Status: 07.01.2022 4:28 p.m.
At their meeting, the federal and state governments agreed on further corona measures in view of the Omikron variant: The 2G-Plus rule will be introduced in the catering trade, the quarantine times will be shortened.
In the fight against the spread of the Omikron variant of the corona virus, the federal and state governments have agreed on further access restrictions in the catering trade. Nationwide and regardless of the incidence, access to restaurants and cafés should therefore only be possible for vaccinated and convalescent people with a daily corona test or with proof of a booster vaccination.
According to the reports, the tightening should apply in the short term. However, since a corresponding cabinet decision is still necessary, the exact time is still open, writes the “Tagesspiegel”. In a resolution proposal for today’s federal-state deliberations, January 15 was previously mentioned as a possible date.
When implementing the regulation, the federal states want to “pay special attention to bars and pubs,” reports “Spiegel”, referring to the decision paper.
Reduced quarantine and isolation times
In addition, the prime ministers and the federal government have agreed to shorten the quarantine and isolation times, reported the Reuters news agency, citing groups of participants. Accordingly, the quarantine for contact persons and the isolation of infected people should be shortened and simplified.
So far, quarantine and isolation can apply for up to 14 days, depending on the virus variant, vaccination and recovery status. When it comes to omicrons, for example, there are no exceptions for those who have been vaccinated. In the future, contact persons who already have a booster vaccination will be exempt from quarantine, reported the dpa news agency.
Free time after seven days
For all others, isolation or quarantine should generally end after ten days. Infected and contact persons should be able to test themselves free after seven days by means of a PCR test or a certified rapid antigen test with evidence. This should also ensure the ability to work in the critical infrastructure, for example in the health sector, police or fire department.
However, like all individual items, the new quarantine rules are subject to an overall decision on all parts of the agreements.
No determination of the epidemic situation
A request previously made by the federal states led by the Union to have the Bundestag re-establish the epidemic situation on a national level did not make it into the federal-state resolution, “Spiegel” reported.
In a corresponding draft resolution it was stated that the Federal Government’s Expert Council was demanding “on the basis of its analysis of the situation report that it must be possible to react quickly to dynamic developments with additional protective measures at any time”. Therefore, the Bundestag must expand the options for action to combat pandemics by means of a new resolution to determine the epidemic situation of national scope.