No 2G in retail, more viewers: Corona rules in Hesse are being relaxed

Volker Bouffier (CDU) commented on the new corona rules in Hesse on Wednesday (February 2nd, 2022). An overview.

Wiesbaden – Hesse wants to lift the 2G rule for all retail in the state. Since the corona pandemic is not over yet, we must continue to act cautiously, said Prime Minister Volker Bouffier (CDU) on Wednesday evening (February 2nd, 2022) in the state parliament in Wiesbaden. Therefore, in the future, wearing FFP2 masks will be mandatory for all retail trade in Hesse.

2G means that only those who have been vaccinated or have recovered have access. So far, everyday shops such as grocery stores or pharmacies have been exempt from the 2G obligation in Hesse. It no longer makes sense to differentiate between basic needs stores and other retailers, Bouffier explained. In addition, the industry is under enormous pressure.

New corona rules in Hesse: loosening for events is coming

Bouffier also announced the limited return of spectators to sporting and cultural events. Hesse will take over the decisions of the heads of the state and senate chanceries. According to this, up to 10,000 people should be allowed to attend large national events outdoors with a maximum occupancy rate of 50 percent.

Indoors, the permissible occupancy rate should be a maximum of 30 percent of the respective maximum capacity, but not more than a total of 4000 spectators. The 2G plus rule basically applies to visitors here, said the head of government. He very much welcomes these nationwide uniform decisions.

The Hessian Corona Cabinet will now deal with the planned new regulations. The intention is that the measures will come into force early next week.

Live ticker: easing in Hesse? Bouffier makes a statement on Corona rules

+++8.09 p.m.: Richter turns to the Corona walkers and says their actions are “good”. Because the walkers would do exactly what politicians have been demanding for years, “namely to show civil courage in the fight for a well-fortified democracy”.

+++8.05 p.m.: Richter is of the opinion that “the people are hanging on the needle of the pharmaceutical industry” and that the Hessian state government does not want to admit that it has placed too much trust in vaccines that do not deliver what they promise.

+++8:04 p.m.: Volker Richter (AfD) steps behind the desk.

+++7.55 p.m.: Böhm makes it clear that there must be more PCR test options in the public sector. Your party has repeatedly demanded this. She blames the state government for having made major omissions on this issue.

+++7.51 p.m.: Böhm criticizes Bouffier for the new regulations with regard to events. It seems Bouffier’s only concern is being able to go back to a football stadium, while the epidemic in schools and day care centers is a big issue and is not decreasing, she explains.

+++7.50 p.m.: Christiane Böhm (Die Linke) takes over the microphone.

+++7.45 p.m.: Schad (CDU) expresses harsh criticism of the new federal government and Federal Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach. In his eyes, they are “incapable of acting”, especially with regard to the stagnating vaccination rate and the obligation to vaccinate.

+++7.40 p.m.: Max Schad (CDU) thanks Volker Bouffier for the new resolutions. They are “a good and balanced answer to the current situation”.

+++7:36 p.m.: Schad (CDU) begins his speech with a thank you to the Hessians, who are still following the rules in the third year of the pandemic to protect themselves and others. He emphasizes that one should not always focus only on the minority who draw attention to themselves in the media through Corona walks, but also look at those who have been participating in the same restrictions and adhering to them since the same time.

+++7:36 p.m.: Max Schad (CDU) steps in front of the microphone.

+++7.35 p.m.: Pürsün (FDP) blames the government for not having made the decision about retail earlier. In the past, Hesse has always played the role of the “latecomer”.

+++7.29 p.m.: Yanki Pürsün (FDP) is pleased that over 80% of Hessians over the age of 12 have opted for full vaccination protection. Not everyone in Hesse is able to find out enough about the vaccination. He therefore sees the country as having a duty to approach these people with an information campaign. “Instead, in Germany we have what is probably the most boring vaccination campaign in the world,” says Pürsün.

+++7.27 p.m.: Pürsün (FDP) explains that Corona policy should not only take place out of the government, but belongs in the plenum. To make faster decisions.

+++7.26 p.m.: Bouffier has finished his speech. Yanki Pürsün (FDP) steps in front of the microphone.

+++7.25 p.m.: Bouffier emphasizes that the pandemic is not over and the country therefore intends to remain cautious.

+++7.21 p.m.: In order to relieve the retail trade, there should no longer be a 2G rule in the future. In order not to lose sight of safety, the state of Hesse wants to introduce an FFP2 mask requirement in the entire retail trade.

+++7.19 p.m.: Bouffier: “It makes no sense to continue the division between basic needs and other retail in the pandemic.”

+++7.17 p.m.: Bouffier says he very much welcomes the new resolutions and touches on another area that hasn’t been sufficiently discussed: retail.

+++7.16 p.m.: In the future, a maximum capacity of 50% should be possible for outdoor events. There is a cap of a maximum of 10,000 people. A maximum of 30% of the capacity is possible indoors. Again, there is a cap: a maximum of 4,000 people. Despite all this, 2G+ applies to all events.

+++7.15 p.m.: Bouffier explains that all countries have agreed on a uniform regulation.

+++7.14 p.m.: Bouffier admits that events (sport, culture) were not sufficiently considered in the past conference.

+++7.13 p.m.: Prime Minister Volker Bouffier steps in front of the microphone.

+++7.03 p.m.: The ticker will start shortly.

Live: easing in Hesse? Bouffier makes a statement on Corona rules

Update from Wednesday, February 2nd, 2022, 6:27 p.m.: The state of Hesse wants to create clarity when it comes to corona rules. This Wednesday evening (February 2nd, 2022), Prime Minister Volker Bouffier (CDU) is to make a statement on how the federal state will deal with the 2G regulation and events in the future. Around 35 minutes are planned for the debate in the Hessian state parliament. We are reporting live here. Relaxation is conceivable, for example for shops and sporting events (see first report from 02/01/2022 below).

Is Hessen relaxing the Corona rules? Country plans adjustment of measures

First report from Tuesday, February 1st, 2022, 1:48 p.m.: Wiesbaden – Hessen plans to change the corona-Rules*. “The Hessian state government will adjust the regulation, both in the 2G regulation and in the events,” said a government spokesman at the request of the German Press Agency on Tuesday in Wiesbaden. “We will promptly present a solution that will create clarity; this is currently being worked on.”

The operator of three fashion houses in Hanau recently reached before the administrative court in Frankfurt that it can initially operate its business without applying the 2G rule. The Trade Association Hesse* had then asked the state government to generally end 2G for retail.

Corona: State government in Hesse wants to rethink 2G in retail

The woman had argued that it was incomprehensible why not only businesses that provide acute care for the population such as pharmacies, drugstores, petrol stations, but also garden centers and flower shops are exempt from the 2G rule, while clothing and fashion shops should not be part of the basic supply.

In the decision, which is not yet final, the court came to the conclusion that the applicant’s fundamental right to equal treatment had been violated by the Coronavirus Protection Ordinance. The ordinance does not provide sufficient certainty as to which shops should fall under the 2G access restriction. The court asserted that in the social security code, clothing was mentioned as a standard requirement to secure a living, in addition to nutrition, personal hygiene and household effects.

Bouffier’s push to relax the corona rules

The current Hessian Corona rules apply until February 12th. The next Corona federal and state consultations are to take place four days later. In the previous round, Hesse’s Prime Minister Volker Bouffier (CDU) advocated a limited return of spectators to sporting and cultural events.

Bouffier’s initiative envisaged that, under certain hygienic conditions, 25 percent of the spectator capacity could be used both indoors and outdoors at cultural and sporting events.

However, because no agreement could be reached on the issue during the consultations between the federal and state governments, the state and senate chancelleries were asked to agree on a uniform regulation for major national events by February 9th. (dpa) *fnp.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA.