Germany cancels Oktoberfest in second successive year due to COVID-19
May 03, 2021
Berlin [Germany], May 4 : Germany on Monday cancelled Oktoberfest beer extravaganza for the second successive year due to COVID-19.
The fest was scheduled to bring together hundreds of thousands of people from September 18 to October 3 in Munich, reported Euronews.
The health situation remains too "uncertain" for the "most comprehensive gathering of all" to be held in the autumn, Bavarian Minister-President Markus Soder said at a press conference.
Munich Mayor Dieter Reiter described the announcement as "bitter" but said that "it certainly does not come as a surprise to most", reported Euronews.
According to estimates, more than 6.3 million people visit Munich every year to attend the event.
Reiter said that although "a large part of the people in Germany and perhaps Europe" will be vaccinated by September," the "pandemic worldwide will not be over yet" and that the risk that some people may get infected by COVID-19 during the festival "is simply too great".
Germany is currently in the middle of a lockdown that includes a ban on large gatherings, with an infection rate of 146.9 new weekly infections per 100,000 residents.
Earlier, the German parliament introduced a federal "emergency brake" legislation, which plans for a uniform set of restrictions to come into force in areas where the incidence rate is higher than 100 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants for three consecutive days.
These restrictions include the closure of non-essential shops, limits on household gatherings and a night-time curfew starting at 10 pm, reported Euronews.
