▁report ▁would ▁be ▁" very ▁important " ▁in ▁political ▁decision - making ▁regarding ▁the ▁pan demic . ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 5 ▁April , ▁after ▁a ▁video ▁conference ▁with ▁the ▁Minister ▁Pres idents ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 6 ▁Federal ▁states , ▁Chan cell or ▁Mer kel ▁said ▁that ▁Germany ▁had ▁achieved ▁" f rag ile ▁intermediate ▁success " ▁in ▁slow ing ▁the ▁spread ▁of ▁the ▁virus , ▁but ▁that ▁restrictions ▁of ▁public ▁life ▁remained ▁key ▁to ▁prevent ing ▁the ▁spread ▁of ▁the ▁virus ▁from ▁acceler ating ▁again . ▁Sh ops ▁with ▁a ▁ret ail ▁space ▁of ▁up ▁to ▁ 8 0 0 ▁square ▁metres , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁book sh ops , ▁bi ke ▁stores ▁and ▁car ▁deal ers hips , ▁would ▁be ▁allowed ▁to ▁re open ▁to ▁the ▁public ▁on ▁ 2 0 ▁April , ▁providing ▁they ▁followed ▁specified ▁conditions ▁of ▁dist ancing ▁and ▁h yg iene . ▁School s ▁would ▁start ▁opening ▁on ▁ 4 ▁May , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁hair ▁sal ons , ▁the ▁latter ▁under ▁particularly ▁strict ▁conditions . ▁It ▁was ▁agreed ▁that ▁large ▁cultural ▁events ▁would ▁not ▁be ▁allowed ▁before ▁ 3 1 ▁August . ▁Other ▁restrictions ▁on ▁social ▁life , ▁which ▁had ▁been ▁im posed ▁on ▁ 2 2 ▁March including ▁the ▁ban ▁on ▁gather ings ▁of ▁more ▁than ▁two ▁people w ere ▁extended ▁until ▁at ▁least ▁ 3 ▁May . ▁Mer kel ▁ur g ently ▁recommended ▁people ▁to ▁wear ▁protect ive ▁mask s ▁on ▁public ▁transport ▁and ▁while ▁sho pping , ▁but ▁stopped ▁short ▁of ▁making