Courtesy Translation: Rheinland-Pfalz State moves towards 2G – vaccination centers add to existing vaccination in the country from next week

Courtesy Photo | Rheinland Pfalz crest to use with courtesy translations  

WIESBADEN, HE, GERMANY

11.18.2021

Story by Nadine Bower 

U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden   

Press Release from the State Government of Rheinland-Pfalz; from 16 NOV 2021
Courtesy Translation: Nadine Bower, Community Relations

State moves towards 2G – vaccination centers add to existing vaccination in the country from next week.

The Rheinland-Pfalz Council of Ministers decided today to tighten up the state's warning level concept. In the upcoming 28th Corona Control Ordinance, there will be fewer opportunities for unvaccinated people to participate in social life. In addition, the warning level leading indicator "Number of intensive care beds" will no longer be based on the percentage of intensive care beds occupied by COVID-19 in the intensive care bed capacity within the state of Rheinland-Pfalz, but will indicate the corresponding values in absolute numbers, i.e. the beds actually occupied.

"The situation remains dynamic and serious. I can understand when people are worried and afraid of re-infections, losses and restrictions. Many in this country are working very hard around the clock to break this wave. We would like to thank our doctors who vaccinate daily to protect even more people. Once again, we are in a situation where we need to protect the health system from being overloaded. That is why we are now tightening our warning concept," said Health Minister Clemens Hoch. According to the federal-state meeting on Thursday, the new ordinance is to be adapted beyond today's decisions and then published at the end of the week so that it can enter into force next Monday.

Planned changes to the 28th Corona Control Ordinance:

Schools in Rheinland-Pfalz continue to carry out increased testing. The number of regular tests is based on the current infection situation as defined in the warning level plan of Rheinland-Pfalz: in warning level 1 one test per week must be done on Monday or on the first day of school attendance, in warning level 2 two tests per week must be done, in warning level 3 three tests per week. In addition, in the event of an infection, all members of the same learning group must continue to test themselves immediately daily for five days and wear masks in class. In order to strengthen the protective effect in the particularly critical phases after school breaks, "prevention weeks" are held again after the Christmas and winter holidays. More specifically, this means that in the two weeks starting on Jan. 3, school students will also be tested twice a week even in warning level 1. After the winter break, there will be a test in the short school week after Ash Wednesday (Mar. 2), and in the following week starting on Mar. 7 there will be two more random tests – all that in warning level 1.

“We align our testing strategy as well as the mask requirement with the warning level plan of the state of Rheinland-Pfalz and can thus react flexibly and appropriately to changes in the infection situation," said Education Minister Dr. Stefanie Hubig (SPD). "We have already ensured that our schools remain safe places to learn during the pandemic through intensive event-based testing. By adapting the tests without cause to the warning levels, we create clarity for the schools and, depending on the local situation, can keep a close eye on the infection process. Through additional unprovoked tests in the two weeks of prevention after the Christmas and winter holidays, we will be able to identify and react to the risks of infection caused by the introduction of Corona at an early stage. Test strategy, mask obligation and all other known and well-practiced hygiene measures will do their part to ensure that we get through the winter without school closures if possible. With these decisions, we are fulfilling our always formulated claim: as much face-to-face teaching as possible with as much health protection as necessary."

In warning level 2, for events in closed rooms, only 50 (instead of 100) non-immunized persons are allowed. In warning level 3, 2G will apply, so no non-immunized persons are allowed (previously 50 people). This applies to all indoor events, the family celebration as well as concerts or a visit to a handball match.

The new regulation eliminates the freedom to choose between mask requirement or social distancing for indoor events. Now, both distance must be maintained and a mask must be worn in the seat.

In the interior of gastronomic establishments, a maximum of 25 non-immunized persons and otherwise only recovered, vaccinated or equivalent persons may be present at the same time. When warning level 2 is reached, the number of persons is reduced to five people, and when warning level 3 is reached, the 2G rule applies: Only recovered, vaccinated or equivalent persons may be present (this regulation is also provided for in gambling halls/casinos/betting shops).

In sports and amateur culture, only 5 non-immunized persons are allowed to participate in warning level 2. In warning level 3, 2G applies. The special regulation for children and adolescents up to and including the age of 17 continues to apply in any case in warning level 2. There, up to 25 children will continue to be allowed to come together there for sports.

In public swimming pools and fun booths, thermal baths and saunas, the maximum number of people who are allowed to stay in closed rooms of such a facility at the same time is now always limited to half of the usual maximum number of visitors, regardless of how many non-immunized persons are on site.

For church services and other events of religious communities in closed rooms, the test obligation for unvaccinated persons now applies.

For extracurricular educational offers, mask obligation, distance requirement and test obligation are now mandatory (previously one was able to choose between different protective measures).

The possibility to not wear a mask with up-to-date tests for employees, for example of commercial facilities with customer contact, is restricted. This applies, for example, to bakeries, supermarkets, retailers and parts of the public administration. In warning level 2, masks are not mandatory in these facilities only for immunized people. In warning level 3, it is not omitted at all.

In almost all parts of the regulation, the test obligation now applies with the requirement that only a professional rapid test (and not a self-test carried out under supervision) is permitted.

In order to protect the particularly vulnerable groups, the new ordinance provides in warning level 3 that only immunized persons may enter a hospital to visit relatives. They also require a test. For nursing homes, which are regulated in a separate regulation, a corresponding adjustment will also be made.

"Rheinland-Pfalz is on its way to 2G. For those who do not want to be vaccinated, less social participation is possible. This is not a division of society, but an expression of responsibility towards those who cannot protect themselves and against those who have already taken responsibility and have said: Yes, I will get vaccinated to protect myself and others and to make my contribution against the pandemic," said Minister Hoch.

Vaccination centers add to vaccination services in the state

"The need for booster vaccinations will increase sharply by the end of the year and then fall sharply by the end of the first quarter of 2022. The development is confirmed in particular by the large lines at vaccination buses. At the end of last week, we made a new assessment of the situation together with the municipalities and the doctors in the state. Here, there was also the signal from the medical profession that supplementary offers could relieve the private practices. Therefore, eight of the nine vaccination centers will resume their operation in standby mode starting next week (Nov. 24)," said Daniel Stich, vaccination coordinator of the state. The former centers in the Mainz-Bingen district, Neustadt an der Weinstraße, Trier, Koblenz, Ludwigshafen, Germersheim, Rhein-Lahn-Kreis and Kaiserslautern are being reactivated. The city of Mainz will probably reactivate its vaccination center at a later date. A simple procedure for registering appointments via the portal on www.impftermin.rlp.de is planned. Registrations should be available from Nov. 18, 2021. "After the amendment of the short-term coronavirus vaccination regulation from yesterday, necessary operating costs can be billed until Apr. 30 2022. This applies to all eight locations. This is a good signal over the winter," says Stich. In addition, an increased use of vaccination buses in the areas of the 23 municipalities whose vaccination center no longer exists could close possible gaps. "A total of twelve vaccination buses are expected to be in operation by De. 1, 2021. Here, too, we are expanding the vaccination services in the state," said vaccination coordinator Daniel Stich.

Source: https://corona.rlp.de/de/aktuelles/detail/news/News/detail/land-bewegt-sich-in-richtung-2g-impfzentren-ergaenzen-bestehendes-impfangebot-im-land-ab-der-kommen-1/

• Date Taken: 11.18.2021
• Date Posted: 11.18.2021 07:18
• Story ID: 409556
• Location: WIESBADEN, HE, DE