New rules in Germany
From the article:
...
new corona rules for the coming autumn / winter season. The goal of Chancellor Angela Merkel and the prime ministers around
NRW boss
Armin Laschet : increase the vaccination rate in order to weaken the fourth wave and prevent another lockdown.
New corona rules in NRW: Resolutions about vaccinated, recovered and tested people
New corona rules in NRW: off for free rapid tests
The free citizen tests have cost the state around 3.7 billion euros in tax money so far this year. This will end
on October 11th . The free
corona rapid tests will be abolished. Tests for pregnant women, children and adolescents under the age of 18 and people who are not allowed to be vaccinated remain free of charge. Unvaccinated people who could be vaccinated free of charge will have to pay for the corona tests themselves from autumn - and they will need them due to the "3G rule"
[
The “3G” rule (short for German “geimpft, getestet, genesen – vaccinated, tested, recovered”) is used to define low-risk groups in epidemiological terms.]
What will the
corona tests cost from October 11th? The question has not yet been answered. In advance, the Federal Ministry of Health spoke of a "reasonable price". NRW Prime Minister Armin Laschet only said on Tuesday:
"That is not cheap."
New corona rules in NRW: This is the "3G rule"
From
August 23 at the latest , the federal states should include the
“3G rule” in their ordinances. This regulation states: Only those who have been vaccinated, recovered or tested have access to certain indoor areas. It is therefore a
test obligation that obliges unvaccinated persons to submit a negative corona rapid test that is not older than 24 hours or a negative PCR test (not older than 48 hours). The "3G rule" is a prerequisite for:
- Visits to hospitals, old people's and nursing homes as well as facilities for the disabled
- Indoor catering
- Participation in events and festivals (e.g. information, cultural or sporting events) indoors
- Body-close services (hairdresser, cosmetics, body care, etc.)
- Indoor sports (gym, swimming pool, sports halls, etc.)
- Accommodation (test upon arrival and twice a week during the stay)
Armin Laschet emphasized that the "3G rule"
does not apply to church services
According to the resolution, the federal states can stipulate that the “3G rule” is wholly or partially suspended in the event of a
stable 7-day incidence below 35 in a municipality. How NRW will record this in its Corona Protection Ordinance is not yet clear. "The necessity of the 3G rule is checked at least every four weeks," says the decision.
Meanwhile,
pupils are to be "
tested regularly as part of a binding school protection concept
, " it continues. That is already firmly planned in North Rhine-Westphalia. School Minister Yvonne Gebauer recently announced that
compulsory tests in schools in North Rhine-Westphalia would definitely continue until the autumn holidays .
New corona rules in NRW: What applies to vaccinated and convalescent people?
"Anyone who has complete vaccination protection protects themselves and others from being infected by the SARS-CoV2 virus and thus society from a renewed spread of the virus," says the decision. Covid 19 convalescents would also have comparable immunity. With this, the federal and state governments want to make it clear:
Vaccinated and
convalescent people are
exempt from any
test rules .
The
quarantine rule for vaccinated and convalescent people will also change if they are considered contact persons. The Robert Koch Institute has adjusted its recommendation: For
close contacts without symptoms and with immunization, quarantine is no longer required.
New corona rules in NRW: an overview of other resolutions
- Incidence as an indicator: When deciding on corona measures, the federal and state governments not only want to pay attention to the incidence, but also to the vaccination rate, the number of serious illnesses and the occupancy of the hospitals.
- Epidemic situation: It is determined by the Bundestag and gives the Federation the right to issue direct ordinances, for example on tests and vaccinations. According to the Infection Protection Act, measures such as mask compulsory or contact restrictions, which the states can specify, relate to the determination of this situation. The federal and state governments formulate cautiously and in their resolution ask the Bundestag to “consider” extending the epidemic situation beyond September 11th.
- Travel: Vaccinated and convalescent people still do not have to be in quarantine after returning from a high-risk area. Regions with a particularly high number of cases or in which “there are indications of a dangerous infection process”, as stated by the Federal Ministry of Health, are considered high-risk areas.
- Masks: Medical protective masks (OP or FFP2) should continue to be “mandatory” in public transport and when shopping. This should be checked every four weeks. However, Saxony had already lifted the mask requirement when shopping with a low incidence.
- Celebrations and events: Restrictions, such as a limited number of participants for clubs and parties, are still possible, hygiene concepts must be presented. In football stadiums and at sporting events with more than 5,000 spectators, a maximum of half of the seats in the venue or stadium should be occupied. The maximum number of spectators should be 25,000.
- Work: The Corona Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance will be extended again beyond September 10th. It obliges companies to make hygiene plans and to offer tests for employees.
- Extension of corona aid: The economic aid (bridging aid III Plus) that has been running until the end of September and the relief for access to short-time working allowance are to be extended.
###########
Also here are some infos for school start which are probably the same for the whole Germany; here are infos from NRW region:
From the article:
- If North Rhine-Westphalia Prime Minister Armin Laschet (CDU) has his way, entire classes should no longer be quarantined at schools in North Rhine-Westphalia if a single child or young person has Corona infected.
- The new school year starts as the previous one ended: with the greatest possible normalcy. So with face-to-face lessons, full-day lessons and lessons in all subjects according to the timetable in full.
-
The mask requirement in school buildings as well as in lessons continues to apply - also for those who have been vaccinated and those who have recovered. There is no need to wear mouth and nose protection out of the school yard.
- Schoolchildren in North Rhine-Westphalia still have to be tested twice a week in order to take part in face-to-face classes. Daily testing is not planned.
School in North Rhine-Westphalia after the summer vacation: Corona vaccination is not a requirement for classroom teaching
Employees and students at vocational colleges also receive a vaccination offer . In the case of corona vaccinations for 12 to 16 year olds, the NRW Ministry of Education is based on the recommendation of the Standing Vaccination Commission (Stiko): It “only” recommends vaccination for children and adolescents from the age of twelve if they have certain previous illnesses or if they are in regular contact to people with an increased risk of severe disease who cannot be vaccinated themselves. "There will be no compulsory vaccination as a prerequisite for teaching," emphasized Yvonne Gebauer.
There is still no clear regulation with regard to quarantine. The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) currently recommends that the entire class must be quarantined in a single Corona case. "I would like the RKI to come to a revision of this guideline for the quarantine of schoolchildren," said the NRW School Minister. Yvonne Gebauer referred to the changed conditions and measures compared to last year. Therefore, it advocated "that the quarantine measures are carried out carefully, but also appropriately".
fb.watch
