Courtesy Translation: Rheinland-Pfalz Minister President Malu Dreyer: More vaccination, more testing and more 2G - Breaking the fourth wave together

Courtesy Photo | Rheinland Pfalz crest to use with courtesy translations  

WIESBADEN, HE, GERMANY

11.24.2021

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

Rheinland-Pfalz Minister President Malu Dreyer: More vaccination, more testing and more 2G - Breaking the fourth wave together

"Almost exactly one year ago, we had to close all leisure facilities in Germany in order to reduce contacts. This was followed by the lockdown in retail and school closures for an excruciatingly long time. We want to avert this in winter 2021. Luckily, we have a vaccine available this winter. The majority of the population has protected themselves from a severe course of the disease with a vaccination and people protect others because they are much less contagious. And yet we are again experiencing a very high infection dynamic. The strains in hospitals and intensive care units are increasing. There, especially unvaccinated people wrestle with death. We have put a lot of effort into the vaccination campaign, but there are still too many people who do not want to be vaccinated. That is why we cannot impose another lockdown on society as a whole. However, we consider a lockdown for the unvaccinated to be a protective measure to break the fourth wave without having to close schools, day-care centers, retailers, cultural institutions, businesses or hotels and restaurants again," said Minister President Malu Dreyer after the meeting of the heads of the state governments with the incumbent Chancellor and the current Vice Chancellor.

"Many people are wondering why the intensive care units are filling up again despite vaccination. The reasons are manifold: Unvaccinated patients stay longer in the intensive care units, we have lost nursing staff in hospitals due to the long, exhausting corona pandemic. Additionally, we have postponed non-urgent operations in Rheinland-Pfalz in order to make room for COVID19 patients. And we want to continue to prevent this, because it is a great burden for people with cancer or heart disease if long-awaited and urgent operations cannot be performed," said Minister President Malu Dreyer.

Dreyer said that it was important to her that the federal and state governments continue to fight together against the pandemic and agree on a joint approach and thus also give guidance to the population. The new Infection Protection Act, which the German Bundestag passed today, enables the Federal States to take the protective measures that make the respective events necessary even after 24 November. "We have a toolbox that currently goes further than the measures used so far in certain areas: These are 3G in the workplace, 3G in local public transport and in regional and long-distance trains (except school transport) and 2G in leisure events, culture, hotel and gastronomy and services on the body. Special rules apply to children and young people. We are expanding the test obligation, we are offering free citizen tests again and are pushing for booster vaccinations for everyone aged 18 and older," said Minister President Malu Dreyer.

"Throughout the summer and autumn, we drove through the state with our vaccination buses, we advertised and appealed. But fewer and fewer people came to get vaccinated. We are currently experiencing a real rush; because now many whose second vaccination has been more than 6 months ago, want to be boostered. We are doing everything in our power, together with general practitioners and hospitals, company doctors, and we are reactivating vaccination centers in order to significantly increase the supply again. We want to vaccinate as many people as possible as soon as possible," said Minister President Malu Dreyer.

Therefore, regular tests, AHA rules and masks remain a very important protection even for vaccinated people. "In Rheinland-Pfalz, we have already prepared a tightening of our Corona Control Ordinance and will implement the decisions of the MPK," said the Minister President.

Here are the points in detail:

Expanding vaccination offers – pushing boosters

"First and second vaccination doses for previously unvaccinated people remain crucial, but booster vaccinations are also playing an increasingly important role in the fight against the pandemic. Since the demand for vaccinations will continue to rise sharply, we have already expanded the existing vaccination offer of the medical profession, the mobile vaccination teams and the vaccination buses in Rheinland-Pfalz by 21 vaccination sites in hospitals and eight vaccination centers. All citizens should be able to receive a booster vaccination on the basis of the recommendation of the Standing Committee on Vaccination (STIKO) if the second vaccination was at least five months ago," said Minister President Malu Dreyer. "We will also prepare for children between the age of 5 and 12 to be vaccinated once the EMA approves this and the federal government has provided the necessary vaccine."

Protection of vulnerable groups in care facilities

"Cases of infection among vulnerable groups, especially among older people in need of care, are increasing," said the Minster President. Therefore, Rheinland-Pfalz has already introduced a daily test obligation for unvaccinated staff in hospitals. This also applies to care facilities and integration assistance facilities as well as in similar institutions.

In particular, we must provide additional protection for vulnerable groups. 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 state governments ask the federal government to implement this as soon as possible."

3G regulation in the workplace

"The workplace must be corona-safe. 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. Employers should also continue to offer a free test at least twice a week. Where there are no operational reasons to the contrary, work from the home workplace (home office) should be made possible depending on the infection process," said the Minister President.

3G regulation in public transport

When transporting people on buses, suburban and underground trams, trains, ferries and airplanes, it is more difficult to trace the contact persons of an infected person, especially during high incidences. 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. School transport is exempt from this. 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 acceptance must not be more than 24 hours old. The proof of the test must be presented on request.

2G regulation for events, gastronomy, hotels and services on the body

In unvaccinated people, the corona disease is often much more severe. They have a significantly higher risk to infect others. Therefore, special measures are necessary and justified, said the Minister President. "In Rheinland-Pfalz, therefore, we will also restrict access to leisure events and facilities, cultural events and facilities, sporting events and exercises, gastronomic facilities and other events - indoors - as well as basically to services on the body and overnight accommodation to vaccinated and recovered individuals (statewide 2G regulation) starting at a hospitalization rate threshold above 3 in order to break the infection dynamics. The intensity of the implementation takes into account the regional infection situation. If the rate drops below the threshold again for five days in a row, these regulations can be waived again. Compliance with the access regulations will be monitored consistently and even more intensively than before," said the Minister President.

2G plus starting at a hospitalization rate above 6

"If the threshold of the hospitalization rate exceeds 6, Rheinland-Pfalz will require a negative test for vaccinated and recovered persons many areas."

(2G plus) State opening clause starting at a hospitalization rate above 9

"We have the opportunity to take further protective measures under state law starting at a hospitalization rate of 9 with the consent of parliament in the case of particularly high infection rates with a particularly high burden on the public health system."

Free tests until March 20, 2022

"We welcome the fact that the federal government is once again offering the citizen tests free of charge," said the Minister President.

Prosecution for falsification of vaccination and test certificates

"People need to be able to rely on the fact that the evidence of vaccination or recovery is valid and correct. The law passed today by the Bundestag ensures that those who falsify vaccination and recovery certificates or using falsified evidence can be punished in a legal manner in the future. This also applies to those who want to have an electronic vaccination or recovery certificate issued with falsified evidence. It is also punishable to issue a false test certificate. This is no minor offense, which is why targeted control days will be held in Rheinland-Pfalz," said the Minister President.

Source: https://www.rlp.de/de/service/pressemeldungen/einzelansicht/news/News/detail/ministerpraesidentin-malu-dreyer-mehr-impfen-mehr-testen-und-mehr-2g-gemeinsam-die-vierte-welle-b/

• Date Taken: 11.24.2021
• Date Posted: 11.24.2021 04:01
• Story ID: 409970
• Location: WIESBADEN, HE, DE