2G-Plus in the restaurant: Omikron summit brings tougher corona rules for gastronomy

Created: 01/07/2022Updated: 01/07/2022, 8:18 PM

From: Yannick Hanke

Lower Saxony's Prime Minister Stephan Weil (SPD) informs about the corona resolutions from the federal-state meeting.

2G-Plus in gastronomy will remain.

(Kreiszeitung.de-Montage) © Reuhl / imago / Sven Simon / imago

The big federal-state meeting is over.

Lower Saxony's Prime Minister Stephan Weil (SPD) presented the resolutions.

How is Omikron responded?

Hanover - The Corona regulation in Lower Saxony and the associated Christmas rest could be extended beyond mid-January.

This will also change due to the fact that on Friday, January 7, 2022, the first federal-state meeting of the new year took place.

As part of the digital meeting between Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) and the 16 Prime Ministers, new decisions were made to curb the Omikron variant.

Lower Saxony's Prime Minister Stephan Weil (SPD) reveals what these are in a press conference specially organized for this purpose.

2G-Plus in Lower Saxony: According to the government spokeswoman, the Corona regulation could be extended

The corona rules currently in force in Lower Saxony could be extended beyond January 15. A government spokeswoman said on Friday in Hanover that she would be surprised if the so-called Christmas rest would be lifted with the next Corona regulation. "The signals we are getting from Berlin are going in a similar direction," she said before the federal-state consultations on how to proceed in the corona crisis. A final decision is still pending. The "Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung" had previously reported that the corona rules could be extended at least until the end of January 2022.

All against the background that the number of new infections in Lower Saxony is increasing under the influence of the Corona variant Omikron.

Another confirmation that the statements of the virologists Christian Drosten and Hendrik Streeck are true.

Accordingly, Omikron makes the rules, so Drosten, while Streeck announced a "hard" Omikron time.

Meanwhile, the nationwide seven-day incidence has risen again.

The incidence value on Friday, January 7th, was 239.8, while it was 214.8 the day before.

Federal-state meeting on Omikron: Lower Saxony's Prime Minister Stephan Weil (SPD) arranges corona rules

According to various media reports, the Corona summit was also about the CDU proposal to ask the newly formed Bundestag to advise on a pandemic emergency based on Omikron.

Stephan Weil would have rejected this request.

According to the Prime Minister of Lower Saxony, nobody wants a new lockdown *.

After all, more and more people are vaccinated against Corona and have already received their booster vaccination.

In addition, it was the concern of Lower Saxony to bring a proposal for booster vaccinations for children and adolescents from the age of twelve to the federal-state meeting.

As many people as possible should be offered a booster vaccination, it said in the run-up to the Corona summit by Lower Saxony's Health Minister Daniela Behrens (SPD).

Corona rules in Lower Saxony: Prime Minister Stephan Weil (SPD) warns of a "fifth wave" caused by Corona

At the press conference, Stephan Weil speaks of the “fifth wave” that was brought about by Omikron and, last but not least, also keeps Lower Saxony in check. You see yourself confronted with significantly more infections, but the courses would also be “significantly milder”. A statement that is contrary to the statement of the WHO.

But when will the advantage of a supposedly milder course of infection be used up by the high number of infections?

A question that Weil poses but does not know how to answer ad hoc.

This should be clear in two weeks, notes Lower Saxony's Prime Minister.

After all, it is still not finally clear whether the booster vaccination provides permanent protection against the Corona variant Omikron.

After federal-state meetings: These corona rules apply in Germany - 2G-Plus in restaurants, pubs and bars

• Duration of quarantine for infected people

  : Instead of the previous 14 days, infected people only have to be in isolation for ten days. After seven days, however, those affected can test themselves freely with a PCR test or with a rapid test certified by the Paul Ehrlich Institute. However, the rapid test must be carried out in a test center. This general rule also applies to school and daycare children. Clinic and nursing staff can free themselves from isolation even after seven days - but only with a negative PCR test. Condition: Those affected must have been free of omicron symptoms for 48 hours beforehand.

• Isolation of contact persons

  : Anyone who has had longer contact with a Covid 19 sufferer also has to be in quarantine for ten days. Here, too, a free test is possible after seven days. Two special features: Symptom-free employees in clinics and care facilities can in this case be able to test themselves after just five days. The same applies to school and day-care children.

• Exemption from quarantine

  : There are exceptions to quarantine only for contact persons, not for infected people

  .

   A total of three contact groups can avoid isolation: those who are boosted, i.e. have received three vaccinations, and those who have been vaccinated twice and genesis. However, there is one condition for the last two groups of people: the last vaccination or the illness must only be less than two months ago.

• 2G-Plus in gastronomy

  : This corona rule remains in place.

  In cafes and restaurants that are marked with 2G-Plus, only vaccinated and convalescent people who additionally provide evidence of a negative corona test are allowed in.

  Exception in Lower Saxony

  : If a catering establishment only uses 70 percent of its capacity, it can be converted to 2G indoors.

Christmas rest in Lower Saxony was "the right step": Stephan Weil satisfied with the Corona rules

There would be no fundamental changes for his federal state, says Stephan Weil.

The Christmas rest imposed for Lower Saxony is "the right step" and, as already mentioned, could be extended.

The protective measures taken very early in Lower Saxony cannot currently be withdrawn.

We would all do well to take the dangers associated with Omikron very seriously.

We must do everything in the next few weeks to keep the number of people newly infected with Omikron under control.

Lower Saxony's Prime Minister Stephan Weil (SPD) speaks about the corona measures in his state

Weil announces a new corona regulation for his state for the same date.

Weil cannot rule out changes, but is unable to name anything specific in this regard.

The duration of the corona quarantine will be shortened due to Omikron - 2G-Plus will remain in the catering trade in Lower Saxony

There is a shortening of quarantine and isolation.

This ends after ten days if there is an infection with Omikron.

After a week, however, you can already test yourself freely.

However, this test does not have to be carried out until the seventh day.

In addition, there is no quarantine for contact persons of people who have already received their booster vaccination.

The booster vaccination is valid immediately and is also accepted nationwide.

2G-plus in the catering trade in Lower Saxony will remain.

“We have had good experiences with this,” says Stephan Weil.

However, the option remains that the additional, negative test evidence for vaccinated and convalescent people is omitted if restaurateurs only provide 70 percent of their capacity.

“Schools are not breeding grounds for the pandemic”: Stephan Weil relies on opening schools, including compulsory attendance

Of course, Stephan Weil is also approached about how the education system deals with Corona.

"The schools have not yet been breeding grounds for the pandemic," notes Weil.

In this context, he praised the great commitment of the teachers, but also the parents.

It is still planned to open schools with compulsory attendance.

Corona tests would not only take place in the first week after the Christmas holidays, but until further notice.

"We are well advised to keep the test intensity at the schools very high and tight," notes Weil in this context.

The next federal-state meeting should take place on Monday, January 24, 2022 to discuss possible new adjustments to the corona rules.

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