In the event of an increasingly threatening pandemic situation, the protective measures in the Lower Saxony Corona Ordinance will once again be significantly expanded and intensified with effect from tomorrow, Wednesday (November 24, 2021). The indoor meeting of many people is only allowed to vaccinated and convalescent people. If the health system is more stressed, they will also need a negative test.
In many areas of public life, stricter 2G rules will apply from tomorrow and later in warning level 2 also 2Gplus rules. This applies to restaurants, events, sports, hairdressers or accommodation. Mask requirements and distance requirements are expanded. Stricter protective measures apply inside than outside!
The Lower Saxony warning level concept is tightened again: the warning levels come into force earlier, warning level 1 already from a 7-day hospitalization incidence of three (previously six), warning level 2 when hospitalization incidence of six and warning level 3 then at nine. This means that the resolution of the Prime Minister’s Conference of November 18, 2021 will be implemented one-to-one. Even before warning level 1, the first aggravations occur from a 7-day incidence of new infections of 35, instead of previously only at 50.
Prime Minister Stephan Weil: “The pandemic situation is dramatic in many parts of Germany. In Lower Saxony, it is a little better, but quite serious and worrying. This is shown by the steadily increasing number of corona patients in our hospitals and intensive care units. With a nationwide incidence of 181, we are taking protective measures that other federal states have only ordered at significantly higher values and we ask the people of Lower Saxony for their understanding. We want and have to increase the fire protection wall further. Unvaccinated people in particular have to reckon with massive restrictions – with the exception of people who cannot be vaccinated and, to a large extent, children and adolescents under the age of 18. “
Economics Minister Bernd Althusmann: “Unfortunately, Corona is being extended. As a result, companies and the self-employed are again threatened by a drop in sales due to the pandemic, unfortunately again in the high-turnover Christmas business. In view of this difficult economic situation, it is an important signal that the federal government has followed the demands of the economic ministers of the federal states and extended the bridging aid III Plus and the short-time work regulation until the end of March 2022. At the state level, too, we will once again help the catering and showman industry, which is particularly affected by the current development, and supplement the federal aid: With an additional 55 million euros, restaurants are to be supported in investments that enable the modernization of businesses even under pandemic conditions. In order to compensate for the expected sales deficits in the showman and event industry, we will provide an additional 25 million euros with which the federal aid can be topped up. “
The gastronomy promotion is a new edition of the successful restaurant promotion program, which with 94 million euros was the most popular aid package as part of the special tourism and gastronomy program. The “Guideline on the granting of grants to promote low-threshold investments in the catering industry affected by the COVID-19 pandemic” must be changed accordingly. The funding modalities in terms of content are to remain unchanged; the Ministry of Economic Affairs is currently coordinating the earliest possible opening of the application portal with the NBank. Corona aid for the showman and event industry in the amount of 25 million euros comes from the state’s Corona special fund and should probably be applied for at the beginning of 2022.
The changes in the Corona regulation in detail:
Nice before warning level 1, i.e. before the hospitalization value 3 is exceeded, only vaccinated, tested or recovered people are allowed to take part in indoor events with more than 25 people (3G) as soon as the 7-day incidence of new infections is more than 35. In the interior, this also applies to all cultural, sports and leisure facilities, for Christmas markets (also outside there), discos, restaurants, accommodation and for services that are close to the body. For indoor events with more than 1,000 people, the restriction to vaccinated and recovered people (2G) already applies at this early stage.
In Warning level 1 So far, the restriction to vaccinated and recovered people (2G) has already applied to larger indoor events. This restriction is now being extended indoors to all events, to cultural, sports and leisure facilities, to discos, restaurants, accommodation and services that are close to the body
The following applies to the Christmas markets Warning level 1 2G indoors and outdoors. From tomorrow on, there will be a need to wear a mask throughout – inside and outside and regardless of the warning level. The mask may only be removed or lifted briefly when eating or drinking.
Trade fairs remain with 3G, so people who have been vaccinated, recovered or tested are still allowed here. However, a negative PCR test must be presented on the first day of the fair – a POC test every subsequent day. In doing so, Lower Saxony does justice to its importance as an international trade fair location.
Otherwise, in warning level 1 – as before – 3G applies in the open air.
In Warning level 2 the restriction to 2Gplus is newly introduced. 2Gplus means that in addition to proof of vaccination or convalescence, a current negative test certificate must be presented. This applies to warning level 2 for all indoor events (outside 2G) and generally for Christmas markets. The 2Gplus specification also extends to the interior areas of cultural, sports and leisure facilities, discotheques, restaurants, accommodation and all services that are close to the body. Outside, in warning level 2, the restriction to 2G applies. Measurements remain with 3G – but a PCR test is now necessary.
In warning level 2, the mask requirement is tightened to FFP2 in all indoor areas!
In general, in warning level 2, only up to 15 people without 2Gplus are allowed to come together indoors or 2G outdoors.
In Warning level 3 then it can only be up to 10 people. For events, a much stricter test standard and significantly higher requirements will then apply. Warning level 3 will be set up shortly, and particularly strong measures according to Section 28a of the Infection Protection Act may also be considered. For this purpose, the state parliament may be asked in advance to determine the specific risk of the epidemic spread of the coronavirus disease.
Are independent of the respective warning level Teenagers from tomorrow onwards, they will no longer be privileged with regard to access to discos. All over 12-year-olds must show proof of vaccination or convalescence indoors at 2G, and proof of a negative test at 2Gplus. All other privileges that still exist will expire on January 1, 2022 – so young people also urgently need to be vaccinated if they want to take part in public life in the next year.
In all warning levels it also applies that the privileges with 2G (no distance, no mask) are withdrawn. And in future there will no longer be any grandfathering for events that have already been approved. The municipalities are asked to check permits that have already been issued to determine whether the level of protection of planned events falls short of the rules that will come into force tomorrow. All organizers should comply with the new, stricter rules.
Prime Minister Weil appeals: “I ask all citizens of this country to be aware of the very serious situation and to behave responsibly accordingly. We will not be able to state control of compliance with the new regulations for all of us, even if the controls will of course be greatly expanded. Ultimately, we depend on every citizen voluntarily adhering to the new rules and that organizers, restaurateurs, hairdressers, trainers, etc. carry out access controls very conscientiously.
We must now all pull together to slow the fourth wave. This will again be a feat of strength, so my heartfelt request to all citizens: Help us, behave prudently and responsibly, reduce your contacts, protect yourself and others! “
Vaccinations – first and second vaccinations as well as boosters
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Another essential contribution to overcoming the pandemic is and will be vaccination. In addition Minister of Social Affairs Daniela Behrens: “The incidences are increasing, the utilization of our intensive care units is increasing, and the situation is worrying. And yet Lower Saxony is doing rather well compared to other federal states. We are among the top 5 with our vaccination quota. That is good, because vaccination is and will remain the most important factor in ending the pandemic. That is why we have once again increased our vaccination capacities considerably.
The focus this winter is on booster vaccinations, in particular to protect the elderly and sick, who are at great risk, from severe Covid disease. We also keep an eye on the first and second vaccinations. Because the main thing is to close the vaccination gap.
We have to reach people who have not yet been vaccinated and convince them of the advantages of vaccination in order to prevent further waves as far as possible. This is supported by the unfortunately necessary 2G regulations and our vaccination advertising campaign ‘We are vaccinated stronger. So vaccinate, protect, test! ‘ at. With many low-threshold vaccination offers, which we have successfully launched together with the mobile teams of the municipalities and the medical profession and will continue to expand, we are making an important contribution to health protection and to coping with the situation. The mobile vaccination teams are expected to be able to carry out around 770,000 vaccinations by the end of the year, and the resident doctors another 2 million. In total, up to 2.8 million vaccinations are possible in Lower Saxony. This will further increase the vaccination rate and master the upcoming refreshments. “
Prime Minister Stephan Weil: “We will only get the virus under control together with the citizens – this is more true than ever in the current particularly difficult situation. The vast majority of Lower Saxony residents behave carefully and responsibly – this is one of the main reasons why we are better off than many other countries when it comes to infections and vaccination rates. Many feel that it is very unreasonable that so many adults do not want to be vaccinated – I feel exactly the same. It is the unvaccinated people who are increasingly pushing our health system to its limits, so massive restrictions for this group of people are more than justified. I urgently appeal to all those who have not been vaccinated: Please finally get yourself vaccinated so that you do not fall seriously ill and we can all get out of this vicious circle of the pandemic. “
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