Bavarian officials cancel Oktoberfest for second year in a row due to concerns over spread of COVID-19-Living News , Firstpost
Germany is in the middle of a coronavirus lockdown that includes a ban on large gatherings, with an infection rate of 146.9 new weekly infections per 100,000 residents.
Berlin: Bavarian officials on 3 May canceled Oktoberfest festivities for a second year in a row due to concerns over the spread of COVID-19
Bavarian Governor Markus Soeder said it was with “heavy hearts” that they decided to call off the festival for which the state is known globally, but that with coronavirus
“Oktoberfest will be held again, and will be big again,” he pledged.
Germany is in the middle of a coronavirus
Bavaria is slightly below the national average with 145.4 new weekly infections per 100,000, according to the country’s disease control center, the Robert Koch Institute.
Oktoberfest typically attracts about six million visitors from around the world and had been scheduled from 18 September to 3 October.
The combination of huge tents full of people and the consumption of large quantities of alcohol, as well as the possibility for mutated varieties of the virus to be brought in from abroad, made it particularly hazardous to go ahead with the festival, Soeder said.
After Oktoberfest was canceled last year, about 50 of the southern German city’s beer halls and other establishments hosted smaller parties under strict coronavirus
However difficult the decision to cancel Oktoberfest, it would have been worse if the city waited too long and had to call it off after preparations were already underway, he said.
“For me, personally, it was no easy decision because it is a huge date in the calendar for the mayor,” he said. “Much more importantly, it’s a huge shame for the millions of fans worldwide.”
Under Germany’s national “emergency brake” legislation passed last month, measures limiting personal contact, closing leisure and sports facilities and shutting or restricting access to many stores kick in for areas which have more than 100 weekly new cases per 100,000 residents for three consecutive days. Restrictions also include a 10 PM to 5 AM curfew.