Corona pandemic: These are the federal-state resolutions

Three threshold values ​​for nationwide measures and the requirement for a partial vaccination requirement: The roadmap that the federal government and the states have agreed on in the fight against the pandemic – an overview.

Agreement on three thresholds

In the future, there will be three threshold values, and when they are reached, further measures will be introduced. The benchmark for this is the so-called hospitalization incidence. Specifically, if a value of 3 is exceeded, the federal states should only introduce nationwide access rules for vaccinated and convalescent people (2G rule), for example to events and gastronomy – if not already done.

If a value of 6 is exceeded, the federal states should also prescribe test certificates or other measures in certain facilities for vaccinated and convalescent people (2G plus). At the latest when the threshold value of 9 is exceeded, the federal states should then make use of further restrictions. This aims at a clause resolved by the Bundestag: According to a corresponding state parliament resolution, the states should also be able to impose tougher measures such as contact restrictions or restrictions and bans on events.

The hospitalization rate is the number of corona patients admitted to clinics per 100,000 inhabitants within seven days. According to the RKI, the value is currently 5.30, on Thursday last week it was 4.65. Currently, all federal states except Hamburg, Lower Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein and Saarland are above the value 3. In three states the value is above 6: in Thuringia, Saxony-Anhalt and Bavaria.

Requirement for partial vaccination

The Prime Ministers are also calling for medical and nursing staff to be vaccinated when they come into contact with people at risk. The states considered such an obligation “necessary” and asked the federal government to implement it “as soon as possible”, the decision says. “We have to protect the vulnerable groups in particular.”

According to the will of the federal states, the compulsory vaccination should apply to employees in hospitals, old people’s and nursing homes as well as integration assistance facilities and mobile care services. The chairman of the conference of prime ministers and NRW state chief Hendrik Wüst (CDU) said after the conference that all states were in agreement on this point.

The decision also stipulates the mandatory testing for care and health facilities provided for in the new Infection Protection Act. Employees and visitors would have to show a negative test certificate that is no older than 24 hours, it says. Vaccinated employees also have to show negative test results on a regular basis; self-tests are also possible for them.

More speed with booster vaccinations

In the case of booster vaccinations, the STIKO booster for everyone from 18 years of age – should be made pace after the recommendation. 4.8 million people have received a so-called booster vaccination so far. According to Chancellor Angela Merkel, around 27 million vaccinations should be added as quickly as possible.

It now requires a “joint national effort”, it says in the decision. For this, the vaccination options used by the federal states would have to be massively expanded. For this purpose, a detailed plan is to be drawn up by November 25th. Doctors in private practice and company doctors should also offer intensive booster vaccinations. According to Merkel, the technical relief organization and civil protection have also offered their support.

3G rule at work and in transport

With the 3G rule at work and in long-distance and local transport, the decision takes up central measures of the new Infection Protection Act, as expected. According to this, proof of vaccination, recovery or a negative test at the workplace as well as on buses and trains will be required in the future.

According to the decision, the federal states see problems with the implementation of the planned 3G rule in buses and trains as well as in long-distance trains. The paper says: “From the point of view of the federal states, weighty questions arise with regard to the practical implementation of such a requirement.”

Review of the measures

According to NRW Prime Minister Wüst, the corona measures will be checked at the next Prime Minister’s Conference on December 9th at the latest. The countries would have received the promise of the likely next Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) that it will then be checked whether the catalog of measures is sufficient to combat the pandemic. As Prime Minister he must have all the instruments in hand if necessary. Wüst emphasized that this evaluation was elementary for the Union-led federal states.

According to Chancellor Merkel, the federal states should reintroduce contact restrictions if the situation worsens. In her opinion, the catalog of measures adopted by the Bundestag is insufficient, she said.

Nursing bonus

In view of their burden in the pandemic, nurses should again receive financial recognition. The federal and state governments agreed on a care bonus, especially in intensive care, as Merkel said. The decision states that the renewed payment of a care bonus should underline the recognition of the commitment in the currently very challenging situation. The amount of the bonus payment remained open for the time being. “The states ask the federal government to provide the necessary financial resources for this.”

Corona economic aid will be extended

Companies that are particularly stressed in the Corona crisis receive economic aid for longer. The federal government is extending the bridging aid III Plus, which was previously limited to the end of the year, until the end of March 2022, as can be seen from the resolution paper. Regulations on short-time working and the restart aid for self-employed people are also to be extended.

The federal government also wants to work with the federal states to develop further measures to support the Advent and Christmas markets that are particularly affected by corona protective measures. For affected retail companies there is still the possibility to take into account non-salable seasonal goods as part of the bridging aid III Plus due to measures, it says. In addition, the heads of government of the federal states supported the continued granting of a claim for compensation by parents who take care of their children as a result of the pandemic.