Courtesy Translation: Wiesbaden's New Corona Rules

Courtesy Photo | Icon to accompany courtesy translations of press releases from the city of Wiesbaden.  

WIESBADEN, HE, GERMANY

09.16.2021

Story by Nadine Bower 

U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden   

Press Release from the Hessen State Government from 15 SEP 2021
Courtesy Translation: Nadine Bower, Public Affairs Specialist

New Corona Rules

Starting Thursday, Sep. 16, new corona rules and new indicators for corona protection measures will apply in Hessen and thus also in Wiesbaden. The state government has updated the Coronavirus Protection Ordinance (CoSchuV) accordingly and extended it until Oct. 14. The currently still valid municipal general decree will no longer be implemented starting on Thursday, Sep. 16, and will be formally repealed in a timely manner. From then on, the regulations of the CoSchuV apply decisively.

The new CoSchuV is a paradigm shift in view of the progress of vaccination. The seven-day incidence, which has so far been decisive, will be replaced by figures on the situation in Hessen hospitals, specifically by the incidence of hospitalization and the occupancy of intensive care beds. After the new CoSchuV, the 3G rule now applies in many indoor areas. This means that only vaccinated, recovered or negatively tested people are admitted to certain events and facilities. In addition, there is now a 2G option model that eliminates further corona-related restrictions. In the future, contact tracing will only be required in certain areas.

"We welcome the decision to regulate the corona protection measures again decisively at the state level, especially with regulations. We have been calling for this for some time. This avoids a municipal patchwork of the corona rules," say Lord Mayor Gert-Uwe Mende and Mayor and Health Department Head Dr. Oliver Franz. "Many people are now vaccinated. It is therefore the right thing to introduce the incidence of hospitalization and occupancy of intensive care beds as new indicators for protective measures. The new indicators and rules naturally raise new questions. We would be pleased if the responsible authorities answered them as quickly and bindingly as possible so that there is legal certainty for citizens and companies." Mende and Dr. Franz once again appealed to the people of Wiesbaden to get vaccinated. "Those who do not get vaccinated will sooner or later become infected with the coronavirus. Vaccination is and remains the way out of the pandemic."

In the state’s new warning level concept, hospitalization incidence and intensive care bed occupancy are the key indicators for more far-reaching protective measures. The hospitalization incidence describes how many people per 100,000 inhabitants have been newly admitted to a hospital statewide in the past seven days due to corona disease. The intensive care bed occupancy describes how many intensive care beds are occupied by corona patients. Warning level 1 is reached when the hospitalization score rises above 8 or the number of intensive care patients exceeds 200. Warning level 2 comes into play when the hospitalization score rises above 15 or the number of intensive care patients exceeds 400. If the thresholds are exceeded, the state has announced that it will take further measures to avoid overloading the public health system. On Tuesday, Sep. 14, the hospitalization incidence in Hessen was 2.51 and 146 intensive care beds were occupied by corona patients.

Even before reaching the 1st or 2nd warning level, according to CoSchuV in Hessen, and thus also in Wiesbaden, starting Thursday, Sep. 16, the following new rules apply:

Negative proof must still be submitted in certain situations (3G rule). As before, proof of vaccination, proof of recovery or negative test certificate or a student test booklet counts as negative proof. What is new is that a negative test certificate can be obtained as part of the company test offer. Children under the age of six or who have not yet started school do not need negative proof.

The 3G rule applies in the interiors of events, leisure facilities, museums, sports facilities, restaurants (except canteens for employees) and in establishments for body-related services, especially during visits to hairdressers or nail salons. What is new is that the obligation to provide proof applies to all those present. This means that not only guests or customers have to present negative proof, but also employees. In accommodation establishments, negative proofs are required twice a week on arrival and for longer stays afterwards. In outdoor areas, the obligation to provide 3G proof, where it previously applied, will be deleted. Excluded from this are events in outdoor areas with more than 1,000 guests. For these, the 3G rule still applies.

With the new CoSchuV, organizers and private operators will have the opportunity to admit only vaccinated and recovered individuals (2G rule). In this case, significant corona-related restrictions are eliminated: distance rules as well as the mask obligation and capacity restrictions. Children under the age of 12 are exempt from the 2G regulations, as they are currently unable to be vaccinated.

Events (at or above 25 people) can be carried out with the 3G or 2G rule. The staff must also adhere to it. For all 3G events, a distance and hygiene concept must be in place. With 3G, masks are mandatory indoors until seated and a permit-free upper limit of up to 500 people, plus vaccinated and recovered individuals applies. Outside, the permit-free upper limit is 1,000 people, plus vaccinated and recovered individuals. If the upper limits are exceeded, the events are subject to prior approval.

Due to the increasing vaccination rate, contact data collection is largely eliminated. In the future, contact tracing will only be necessary in facilities with particularly vulnerable persons. This applies in particular to hospitals as well as old people's homes and nursing homes. In discotheques and brothels, the collection of contact data is still mandatory for both 3G and 2G.

A medical mask must still be worn in school buildings. However, this does not apply while seated, outdoors or during school sports. Exception: During the two weeks of protection after the school break or in the event of a major outbreak in the school or in the 14 days after a confirmed infection in the class. There is no mask requirement in kindergarten.

Citizens who still want to receive their vaccination in the vaccination center must hurry: In coordination with the state, the vaccination center closes on Sunday, Sep. 19. The last day that vaccinations are done is Saturday, Sep. 18. Until then, it is still possible to receive a first, second or - if prioritized - a third vaccination in the vaccination center without an appointment. All vaccinations are free of charge for citizens. The offer without prior registration or registration is also valid for children and adolescents from the age of twelve, who will get vaccinated after individual medical information. Information on this and current Corona developments is available under wiesbaden.de/coronavirus. After the closure of the vaccination centers, the state requests a standard supply by the Impfallianz Hessen. In March, the Hessen Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians, the Hessen State Medical Association, the Hessen General Practitioners' Association, the Hessen State Chamber of Pharmacists and the Hessen Pharmacists' Association joined forces with the Hessen Ministry of Social Affairs and Integration to form the Hessen Vaccine Alliance.

Source: https://www.bing.com/translator/?toWww=1&redig=CD0DA67A2D784EB1BAE59307A611D03A

• Date Taken: 09.16.2021
• Date Posted: 09.17.2021 02:24
• Story ID: 405379
• Location: WIESBADEN, HE, DE