The Latest: Germany cautiously opens beer gardens, cafes

The Latest: Germany cautiously opens beer gardens, cafes

Chancellor Angela Merkel is urging Germans to behave responsibly as large parts of the country relax pandemic restrictions at the start of the Pentecost weekend

By The Associated Press

May 21, 2021, 5:58 PM

• 11 min read

FILE - In this Nov. 2, 2020 file photo, former President Barack Obama speaks at a rally as he campaigns for Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden in Atlanta. A long-time patron of independent bookstores Obama celebrated Independent Bookstore Day by virtually “stopping in” to visit with six independent bookstores from around the country: Square Books of Oxford; Eso Won Books of Los Angeles, Calif.; Politics & Prose Bookstore of Washington, D.C.; Parnassus Books of Nashville, Tenn.; The Lit.Bar of Bronx, N.Y.; and Literati of Ann Arbor, Mich. Booksellers from each store spoke with the President about their mutual love of reading, the craft of writing, and all things books. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, File)

BERLIN — Chancellor Angela Merkel has urged Germans to behave responsibly as large parts of the country relax more pandemic restrictions at the start of the Pentecost weekend.

She says caution is needed to avoid further shutdowns. German regions have gradually started easing restrictions recently as new coronavirus cases decline steadily, accompanied by an accelerating vaccination campaign.

Beer gardens, cafes and restaurants in Berlin and elsewhere started serving customers outdoors for the first time in months on Friday — provided they present a negative COVID-19 test or a vaccination certificate.

By Friday, most of Germany’s 400 cities and counties had a weekly case number below the threshold of 100 per 100,000 inhabitants that triggered strict lockdown measures. But top officials stressed the need to remain vigilant.

The country’s disease control agency reported 8,769 newly confirmed COVID-19 cases Thursday and 226 deaths. Germany has reported 87,128 confirmed deaths since the start of the pandemic.

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THE VIRUS OUTBREAK:

— Pfizer-BioNTech pledge 2B doses to less wealthy nations

— Germany opens beer gardens, cafes; Chancellor Merkel urges caution

— IOC VP: Tokyo Olympics will be held despite state of emergency

— Sniffing Labrador retrievers join Thai coronavirus fight

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Follow more of AP’s pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic and https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine

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HERE'S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

NEW YORK — A study of schools in Georgia suggests improving ventilation seemed to slow the spread of the coronavirus about as much as masks.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday published the study online. It’s based on surveys last fall of 169 Georgia elementary schools, which had taken various steps to control the spread of the virus.

The researchers concluded that COVID-19 cases were 37% lower in schools that required teachers and other staff members to wear masks, compared to schools that did not. Cases were 39% lower in schools that took steps to improve ventilation, like opening windows and doors, using fans, or using air filtration systems.

Schools that used high-efficiency particulate absorbing filtration (HEPA) systems had case rates that were about half as high as those that didn’t.

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MONTPELIER, Vt. — Gov. Phil Scott says Vermont will lift all remaining pandemic-related restrictions ahead of the July 4 plan if the state reaches 80% of eligible people vaccinated against COVID-19.

That would mean nearly 28,000 more residents need to get the shots. He says Vermont leads the nation with over 70% of residents ages 12 and older getting at least one dose.

He says people between the ages of 18-29 can help accelerate the timeline the most. It’s a group lagging in vaccination rates.

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WASHINGTON — Former President Barack Obama and actor Eva Longoria are joining a social media chat next week about COVID-19 vaccines and the pandemic’s effects on women, particularly women of color.

Made to Save, the United State of Women, Supermajority and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services are hosting Monday’s event on Facebook Live.

Organizers say the event is part of a week of activity designed to address concerns among women about the vaccines and to encourage women to get vaccinated and to help others get their shots, too.