COVID-19: Mulled wine stands spark controversy in Cologne

A Christmas market work-around in Cologne has become a source of rising tension in the western German city.

Outdoor stands offering mulled wine have become popular with locals eager to claw back a sense of normality over the festive period. However, vendors face criticism from others who see the stalls and their surroundings as potential super-spreader sites.

Karl Lauterbach, an epidemiologist and parliamentary representative with the center-left Social Democrats (SPD), sharply criticized the stands, saying that over the weekend they were full. He also said he saw no authorities checking to ensure coronavirus rules were being adhered to.

"The mulled wine stands undermine our social distancing restrictions. I don't understand why the city of Cologne allows this," Lauterbach wrote on Twitter on Sunday.

"In the end, this comes at the cost of new infections and deaths," he added.

Christmas market charm to-go

Under Germany's current partial lockdown restrictions, bars and restaurants are limited to only takeout and delivery, leaving owners to reach for creative solutions to stay afloat.

In late November, several bars in Cologne launched a "mulled wine walking tour" through the city's Südstadt neighborhood. Stands set up outside sell customers mulled wine in paper cups, with locals encouraged to move on and not linger.

What started as a handful of stands has rapidly expanded into dozens that are spread out across the city.

While many restaurant owners say the rules are being adhered to, long lines and crowding have prompted some local residents to alert authorities.

On Friday evening, some 200 people gathered outside mulled wine stands and convenience stores in the Cologne neighborhood of Ehrenfeld, reported local newspaper Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger.

The crowds — and the fact that many weren't wearing masks — prompted authorities to close the area early and urge people to disperse.

City defends response

The city of Cologne defended itself against criticism, saying that authorities are carrying out patrols, but that restaurant and bar owners also bear some responsibility.

"The adherence to the rules is in the interest of all — the city wants to be everywhere, but continues to rely on the insights of citizens and in this case also on the responsibility of the mulled wine stand operators," city press office spokesman Alexander Vogel told local tabloid Express Köln.

He added that the city "expressly reserves the right to impose further sanctions should these be deemed necessary."

The city's crisis committee plans to discuss the stands in an upcoming meeting.

Debate over COVID Christmas rules

Cologne isn't the only German city where COVID-adapted stands and restaurants are offering mulled wine. Similar "walking tours" and "to-go" stands have popped up in Bonn, Berlin, Munich and other cities. 

The debate over the mulled wine stands comes as Germany prepares to loosen its coronavirus restrictions over the holidays. Under the so-called Christmas amnesty, private meetings with up to 10 people will be allowed, regardless of how many households.

Under the current partial lockdown restrictions, private gatherings are capped off at five people from a maximum of two households.

In an effort to curb the spread of the coronavirus, the southern German state of Bavaria announced plans to impose a stricter lockdown from Wednesday until January 5. 

Lauterbach, the SPD's health expert, voiced support for the lockdown in Bavaria, saying it would make sense to extend it to the rest of Germany.

"It is not acceptable that we have up to 500 deaths every day," he told the Funke media group. 

He urged for certain businesses to be closed for a bare minimum of two weeks after Christmas, and pushed for school holidays to be extended further into January. 

"We need a tough shutdown now to make a difference," he said.