Berlin’s Semi-Lockdown Life: Parks Full, Streets Quiet

Berlin’s iconic streets, usually buzzing with energy, have taken on a paradoxical vibe this spring. Despite strict COVID-19 measures shutting non-essential businesses since March 23, locals are soaking up sunshine in parks and public spaces, testing the limits of semi-lockdown rules.

CGTN contributor Evangelos Sipsas toured the city to capture this new normal. Supermarkets remain stocked but lightly crowded, subway stations eerily quiet compared to their pre-pandemic hustle. Yet at landmarks like the Brandenburg Gate, small groups of residents stroll freely—proof that Frühling (spring) fever is real, even in a pandemic.

\"It’s surreal,\" Sipsas noted. \"You see people socializing in small clusters, masked but unbothered. Berliners are resilient, but some seem to treat restrictions like a loose guideline.\" Authorities continue urging social distancing, but with cases stabilizing, the city walks a tightrope between safety and sanity.

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What does Berlin look like during the coronavirus outbreak?

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