Corona and Christmas in Lower Saxony: Celebrate festive days only with corona tests
Created: 12/21/2021 12:47 AM
By: Andree Wächter
Lower Saxony's state government speaks of Christmas rest.
In order to comply with these, it becomes stressful for families, because the corona rapid tests have to be organized.
Hanover - Christmas is a festival for talented organizers.
Also or especially in Lower Saxony.
And especially this year.
In addition to the gifts for friends, acquaintances and relatives, it is also necessary to plan who will be visiting when and where.
In 2021, this ability will be expanded to include a component: Corona tests.
Who has to be tested and when and has a test center open over the holidays?
Or is a self-test in front of the front door enough?
The answers are varied and depend on various components such as warning levels or the Christmas rest with warning level 3, which Prime Minister Stephan Weil is still striving for.
federal state | Lower Saxony |
surface | 47,614 km² |
population | 7.982 million (2019) |
capital city | Hanover |
Christmas and Corona in Lower Saxony: Celebrating with more than 10 people with the family on the holidays is only possible with 2G-Plus
Celebrating in the family circle on the holidays with more than ten people is currently (as of December 20th) in Lower Saxony under 2G-Plus, with those vaccinated with the booster vaccination fall out of the test grid. However, only convalescent and vaccinated people should come together, who have to additionally test themselves to be on the safe side. A self-test is sufficient. This has to be controlled by a person - usually the host. The host can also delegate this function. This does not apply to children and adolescents as well as people who have been boosted or who have survived a breakthrough infection after being fully vaccinated.
The Christmas meeting for men and women without vaccination protection is much smaller.
Regardless of the tests, they are only allowed to celebrate with a maximum of two people from another household.
Children under the age of 14 do not count.
Christmas in retirement or nursing homes only with corona test
Anyone who has relatives in a retirement or nursing home needs a certified negative test as a visitor.
This must also be presented by people who have received a booster vaccination.
And that doesn't just apply to Lower Saxony.
According to the Federal Infection Protection Act, the facilities are obliged to enable guests to take a quick test on site.
Tip: Inquire about the time window in which these tests are possible before the visit.
In order to relieve the staff, an on-site test should be the last option.
If families want to get together for Christmas, the rules should be clarified in advance.
Possible: We all have a fresh test.
© Christin Klose / dpa-tmn
A test certificate from the employer or a fitness studio is sufficient for a 24-hour visit to a senior citizen or care facility.
A mere self-test without a certificate is not enough, not even with video surveillance.
Corona test certificate for Christmas in Lower Saxony: In addition to the test center, also have it tested in pharmacies
You can get a corona test certificate in the test center.
According to the Lower Saxony Ministry of Health, there are around 3,125 test centers in the country.
Each operator decides for himself whether they are also open on the public holidays. Many have websites with the opening times.
Without entering the booster vaccination in the Corona warning app or CovPass.
In addition, with a corona test you do not have to answer the question of when the booster vaccination is actually legally valid.
Another option is pharmacies.
"Pharmacies are not obliged to offer rapid tests in night and emergency service, but are generally allowed to", said the spokeswoman for the Chamber of Pharmacists, Panagiota Fyssa.
This night and emergency service actually serves to supply emergency drugs.
Corona rapid test at Christmas in Lower Saxony: Antigen rapid tests sometimes show a certain inaccuracy
Antigen self-tests have some inaccuracy.
As the dpa reports, 26 of the 122 products tested did not offer the required sensitivity of 75 percent.
This means the ability to detect the Sars-CoV-2 virus.
Means: 96 tests meet the minimum requirement.
A PCR test provides a more precise result than an antigen self-test. * This "gold standard" is often carried out by specialist staff.
Mail order companies now also offer it.
Corona self-tests: residual risk also remains at Christmas
Even if the self-test turns out negative: A residual risk remains, because the corona self-tests can also show negative or positive-false results. For example, if protection against infection and thus the health of friends and family are important even at Christmas, you should adhere to the rules of distance and the obligation to wear a mask. This also includes planning your Christmas celebrations well.
Another option to increase security: a week in self-quarantine.
Parents of school-age children can exempt their offspring from compulsory attendance from December 20th.
So there is a lot to consider for the festive season apart from the applicable corona rules and mask requirement in retail and the overturned 2G rule in retail as well as new resolutions regarding corona rules in the form of contact restrictions and partial lockdown and not just the right court Select Christmas.
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