Berlin – The Berlin Senate made a change one day after its original amendment to the Infection Protection Measures Ordinance to contain Corona. The alleviations for vaccinated people listed therein and the resulting unequal treatment of unvaccinated and vaccinated people have experienced an exception. An agreement was reached on Wednesday afternoon using a circulation procedure – that is, each Senate Administration accepted the amended text version by email. What is now valid from Saturday:
2G obligation: The trigger for the 2G debate in Berlin was a decision by the administrative court in favor of clubs and discos in August. Operators had sued the de facto professional ban – and they were right. Since then, there has been a 2G obligation, unvaccinated people are no longer allowed in. Now there were other sectors that had to remain closed: brothels, steam baths and saunas with infusion. Everywhere there is no mask or distance requirement.
2G-Option: Operators of saunas without infusion, gastronomic facilities, hotels and other tourist facilities, theaters, museums or sports studios, but also sports clubs and providers of body-related services can exclude those who have not been vaccinated, but they do not have to. However, if the 2G obligation applies in one case, the organizers are obliged to point this out and to include proof of vaccination or recovery when documenting attendance. In addition, the staff must either be vaccinated or have recovered. The 2G condition can also be used for individual days or for a limited period of time. Then the mask or distance requirement does not apply. This means that, for example, the hairdresser around the corner or the café can serve vaccinated and unvaccinated people with a delay. This can be done by the hour (morning / afternoon) or by the day (2G day / 3G day). Such a flexible solution is not even provided for by the Hamburg regulation, which is always cited as exemplary. A spatial separation of vaccinated and unvaccinated people is explicitly not possible in Berlin either. The Senate argues that the danger for those who have not been vaccinated is too great, after all, those who have been vaccinated can very well carry and spread the virus.
3G mandatory: Events and places that are subject to special legal regulations must continue to be open to everyone. This means that people who have not been vaccinated can continue to participate. This rule includes, for example, all authorities, but also church services, certain assemblies, but also, for example, polling stations. In addition, there is the general retail sector. There is a supply order there. In all cases, the mask and clearance requirement applies. There are no formulations of a possible mandatory test for a visit.
Exception: The 2G rules do not apply to children under the age of twelve. Six to twelve-year-olds who tested negatively are allowed to take part in 2G events and, for example, also go to corresponding clubs or restaurants. The reason is that there is no vaccination recommendation for these children from the Robert Koch Institute’s Standing Vaccination Committee. The exception does not apply to anyone else who for various reasons has not yet received a vaccination offer. They fall under the 3G clause.
Upper limits: Completely independent of the new unvaccinated rules, the Senate has decided on a new standard for major events. All tickets can now be sold for events. The upper limit remains 25,000. This means that home games of the Bundesliga club 1. FC Union can be sold out completely again. The Alte Försterei in Wuhlheide has a capacity of 22,012 spectators. Local rivals Hertha BSC can still only fill a third of their stadium. 74,475 people fit into the Olympic Stadium for Bundesliga games. Both clubs are free to choose whether to introduce 2G or 3G.
Hospital: Regardless of the other changes, an FFP2 mask requirement for hospital staff only applies if this staff is employed in the direct care of vulnerable patient groups. Otherwise, medical face masks must be worn.
.