Germany will give a welcome break to the coronavirus lovelorn from Monday — easing its border controls to allow unmarried couples to reunite after what has been months of separation for some, according to Reuters.

The exemption will apply to the partners of Germans from countries that Germany considers high-risk — currently most of the world outside the EU — and couples will have to provide some proof that they were in a relationship before the pandemic, the interior ministry said on Friday.

Most European Union borders have been closed to non-EU travellers since March, unless they are essential workers or married to an EU resident.

On social media, separated couples have been lobbying under the hashtags #LoveIsEssential and #LoveIsNotTourism for governments to allow them to reunite.