a total of 4.2 million people visited the State Museums in Berlin. Currently, the figure is expected to be 30 percent of that.
Image: picture-alliance/U. Baumgarten
Flower Island of Mainau
With its seasonal flower arrangements, the island is a tourist hotspot. Well, normally. Usually up to 8,000 daily guests populate Mainau Island on Lake Constance. This year the visitors from abroad are missing as well as most bus trip tourists. For those visitors who manage to get here, it is a privilege to enjoy the beautiful garden in peace and quiet.
Image: picture-alliance/imageBROKER/F. Bienewald
The Frauenkirche in Dresden
The world-famous 18th-century church, which was destroyed at the end of the Second World War and rebuilt true to the original after 1990, is a magnet for visitors. But at the moment, only 50 people are allowed into the dome of the Dresden Frauenkirche at the same time, and only 40 visitors inside the church. At concerts, only about 350 of the approximately 1,660 seats are available.
Image: picture-alliance/Arco Images
Rothenburg ob der Tauber
This small, medieval town in Bavaria with a population of just over 10,000 usually attracts some 1.9 million visitors every year. A large part of them come from Asia and the US. These guests are missing this year, but local visitors finally have the chance to explore their town with its timber-framed houses. As Goethe once wrote: "Why wander off into the distance? Look, good things lie so near!"
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/D. Karmann
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'Traffic light' warning system
Markus Söder, the state premier of Bavaria, has called for a nationwide standardized warning system that would be based on current infections. According to his proposed "corona traffic light" mechanism, strict measures would be imposed if the infection rate enters the "yellow" category and further tightened should it become "red."
Such a "traffic light" system already exists in some states.
On Monday, Merkel told members of her Christian Democrats Union (CDU) at a party conference that daily cases in Germany could hit 19,200 if the current trend continued.
"We must quickly contain the infections and intervene," Merkel said, according to the source quoted by news agency Reuters. "We must set priorities, namely keeping the economy running and keeping schools and nurseries open. Soccer is secondary to that for now."
