Carnival 2022: 2G+ throughout Cologne – “The city will not become a party zone”

Created: 2022-02-09 15:03

By: Melissa Ludstock

Anyone coming to Cologne on the carnival days must observe the 2G+ regulations (archive photo from November 11, 2021 in Cologne) © Henning Kaiser/dpa

Cologne will become a customs zone during Carnival 2022.

Means: If you want to party at the street and pub carnival, you have to pay attention to 2G+ - sometimes without exception.

Cologne – There it is, the decision: Now it is clear how the Cologne Carnival 2022 can be celebrated.

The whole of Cologne becomes a customs zone.

If you want to celebrate carnival in Cologne on the days around Weiberfastnacht and Shrove Monday, you have to stick to the 2G+ rule.

A decision that comes as a surprise - and is not only important for the people of Cologne, as 24RHEIN reports.

Carnival in Cologne 2022: "The whole city will not become a party zone"

"Protective measures cannot be limited to a few places," said Andrea Blome, City Director of Cologne, on Wednesday afternoon in a press conference on the Corona plans for Carnival 2022. "Cologne people celebrate Weiberfastnacht in their Veedeln and thus throughout the city." .

A restriction to certain celebration zones is hardly possible.

Carnival Cologne 2022: New Corona rules - 2G+ throughout the city

Blome is also clear when she says: "The whole city is not becoming a party zone".

Instead, protected zones should be created in which celebrations are possible.

But what does that mean in concrete terms for all those people who want to celebrate during the carnival days in the Cologne city area?

The pub and street carnival can go ahead, but not like it did before the pandemic.

What defines the Cologne carnival should be possible - albeit with certain corona rules.

"Lingering around to socialize is only possible under 2G+," says Blome.

• Cologne is becoming a customs zone: 2G+ applies throughout the city (no current test required for booster vaccinations)

• Street carnival in Cologne: 2G+ (no current test for booster vaccination)

• Carnival in pubs and bars in Cologne: 2G+ applies in pubs and restaurants - but everyone needs a daily negative corona test (no exception for booster vaccinations)

• Rose Monday parades in Cologne do not take place

So if you are out and about at Cologne Carnival, you have to be aware of 2G+ throughout the city.

Anyone who can prove that they have already had a booster vaccination (booster vaccination) does not need a test.

But: If you want to go to the pub or to an event indoors, you definitely need a negative corona test - this also applies to people who already have a booster vaccination.

Carnival Cologne 2022: What applies to visitors and tourists?

The intentions of the city of Cologne are clear: "Celebrating at any price is not possible".

Blome was also addressing the hundreds of thousands of people who usually come to Cologne every year to celebrate carnival there.

It remains to be seen how many visitors will stream into the city despite Corona and strict rules.

"We ask everyone who makes their way to Cologne on the carnival days, but also the people of Cologne themselves, to be very responsible with these opportunities." And: "Coming to Cologne without a test makes no sense".

Even if there are no comprehensive controls, the trip to Cologne should only be started with a corona test.

Cologne Carnival 2022: What are the exceptions to 2G+?

Residents, business people and employees are exempt from the 2G+ rules.

Otherwise everyone who moves through the city on the carnival days would have to prove 2G+.

However, according to the city, that is not the case.

If you are not traveling in the spirit of carnival, you do not have to be able to prove 2G+.

How is this differentiated?

Anyone who celebrates carnival can also be "recognized by their outfit," said Blome.

Random checks are to be carried out to check compliance with the Corona rules.

There will be admission controls in some places, such as in areas closed off for events at Alter Markt, for example, or in the security zone on Zülpicher Straße.

However, the latter area was already partially cordoned off before Corona.

"We won't be able to carry out comprehensive checks, but we know our hotspots," says Wolfgang Büscher from the Public Order Office.

For its regulations, the city of Cologne uses the legal framework of the Corona Protection Ordinance, which enables municipalities to designate customs zones.

In this way, the Corona Protection Ordinance sets the framework for the street and pub carnival.

In these protection zones, celebrations can be held in compliance with 2G+.