Bavaria shuts clubs for three weeks as COVID cases rise

On November 19, the German state of Bavaria announced that all nightlife in the region, including bars and clubs, will close for three weeks from today.

Chancellor Angela has called the situation "dramatic" according to Sky News. Germany has a lower than average vaccination rate compared to much of Western Europe, and the rate of cases are reaching a new high.

This morning, Germany’s acting Health Minister, Jens Spahn urged for all German citizens to get themselves vaccinated and said that people with either be "vaccinated, cured or dead" by the end of winter.

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Co-founder of Munich club BLITZ David Muallem spoke with Resident Advisor about the new change in restrictions for Bavaria and said: "If I'm really honest, I think we won't open before maybe end of January, February.

“But I don't know. I can't predict the future. After two years of the pandemic, I'm so out of power. I just feel so weak, to be honest.

“Because if I think about the past five or six weeks since we reopened, it was really a nightmare. It's hard for people to understand because everyone goes like, 'yeah, you can open your club again after such a long time.'

“And of course, I'm happy to see smiling faces on the dance floor again and have amazing parties, but we lost about 50% of our staff.”

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Berlin’s Club Commission has also issued a statement claiming that clubs have been depicted in the "wrong light" since the beginning of the pandemic.

The statement criticizes the Luca app and says: “The reopening of the clubs after a year and a half of closure is viewed with great scepticism.

“Of course, the health offices also pay particular attention to tracking infections in which many people meet without a mask and distance.

“If a person tests positive after a club visit, the health office sometimes sends 2,000 warnings to all visitors. But the audience is fully vaccinated or recovered, only in this way is access to 2G club nights possible at all.

“Even if vaccination breakthroughs have been recorded, no mass infection can be observed under 2G.”

The "2G" rule refers to Germany's current COVID guidelines for large-scale events and nightlife spaces - which requires patrons to hold one of two "Gs" - either 'geimpft' (vaccinated) or 'genesen' (having had COVID in the last six months).

In the neighbouring state of Saxony, Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer has also announced that it will enter a lockdown today.

Nearby in Austria, from today the country will enter a national lockdown lasting at least ten days despite widespread protests.

Becky Buckle is Mixmag's Digital Intern, follow her on Twitter