Corona rules in Lower Saxony: State announces end of winter rest

Created: 02/16/2022, 20:16

By: Johannes Nuss

In Lower Saxony, the end of the winter rest is in sight: the new Corona Ordinance should bring far-reaching relaxation of the Corona measures.

Hanover – In Lower Saxony, the corona contact restrictions for vaccinated and recovered people are being relaxed again.

This was announced by Prime Minister Stephan Weil (SPD) on Wednesday evening in Hanover after consultations with the federal and state governments.

It should be on February 24th at the latest, because the current Corona regulation in Lower Saxony will still apply until then.

The step could possibly be implemented earlier, said Weil.

Corona rules in Lower Saxony: end of the hibernation - the country coped comparatively well with the omicron wave

Anyone who has been vaccinated or recovered can currently meet a maximum of nine other people in Lower Saxony.

Children up to the age of 13 are exempt from this.

Anyone who is neither vaccinated nor recovered is only allowed to meet two other people from another household in addition to their own household.

With the possible end of winter rest and the gradual relaxation of the corona rules in Lower Saxony, this could change in the foreseeable future.

"Lower Saxony has coped comparatively well with the omicron wave so far, the time has come for significant easing steps.

The people of Lower Saxony can look forward to a gradual relaxation of the current protective measures over the next four weeks.

The hibernation is ending, but spring isn't here yet.

We have to remain cautious, the more restrictions are lifted, the greater the responsibility of each and every individual," said Minister President Weil.

Corona rules in Lower Saxony: Meetings for the vaccinated and those who have recovered without limitations due to loosening in sight

At the Prime Ministers' Conference on Wednesday, the heads of the federal states and the federal government agreed on a three-step opening in areas of national and fundamental importance.

In the future, Lower Saxony will be guided by the time intervals announced in this context (up to March 4th, up to March 19th, from March 20th).

The previous stage model, which was strictly based on threshold values, will be abandoned in view of the end of the winter rest and the relaxation of the Corona rules.

Cautiously optimistic about the future of the corona pandemic: Prime Minister Stephan Weil (SPD) announced extensive easing of the corona measures in Lower Saxony on Wednesday evening.

(Archive image) © Swen Pförtner/dpa

End of the hibernation: As early as the middle of next week, the corona rules in Lower Saxony will be relaxed for those who have been vaccinated and those who have recovered

As a first step, from the middle of next week, private meetings for those who have been fully vaccinated and those who have recovered will also be possible again in Lower Saxony without limiting the number of participants; the contact restrictions for those who have not been vaccinated (own household plus two people) will continue to apply.

Sports and cultural events will be able to be attended by a significantly larger number of spectators than before, as soon as the 500 mark falls.

FFP2 masks are still mandatory in public transport and retail.

Further details of the next Corona regulation are to be explained in tomorrow's press conference.

Lower Saxony will continue to remain cautious in the team.

Stephan Weil (SPD), Prime Minister of Lower Saxony

"Lower Saxony will remain cautious in the team," said Prime Minister Stephan Weil.

Before each relaxation step, the state government will check carefully whether the corona-related hospital numbers or intensive care unit occupancy are developing problematically.

Because: “It is not yet foreseeable how the easing will affect the pandemic.

In addition, there is a certain residual uncertainty that the infections are currently passing from the younger to the older cohorts.”

Although more than 90 percent of those over 60 in Lower Saxony are fully vaccinated and more than 79 percent are also boosted, it cannot be ruled out that the hospitalization rates will increase again in the coming weeks.

Corona rules in Lower Saxony: Prime Minister Stephan Weil (SPD) rejects Freedom Day on March 20th

Stephan Weil said about the fall of all Corona rules in Lower Saxony: "I want to expressly emphasize that we are not declaring a Freedom Day on March 20th.

The pandemic is not over.

The fact that we have passed the peak of the wave in Lower Saxony is due to the protective measures and above all to the prudent and responsible behavior of the citizens.

We will continue to need all of this so that we can keep the infection rate and the burden on the healthcare system under control."

On Wednesday, the federal and state governments had agreed on numerous relaxations of the corona virus.

This affects, for example, spectators at events or the abolition of the 2G rule in retail.

In Lower Saxony, the higher administrative court overturned the 2G rule in retail before Christmas.

Since then, customers have had to wear an FFP2 mask, and proof of vaccination is no longer necessary.

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