The state government today extended the third SARS-CoV-2 handling ordinance up to and including November 30, 2021. The Corona Ordinance also contains unchanged regulations for special markets and events that include Christmas markets and Christmas parties. In the following, the Ministry of Health provides answers to frequently asked questions about the conditions under which Christmas markets and Christmas parties can take place in Brandenburg this year.
Christmas markets
The Corona Handling Ordinance contains the same wording Regulations for fairs and special markets. It is therefore not decisive whether a municipality classifies a Christmas market as a fair or as a special market. Background: According to the trade regulations, annual fairs and special markets are “events that recur at longer intervals and are limited in time”. They differ, however, in the assortment of goods (annual markets: large number of sellers with goods of all kinds; special markets: large number of sellers with certain goods, for example Christmas items).
Christmas market operators must On the basis of an individual hygiene concept, ensure the following through suitable organizational measures:
- Control of access and stay of all persons
- Limitation of the number of people to a maximum of 5,000 simultaneously participating visitors; For places and facilities with a regular visitor capacity of more than 1,000 people, the number of people is to be limited to a maximum of 1,000 people plus a maximum of half of the regular visitor capacity in excess of 1,000 people (example: If there is regular space for 2,000 guests, then only 1,500 are allowed on site at the same time The 5,000 upper limit is reached if 9,000 guests would normally be admitted),
- Compulsory test: Access only for visitors who present a test certificate issued for them; Exception: The obligation to test does not apply to open-air events with up to 1,000 simultaneous attendees,
- Collection of personal data of all visitors in a contact record for the purpose of contact tracking (note: this also applies to Christmas markets with fewer than 1,000 simultaneous visitors), Compliance with the distance requirement with the option of reducing the distance between permanent seats to up to 1 meter; Compliance with the distance requirement can be waived if all persons continuously wear an FFP2 mask without an exhalation valve (e.g. on benches at food or mulled wine stands),
- in closed rooms (e.g. inside mulled wine huts):
- the compulsory wearing of a medical mask through all persons; the obligation to wear does not apply to visitors who are in a fixed seat, provided that a distance of at least 1 meter is maintained between the seats,
- the regular exchange of room air Fresh air.
In order to ensure compliance with these measures, access to the Christmas market area must be controllable. This means: organizers of Christmas markets must ensure controlled access by suitable means, for example through a demarcated area or a fence around the site.
All visitors to the Christmas market must have the Minimum distance retain. Exceptions to the distance requirement exist, for example, for spouses or domestic partners, for life companions, for members of the own household as well as for persons who have custody or access rights.
A general Mask requirement there is no Christmas market. Rural districts and urban districts can, however, stipulate further protective measures on the basis of Section 28 of the Handling Ordinance “if and to the extent that this is necessary due to local peculiarities or a regional or local infection”.
It is generally recommended that all people wear a medical mask wherever there are many people.
3G rule: The so-called 3G rule (access only for vaccinated, convalescent or tested people) basically applies to Christmas markets. Exception: Christmas markets under the open sky with fewer than 1,000 attendees at the same time.
2G rule: Organizers of Christmas markets can also opt for the so-called 2G rule (access only for vaccinated, convalescent or children under 12). Corona restrictions hardly apply to the 2G model. Protective measures such as distance, mask and personal boundaries are not required. Those responsible must then ensure the following through appropriate organizational measures on the basis of an individual hygiene concept:
- the granting of access exclusively for
- vaccinated persons,
- recovered persons,
- Children up to the age of twelve,
- the use of vaccinated or recovered personnel only; This does not apply to staff who have no direct guest or customer contact on a permanent basis, the affixing of a clearly recognizable notice in the access area that access is only granted to vaccinated persons, recovered persons and children under 12 years, the prior written notification of the use of the 2G model to the responsible health department.
Christmas parties
Traditionally, companies, companies or associations hold Christmas parties in the run-up to Christmas.
A basic distinction must be made between whether it is a Christmas party
- firmly defined cohorts (i.e. a group of people with a common characteristic, for example a team, a department, a club group or acquaintances and relatives) or
- People from different areas (for example also external, business customers or representatives of other companies or associations) are invited.
The following applies to Christmas parties of permanent cohorts: Private celebrations and other get-togethers with family, friends or acquaintances that take place in private living space and in the associated pacified property or in public or rented rooms are
- in the open air with up to 100 and
- in closed rooms with up to 50
guests present at the same time are permitted. Those who have been vaccinated and those who have recovered do not count. The general Hygiene rules Must be observed. That is also the case for meetings outside of private space Distance requirement to be observed.
The following applies to Christmas parties with guests from different areas: On the basis of an individual hygiene concept, organizers must ensure the following through suitable organizational measures:
- Control of the access and the stay of all persons,
- no more than 5,000 simultaneously participating guests; if more than 1,000 people come, only half of the regular people over 1,000 are allowed Visitor capacity be used,
- the granting of access only to visitors who have issued them Test width present (exception: compulsory testing does not apply to open-air events with up to 1,000 guests participating at the same time),
- the recording of the personal data of all visitors in one Proof of contact for the purpose of contact tracking,
- the Compliance with the distance requirement with the option of reducing the distance between permanent seats to up to 1 meter; Compliance with the distance requirement can be dispensed with if all persons wear an FFP2 mask without an exhalation valve at all times,
- in closed rooms
- the regular exchange of room air with fresh air,
- the mandatory wearing of a medical mask by all persons; The obligation to wear does not apply to people who are in a permanent seat, provided that there is a distance of at least 1 meter between the seats.
2G rule: Organizers of Christmas parties with external guests can also opt for the so-called 2G rule (access only for vaccinated, convalescent or children under 12). Then protective measures such as distance, mask and personal boundaries are no longer necessary.
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