Enlarge image
Numerous people walk along the Hamburg Landungsbrücken in sunny weather
Photo: Daniel Bockwoldt / dpa
Hamburg is introducing a "2G option model" for event organizers and restaurateurs.
As the Senate of the Hanseatic city decided on Tuesday, they may then voluntarily only offer their services for vaccinated and genesis patients and, in return, will be exempted from corona protection requirements that are no longer required.
This allows them to let in more visitors or offer a free choice of seats without mandatory distance requirements.
The "2G model" will be officially launched on Saturday.
Organizers can also opt for the »3G model«.
This includes those who have been tested and those who have not been vaccinated, but is subject to the previous corona restrictions.
The »2G option« is aimed at theaters, cinemas, music clubs, trade fair operators, restaurants, hotels, swimming pools and fitness studios, among others.
Organizers of sporting events with visitors, folk festivals or educational courses should also be able to use them after their own deliberation.
For the time being, however, they must continue to require the wearing of medical masks indoors.
The Senate announced strict controls.
If operators do not check carefully at the entrance, they face high fines.
Special rules apply to children and young people.
First of all, all under-18s are allowed to take part in »2G events« even without full vaccination protection.
For twelve to 18-year-olds who, according to the official recommendation, should also be immunized recently, this transition period will expire in six weeks.
It continues to apply to children under the age of twelve for whom no vaccine has been approved.
There is no obligation to use the new option.
According to the Senate, providers can decide for themselves whether they will use this in the future or whether they will remain open to everyone according to the previous rules.
Then, among other things, stricter protective requirements or test obligations for event guests apply.
»Wave of the Unvaccinated«
Hamburg's First Mayor Peter Tschentscher (SPD) justified the introduction of the electoral model with clear differences in the infection dynamics between vaccinated and unvaccinated people. Those who had been vaccinated and those who had recovered had "no significant part" in the events, said Tschentscher. For legal reasons, restrictions should not be maintained for them because they are no longer necessary from the perspective of fighting pandemics.
There are also other arguments, such as more planning security for companies, added Tschentscher.
The »2G option« will not be »questioned« even in the event of further »setbacks« in the fight against pandemics and a further increase in the number of infections.
Then, however, there was a threat of restrictions on the unvaccinated, stressed the mayor.
The current fourth corona wave is different from the second and third a "wave of the unvaccinated".
mjm / AFP / dpa
