Germany's Volkswagen prepares for reopening

Volkswagen has begun preparations to restart production in Germany at its two locations in Dresden and Zwickau on Thursday, followed in later days by the main plant in Wolfsburg.

New hygiene measures and work practices have been introduced for Volkswagen employees, with workers required to change into their factory clothes before leaving home to stop people using changing rooms at the plant, in attempt to reduce the possible spread of the new coronavirus.

The shop cafeteria has been shut down, so workers will eat lunch on the sidelines of the assembly line at tables fitted with plexiglass barriers to separate workers from each other.

Steps have been taken to avoid crowding at shift changes, when thousands of workers pass each other in close quarters as they come in and go out of the plant.

A buffer period of thirty minutes has been introduced between shift changes to reduce contact.

Workers will also have to enter the plant one at a time and have to wait in line, spaced six feet (1.8 metres) apart, before entering, rather than going in as a group.

There is no requirement to wear protective masks, except in situations where workers cannot be separated.

The factory is also restricting the passing of tools between workers by hand, with requirements to first disinfect tools and set them down for their co-workers to pick up, to avoid direct contact.

Germany has so far had more than 146,000 confirmed cases of the new coronavirus, and over 4,600 deaths.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, that clear up in two to three weeks.

For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and could lead to death.