WITHTo combat the corona pandemic, Hessen will continue to focus on the seven-day incidence in the future. There should be no lockdown or school closings even with rising incidences, because due to a first vaccination rate of now more than 60 percent, the state government assumes that there will no longer be as many hospital admissions and the intensive care units will no longer be as strong be occupied. The Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Al-Wazir (The Greens) and Culture Minister Alexander Lorz (CDU) announced on Tuesday after the meeting of the Corona Cabinet in Wiesbaden. The existing Corona Protection Ordinance was extended by four weeks with some changes and adapted to the rules of the federal-state conference. Those who are not vaccinated have to get tested more often in the future and pay for these tests if they want to continue to participate in social life. Hesse’s schools could soon be making vaccination trips to the vaccination centers.
“The pandemic is increasingly becoming a pandemic of the unvaccinated. Get vaccinated, ”Al-Wazir appealed to the Hessians. Fortunately, despite rising incidences, there has not yet been a dramatic increase in hospital admissions, said Al-Wazir. Due to the high vaccination rate, most of the restrictions are no longer necessary. “Our escalation concept no longer provides for a lockdown,” he clarified. Nevertheless, the districts and urban districts are still obliged to take measures depending on the incidence. The new and revised regulation, which will apply for four weeks from Thursday, includes a number of changes. As a general relief, clubs and discos are allowed to reopen. Only vaccinated and convalescent people as well as people with a PCR test that is not older than 48 hours are allowed to dance. A quick test is not enough.
These rules apply
If the incidence is 35 or more, the so-called 3-G rule is extended. Up to now, the requirement that only vaccinated, convalescent or tested people had access was only applicable in indoor catering and at larger gatherings. From an incidence of 35, this also applies to the interiors of all cultural and leisure facilities, in sports facilities and for body-friendly services, such as visiting the hairdresser, as well as when visiting facilities for the disabled. Hotel guests who have not been vaccinated or who have recovered must submit a negative test twice a week.
From an incidence of 50, a medical mask must also be worn outdoors in “crowded situations”. From an incidence of 100, the 3-G rule also applies outside, for example in outdoor restaurants, amateur sports and in leisure and cultural facilities. In retail, the square meter specifications will then apply again, and the mask requirement will be expanded. In school, students have to wear a mask in their seat. An FFP2 mask must then be worn when visiting the hairdresser and when using other body-friendly services as well as in local public transport. The staff in old people’s and nursing homes must also wear such a mask from this incidence level. A ten-person contact limit applies to people who have not been vaccinated or who have recovered. All rules can be viewed at www.corona.hessen.de.
Vaccination from the age of twelve
Education Minister Lorz announced that there would be no further school closings. “Have your children vaccinated from the age of twelve,” Lorz appealed to the parents and added, referring to the recommendation of the Standing Vaccination Commission: “We can trust the assessments of the experts.” The more students are vaccinated, the easier it is to find a safe one To ensure school operation. He also offered the secondary schools organizational support in immunizing pupils willing to vaccinate in school. According to Lorz, for example, there could be group appointments at vaccination centers. It is best, however, if children and young people are vaccinated in the remaining two weeks of the summer vacation.
Vaccinated and non-vaccinated students should be treated equally at Hessen’s schools, with one exception: those who are not vaccinated must be tested at school. So that the students do not have to provide any further test certificates in addition to the regular tests at school, for example to go to the cinema or a restaurant, the Ministry of Culture is introducing a test booklet in which teachers enter the test results. It should also be used as evidence outside of school.
Criticism from the opposition
The first two weeks of lessons after the summer vacation are so-called prevention weeks. During this time, all students and teachers are tested three times a week and not just twice. A medical mask must also be worn while sitting, regardless of the incidence. “We don’t know exactly what those returning from abroad bring with them,” Lorz explained the prevention weeks.
The SPD and FDP parliamentary groups in the Hessian state parliament criticized the adherence to the incidence as a benchmark for further measures. The AfD parliamentary group spoke out against vaccinating children and adolescents because the risks could not be assessed. The parliamentary group on the left accused the state government of not having a concept to prevent the fourth wave.