This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. To order presentation-ready copies for distribution to your colleagues, clients or customers visit https://www.djreprints.com. https://www.wsj.com/articles/stores-start-to-reopen-in-germanyafter-coronavirus-lockdown-11587410801 EUROPE Stores Start to Reopen in Germany A er Coronavirus Lockdown Chancellor Angela Merkel urges caution as Germany begins tiptoeing back to economic normality By Ruth Bender Updated April 20, 2020 3 54 pm ET BERLIN—Shoppers flocked back to stores across most German states on Monday as Chancellor Angela Merkel warned that exiting lockdowns too fast could jeopardize the country’s progress in curtailing the coronavirus pandemic. Germany’s government last week said it would start tiptoeing its way back to economic normality, gradually restarting businesses this week that were closed by a monthlong lockdown. First in line are smaller shops, which can now reopen as long as they follow strict hygiene rules and put safeguards in place to prevent the buildup of crowds. The government stressed that the relaxation was no license to stop practicing social-distancing measures, which are still binding, lest infection rates begin rising again and force a renewed lockdown. “We mustn’t allow ourselves for one second to be lulled into a false sense of security,” Ms. Merkel said Monday. The impact of the gradual reopenings will be visible only in two weeks, Ms. Merkel warned, urging citizens and states to remain vigilant and disciplined. “We mustn’t forget that we’re still at the beginning of this pandemic,” she said. WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT CORONAVIRUS » | EN ESPAÑOL » Germany has been spared the high death tolls seen in northern Italy or New York state. It never fully shut down its economy, leaving factories free to operate, and unlike France or Italy, continued to allow citizens to go for walks outside. As of Monday afternoon, figures compiled by Johns Hopkins University showed Germany had 146,293 confirmed Covid-19 cases and 4,683 deaths, about a quarter of the number of fatalities reported in France, which has a similar number of confirmed cases. Germany’s Retail Federation, Handelsverband Deutschland, said it expected foot traffic to ramp up slowly given the safety restrictions put on shops. Several shop owners said on Monday they were pleasantly surprised by the attendance. “It shows that people haven’t been shopping for a month, I sold more than on a regular Monday,” said Iris Hilbig, owner of a clothing store in Cologne. A banner reading ‘We are back! Nice to see you again!’ hung Monday in a shop in Ludwigsburg, Germany. PHOTO: THOMAS KIENZLE AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE GETTY IMAGES Ms. Hilbig said she was concerned that the reopening might be coming a little too fast. She is allowed to let five people into her store at once, but for now she prefers to limit it to three. “It would be dramatic if this leads to a new rise in infections and then we are forced to close again,” she said. The country’s 16 states vary widely in their implementation of the reopening plan, with some states allowing malls and furniture stores to restart while others are still banning them. The exact reopening date and safety measures also vary from one jurisdiction to the next. In downtown Frankfurt on Monday afternoon, lines formed outside some stores that were restricting the number of shoppers allowed inside to as few as four. Staff stood at doors, asking customers to disinfect their hands and offering gloves or masks. Large fashion chains, department stores and cafes on the Zeil, one of Germany’s busiest shopping boulevards, remained shut. People wandered down the street and sat on benches, enjoying the spring sunshine. Very few wore masks. Christoph Paul, manager of the Windsor fashion store, said he was relieved to reopen after 4½ weeks of forced closure. But business was light on Monday, and Mr. Paul said he had slightly reduced his opening hours. Staff wore masks, and these were also offered to customers. Changing rooms were disinfected frequently. In Hamburg’s trendy Schanzenviertel, Nina Abel said regular customers flocked to her clothing store, Inlove, as soon as it opened Monday. But without the tourists and customers from nearby cities, she doubts she will be able to achieve last year’s sales, she said. In Heinsberg, a district in North Rhine-Westphalia that has been one of the worst hit by the virus, Theo Jansen was skeptical people would want to buy furniture in the current climate. But to his surprise, the first day was busier than he expected in his store, Möbel Jansen. Unlike other states, North Rhine Westphalia is allowing furniture stores to open regardless of their size. The strong start, he said, gives him hope for the coming months. “People probably won’t go on holiday this year but might instead spend on improving their homes they have to spend so much time in.” —Tom Fairless contributed to this article. Write to Ruth Bender at Ruth.Bender@wsj.com Copyright © 2020 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. To order presentation-ready copies for distribution to your colleagues, clients or customers visit https://www.djreprints.com.
