Germany to reopen all shops, allow soccer matches - sources

Germany's state premiers will agree on measures to further ease coronavirus restrictions in a teleconference with Chancellor Angela Merkel scheduled for Wednesday, two people familiar with the preparations told Reuters on Monday. The state premiers are expected to give the green light for large shops to reopen, probably from May 11, the sources said.

Smaller shops are already back to business in Europe's largest economy as long as they respect social distancing rules to slow the spread of the highly contagious novel coronavirus. German states are also set to allow the Bundesliga soccer league to resume matches, probably from May 15, under strict conditions without fans in stadiums, the sources said.

At the same time, state premiers will allow outdoor sports for non-professionals and children, the sources added. The states will also agree to reopen schools for all grades step-by-step, though most children will only be allowed to go to class in rotating shifts, not on daily basis, the sources said.