Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz and the Prime Ministers are now setting the course for contact restrictions to curb the Omikron variant after Christmas. These are the most important points in the negotiations.
With new restrictions, the federal and state governments want to curb the spread of the highly contagious Omicron variant of the corona virus. Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) and the state leaders intend to take the appropriate decisions at a switching conference this afternoon. In advance, the Chancellery agreed the core measures in consultations with the state chancelleries of the federal states. These are the main points to be decided today:
Contact restrictions
For the first time, there will be contact restrictions for vaccinated and convalescent people in private: From December 28, only a maximum of ten people will be able to meet. Children under the age of 15 are exempt. As soon as an unvaccinated person takes part in the meeting, the stricter contact restrictions for unvaccinated people should apply. For these, meetings are then limited to their own household and a maximum of two people from another household.
public holidays
For the upcoming Christmas days, the federal and state governments only issue a recommendation, not a requirement: They call on citizens to “limit” the number of contacts at family celebrations on their own initiative. The new contact restrictions should then already be in force on New Year’s Eve. “In particular, New Year’s Eve celebrations with a large number of people are unjustifiable in the current situation,” says the draft.
Major events
Bundesliga soccer matches and other major events should once again take place without any spectators. This is to apply from December 28th for all “national sports, cultural and comparable major events”. Clubs and discos should be closed “at the latest” on this day, all dance events are then forbidden.
Retail and leisure
The existing 2G regulation should continue to apply here: Access to facilities and events for cultural and leisure activities such as cinemas, theaters and restaurants as well as retailers are only granted to those who have been vaccinated and recovered (2G). In addition, a current test can be prescribed (2G-Plus). This rule does not apply to grocery stores.
Vaccinations
The target of “carrying out 30 million vaccinations by the end of the year by the middle of November will be achieved”, according to the bill. The rulers set a new target: “The federal and state governments want to achieve a further 30 million vaccinations (booster, first and second vaccinations) by the end of January 2022.” The booster vaccination campaign is to be intensified and “also continue over Christmas, on the days between Christmas and New Year’s Eve and on New Year’s Eve”.
Coronatests
At all meetings with several people outside of one’s own household, the rulers recommend a “precautionary test also for vaccinated persons”. This applies “particularly to meeting older people”.
Infrastructure
The federal and state governments want to ensure that basic facilities continue to function even if many employees become infected with Omikron at the same time and fail. The template cites “hospitals, police, fire brigade, rescue services, telecommunications, electricity and water supply and the corresponding logistics” as examples of this critical infrastructure. All operators of critical infrastructures are called upon to draw up emergency plans immediately. “The newly established federal-state crisis team will support this,” says the template.
General assessment of the situation
The federal and state governments refer to scientific findings, according to which the Omikron variant has an “unprecedented rate of spread”. “The new virus variant also undermines existing protection against infection: It infects significantly more people in a very short time and also includes those who have recovered and those who have been vaccinated more in the infection process. This can lead to an explosive spread.” Germany is therefore “currently in a very critical phase of the pandemic”.
Source From: Stern
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