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Press Release from the Federal German Government from 18 NOV 2021
Courtesy Translation: Nadine Bower, Public Affairs USAG Wiesbaden
Video conference of the Federal Chancellor with the heads of government of the federal states on Nov. 18, 2021
Decision
The pandemic is not over yet. The number of new infections with the SARS-CoV2 virus as well as the number of severe disease courses are currently increasing at a rapid pace. In some regions, there is already a shortage of intensive care beds. In many cases, planned surgeries have to be postponed in order to have enough capacity for patients suffering from Corona.
Despite many successes of the vaccination campaign, too many people in Germany are still unvaccinated. This complicates and endangers a sustainable, comprehensive and long-term management of the infection process. Thus, the incidence in unvaccinated is many times higher than in vaccinated. Furthermore, it is almost exclusively unvaccinated people who are dependent on intensive medical care with severe disease courses.
Vaccination is and remains the way out of this pandemic right now. Wherever many citizens are vaccinated, the virus can spread less easily. Those who are vaccinated have a significantly higher protection against a severe course of the disease and at the same time they better protect others from infection. The majority of citizens in our country have already been vaccinated. Those who have hesitated so far should be convinced of the need for vaccination protection. Those who already have vaccination protection should also receive a booster vaccination in a timely manner.
Only with an effort from the whole society can we defeat this virus.
Against this background, the Chancellor and the Heads of government of the federal states decided the following:
In addition to vaccination, other protective measures are needed until the spring to reduce the number of new infections and slow down the dynamics of the infection. The Chancellor and the heads of government of the federal states ask the citizens to continue to consistently comply with the existing AHA+AL rules (distance, hygiene, mask, ventilation, Corona Warn App): Wherever people come together in a confined space (f. ex. in buses and trains), masks are generally mandatory. There will continue to be appropriate distance and access rules and hygiene concepts for the pandemic situation. The proof of vaccination, recovery or negative test is necessary in many places to prevent the spread of the virus.
1. The Chancellor and the heads of government of the federal states would like to thank all citizens who, through their vaccination, make an individual contribution to their own protection, to the protection of their fellow human beings and the entire population and to securing the performance of our hospitals. They call on all previously unvaccinated citizens to show solidarity and to get vaccinated quickly against the SARS-CoV2 virus. The federal and state governments will further intensify their joint vaccination campaign and will continue to provide information about the benefits and risks of vaccination.
2. The federal and state governments will expand the vaccination services (mobile vaccination teams, vaccination centers, hospitals, low-threshold services, doctors’ offices, company doctors, doctors from the health authorities or other options). Children between the age of 5 and 11 will also be offered a vaccination quickly after individual consultation and risk assessment after the approval of the required vaccine at the end of November and the corresponding availability in the second half of December. The federal government undertakes to continue to provide financial support to the vaccination centers and other vaccination facilities organized through the states in the current manner until 31 May 2022. The vaccination consultation is to be extended. In addition, the states ask the federal government to examine the extent to which the circle of persons entitled to carry out vaccinations can be expanded.
3. First and second vaccinations for the previously unvaccinated remain crucial to overcoming the pandemic. Boosters also play an important role in the fight against the pandemic for people who have already been vaccinated. In a short time, millions of booster vaccinations must now be administered in Germany. The Standing Committee on Vaccination recommends a booster vaccination for all vaccinated people aged 18 and over six months after the last vaccination, at the earliest after 5 months if the vaccine is available. In coordination with the municipalities, the states will create the necessary capacities to make an offer for a booster vaccination together with the regular system of doctors in private practice to each and every person willing to be vaccinated no later than 6 months after the second vaccination. This requires a joint national effort. To this end, the vaccination options used by the federal states must be massively expanded. The heads of the state and senate chancelleries will be instructed to submit a detailed plan, together with the health ministers, at short notice by their conference with the head of the Federal Chancellery on Nov. 25m 2021. The doctors in private practices, as well as the company doctors, should also offer intensive "booster" vaccinations. States will appropriately call on all citizens over the age of 18 to receive "booster" vaccination. Initially, all over 60-year-olds are to be specifically contacted.
4. Elderly and sick people carry a particular risk of severe courses of the disease. Residents of appropriate facilities – such as old people's homes and nursing homes, assisted living for people with disabilities and other vulnerable persons – require special protection. It is therefore necessary that all employees and visitors to these facilities present a negative test certificate that is not older than 24 hours on a daily basis. Vaccinated employees must also regularly present a negative test result. These tests can also be a self-test. A monitoring system that is as complete as possible should control this and also record how many residents of a facility have received the "booster" vaccination. Vulnerable groups in particular must receive additional protection. The federal states consider it necessary that all employees in hospitals and integration assistance facilities as well as in old people's and nursing homes and mobile care services are obliged to be vaccinated against the coronavirus when in contact with vulnerable persons. The states ask the federal government to implement this as soon as possible.
5. The workplace is a place where close contacts take place on a regular basis. In view of the accelerating development of infection, the risk of infection at the workplace where physical contact with other people is not excluded is once again high. Therefore, a nationwide requirement is that only recovered, vaccinated or tested persons may work there (3G regulation). Compliance with this 3G regulation should be monitored and documented by the employer on a daily basis. To this end, all employers must also have appropriate rights of information. Employers also continue to offer a free test at least twice a week. This concept must be monitored with regard to its practicability within the framework of the concrete operational implementation and, if necessary, adapted at short notice. Where there are no operational reasons to the contrary, work from the home workplace (home office) should be made possible.
6. When transporting people on buses, suburban and underground trains, ferries and airplanes, it is more difficult to trace the contacts of an infected person, especially during times of high incidence levels. For this reason, the 3G rule is to be introduced in local public transport and regional and long-distance trains in addition to the current mask requirement. If passengers are not vaccinated or recovered, they must carry proof of a negative corona rapid test when using a means of transport. At the start of the journey, the test must not have been more than 24 hours ago. The proof of the test must be presented on request. From the point of view of the federal states, important questions arise with regard to the practical implementation of such a requirement. It remains foreseeable with only a limited use of local public transport and thus with cost shortfalls, which will also happen in 2022. Since the aid package for public transport, which was agreed upon between the federal government and the states, expires at the end of 2021, it is necessary to start negotiations for a follow-up regulation soon.
7. If necessary, the federal government will provide the states and municipalities with FFP2 and surgical masks as well as antigen tests and other material free of charge from its stocks to contain the pandemic to support large sections of the population. These stocks will be distributed and used non-bureaucratically and free of charge to contain the current pandemic – both nationally and in the course of international support measures. Experts in the health sector, NGOs, federal states, districts and municipalities, public transport, sports associations and needy third states are particularly effective channels for providing users with masks.
8. The corona disease is often much more severe in unvaccinated people. They have a significantly higher risk of infection for others. Therefore, special measures are necessary and justified. Therefore, if the hospitalization rate reported for the respective state exceeds threshold 3, the state governments will have to restrict access to leisure events and facilities, cultural events and facilities, sporting events and exercises, gastronomic establishments and other events - indoors - as well as in principle to services on the body and accommodation for vaccinated and recovered persons (nationwide 2G regulation) to break the infection dynamics. The intensity of the implementation takes into account the regional infection situation. If the numbers are below that threshold for five days in a row, the above provisions can be waived again. Compliance with the access regulations will be monitored consistently and even more intensively than before. Where possible, the provision of a QR code registration is ordered to facilitate the tracking and interruption of chains of infection.
9. In addition, if the hospitalization rate reported for the respective state exceeds threshold 6, the state government will make exceptions and facilitation of protective measures dependent on the existence of a negative test result even for vaccinated and recovered persons (2G plus). This will be done especially in places where the risk of infection is particularly high due to the number of people and the more difficult adherence to hygiene measures, especially in discos, clubs and bars. If the levels are below that threshold again for five days in a row, the above provisions can be waived again.
10. For persons who cannot be vaccinated and for persons for whom there is no general vaccination recommendation, exceptions to the access restrictions listed in paragraphs 8 and 9 should be provided for in order to allow participation in such offers. In addition, exceptions are possible for children and adolescents up to 18 years of age.
11. Subject to the approval of the state parliaments, the states will make consistent use of the further possibilities of the Infection Protection Act in the case of particularly high infection rates with a particularly high burden on the public health system - at the latest when the hospitalization rate, which was reported for the respective state, exceeds the threshold value of 9 - and within the framework of the state regulations together with the state parliaments - (state opening clause).
12. The described protective measures can only unfold their full effect – and subsequently be quickly scaled back again – if they are reliably adhered to. This requires strict control, for example of proof of vaccination, recovery or testing, with corresponding access restrictions. Here, the organizers and operators of facilities are responsible, as negligent controls increase the risk of infection and promote the spread of the virus. The German states will therefore exhaust the scope of the fines, increase the density of controls and decisively sanction violations. From the point of view of the heads of government of the federal states, it is welcomed in this context that the closure of gaps in criminal liability in the falsification of health certificates (for example vaccination certificates) required by the decision of the federal states of Oct. 22, 2021 is now to be implemented by law.
13. In order to ensure an up-to-date overview of the infection process and to be able to break infection chains, comprehensive tests are necessary. Therefore, citizen tests are offered free of charge. The costs shall be borne by the federal government. It is also a sign of solidarity with health workers to show special attention in the coming weeks. Therefore, the Chancellor and the heads of government of the federal states appeal to all citizens – including vaccinated and recovered individuals – not only to pay attention to protective measures in the sense of the AHA+AL rules during contacts, but also to be tested regularly in the case of longer contacts, also in a private context, and to use the offer of citizen tests for this purpose.
14. Students and younger children are particularly suffering from the consequences of the pandemic. The Chancellor and the heads of government of the federal states agree that further burdens for children and young people must be avoided and at the same time they must be protected in the best possible way. In order to quickly identify areas of infection, the federal states will continue to ensure that testing is carried out regularly and in a child-friendly manner in education and care facilities. With targeted information about vaccination, the federal states will continue to address staff in day-care centers and schools as well as children and adolescents aged 12 and over and inform them about the importance of vaccinations and "booster" vaccinations.
15. Caregivers are shouldering much of the burden of the pandemic. They continue to play their indispensable part in what is now again an extremely tense situation. The heads of government of the federal and state governments express their deep gratitude and respect for this. Many of the nurses have gone to their physical and psychological limits and even beyond. The consequences of this ongoing burden are now having an effect and are limiting the scope for action, especially in the field of intensive care.
Against the background of the special burdens on nursing staff in recent months, the federal states reaffirm their decision of Mar. 18, 2021, according to which the framework conditions and compensation in nursing care must be permanently and constantly improved. This field of action will have to be taken up immediately and as a priority, because it does not allow any further postponement.
With the renewed care bonus, especially in intensive care, the recognition of the commitment in the currently very challenging situation is to be underlined. The federal states ask the Federal Government to provide the necessary financial resources for this purpose.
The federal government and the federal states refer to the already existing exceptions within the Nursing Staff Lower Limits Ordinance and check whether further regulations are necessary.
16. The utilization of hospitals with COVID patients with intensive care needs is constantly increasing at a rapid pace. The particularly severe and extremely care-intensive cases are predominantly unvaccinated patients. Increasingly, therefore, the postponement of so-called "elective interventions" is already necessary, which in turn often means a heavy burden for the people affected by this. The announced payment of a supply surcharge to avoid economic disadvantages of hospitals is very welcomed. The costs for the pension surcharge are borne by the federal government. The rehabilitation clinics are involved in the care of corona-infected patients. The federal government will examine additional relieving measures. In this context, the heads of government of the federal states reaffirm their decision of Mar. 18, 2021 on hospital financing, which called on the federal government to review and adapt the system of diagnosis-related lump sums (DRG system), which is in great need of reform, with the involvement of the self-governing bodies in the health care system and the GMK-AG, so that mismanagement is avoided in the future.
17. The federal government pledges to the federal states to continue to provide them with the best possible support, including testing, vaccination or the tasks of the public health service, for example through the support services of the Bundeswehr and the Federal Agency for Technical Relief.
18. In addition to short-time working allowances, bridging aid is the most important instrument for helping companies that are particularly affected by the pandemic. The federal government will extend the bridging aid III Plus (including the restart aid) and regulations on short-time work by three months until Mar. 31, 2022. Together with the federal states, it will develop further measures to support the Advent markets and Christmas markets that are particularly affected by corona protection measures, which will be administered by the federal states.
19. For affected retailers, it is still possible to take into account non-saleable seasonal goods as part of the bridging aid III Plus as a result of the measures. The heads of government of the federal states support the continued granting of a claim for compensation to parents who take over the care of their children due to the pandemic, in accordance with § 56 para. 1a IfSG. They reaffirm that this is also linked to the clear expectation of a continuation of half of the cost sharing between the federal government and the federal states and the future federal government.
20. The federal government and the federal states agree that at their meeting on Dec. 9, 2021, the effect of the measures taken on the basis of the Infection Protection Act will be evaluated against the background of the current infection situation.
Source: https://www.bundesregierung.de/breg-de/aktuelles/videoschaltkonferenz-der-bundeskanzlerin-mit-den-regierungschefinnen-und-regierungschefs-der-laender-am-18-november-2021-1982916
| Date Taken: | 11.19.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 11.19.2021 10:12 |
| Story ID: | 409674 |
| Location: | WIESBADEN, HE, DE |
| Web Views: | 66 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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