Courtesy Translation: Minister President Volker Bouffier on the step-by-step plan

Courtesy Photo | Icon to accompany courtesy translations from the state of Hessen  

WIESBADEN, HESSEN, GERMANY

05.12.2021

Story by Nadine Bower 

U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden   

Press Release from the Hessen State Government from 12 MAY 2021
Courtesy Translation: Nadine Bower, Public Affairs Specialist

Minister President Volker Bouffier on the step-by-step plan

In view of the declining infection numbers, the cabinet of the Hessen state government today discussed the next steps in the Corona pandemic and defined new regulations in a step-by-step plan. These will apply gradually as soon as the incidence levels drop below 100 on five consecutive working days in a county or a district-free city and the federal emergency brake measures no longer apply there. In the aftermath of the meeting, the Hessen Minister President Volker Bouffier and his deputy, Hessen's Minister of Economic Affairs Tarek Al-Wazir, informed about the decisions taken and presented the opening steps.

"The current developments give us reason to hope: the numbers have not exploded, the federal emergency brake is starting to act slowly, the incidence figures are falling – in many places even below 100. At the same time, the vaccination rate is steadily increasing. Although we are still in the middle of the pandemic, the current situation allows us to look to the future with confidence," said Minister President Volker Bouffier and his deputy Tarek Al-Wazir. "We have now vaccinated a third of the Hessen population at least once. In addition, three counties in Hessen have already ended the federal emergency brake and we can expect more areas to follow in the coming days. That is why we have adopted new measures today, which should take effect gradually as soon as the federal emergency brake in the respective counties or the district-free cities comes into force, where the incidence levels dropped below 100. With our step-by-step plan, we are giving the population concrete and important opening prospects for the coming months, especially in areas such as daycare centers, schools, retail, hotels, gastronomy, the cultural sector and sports. At the same time, we are showing that we continue to act responsibly and calmly, because of course we are aware that the third wave is not over."

New measures starting on 17 May

As the head of the state government explained, the new measures are to take effect in the first stage in the counties or district-free cities, which are no longer covered by the restrictions of the federal emergency brake on or from May 17. The investigation shall also take into account the days before the amendment to the regulation enters into force. A second stage provides for further easing if the incidence after levels are below 100 for an additional 14 consecutive days or if it is below 50 for five consecutive days.

The rules cover many areas of public and private life, such as daycare centers and schools. Starting with an incidence level of less than 100, classes 1 to 6 as well as the final classes could receive classroom lessons, and classes 7 to 11 alternating lessons. Level 2 provides for classroom lessons for all grades with a test requirement twice a week. "In this way, we are creating a bit of normal school life for students, which they have had to do without for so long. At the same time, this easing offers a great relief for parents," said Bouffier.

"In the context of the coming summer months, we are also particularly pleased to be able to make gradual relaxations in the area of gastronomy and tourism – as soon as the incidence levels allow it," the head of the government added. Previously, the state government had exchanged views on these steps in discussions with the German Hotel and Restaurant Association and the Trade Association.

Hessen's Minister of Economic Affairs, Tarek Al-Wazir, said: "After many months of closure, the first opening steps are a very important signal to the gastro industry and to tourism. And for the citizens, it means a bit of normality. One thing is clear: those entrepreneurs who have been particularly hit by the Corona restrictions have also contributed to the fact that the virus does not spread further. Let us not jeopardize what has been achieved, but with caution and distance, we will ensure that other areas of social life that have been forced to rest for months can gradually reopen, such as the cultural sector, the event industry and the leisure industry. We can all be happy about every possible opening step, but we must not be reckless. If the incidence levels were to rise again above 100 for three days, these openings would have to be reversed. This would be extremely regrettable for everyone, but particularly bad for the areas concerned. It still depends on the common sense of everyone, so that we do not experience setbacks again."

"The steps-plan also offers a good perspective for leisure and amateur sports, from which children and young people in particular, and especially the many sports clubs, benefit. They can continue their important work," Bouffier concluded.


Contact rules

Step 1: Two households (vaccinated/recovered do not count)

Step 2: Two households or 10 persons (vaccinated/recovered/children under 14 do not count)


Shopping / Retail

Step 1: Extended daily needs stores are open: as before

- Other retail: "Click and meet", medical mask, test is recommended

Step 2: All stores open with access restrictions and mask requirement, test is recommended


Gastronomy/Tourism

Step 1: Outdoor dining - with restrictions - open: test required, distance rules, seat requirement, contact tracking, etc.

Clubs & discos: Opening for outdoor gastronomy possible

Hotels, holiday homes, youth hostels, campsites, subject to conditions, open; in establishments with communal facilities such as breakfast rooms: capacity utilization max. 60 percent, test on arrival + 2 times testing per week

Step 2: Inside - with restrictions - open: test required, distance requirements, seat requirement, contact tracking, etc.

Outside - with restrictions - open: distance, seat obligation, contact tracking, etc. Current test recommended.

Clubs & discos: Opening as bar/gastronomy possible

Hotels, holiday homes, youth hostels, campsites, subject to restrictions, open; in establishments with shared facilities: capacity utilization max. 75 percent, test on arrival + 2x per week


Sports

Step 1: With contact rules possible. Gyms (with contact data collection, current test and appointment), swimming pools closed.

Group sports for children (up to and including 14): as before possible

Step 2: Team sports - with hygiene requirements - possible. Current test recommended. Swimming pools open.


Culture and leisure

Step 1: Outside (zoos, open-air museums, amusement parks): open with conditions and prior registration.

Indoors (museums, castles, zoos): with prior registration & medical mask, test recommended.

Step 2: open with restrictions (including interior areas of amusement parks). Current test recommended.


Events

Step 1: Indoors: Only possible for specific purposes, subject to conditions (particularly professional, worship, public interest)

Outside: Up to 100 (unvaccinated) people possible. Strict requirements: contact tracking, current test, etc. More participants possible in individual cases

Step 2: Indoors: Up to 100 (unvaccinated) persons - with restrictions - possible: current test, contact data collection, etc. More participants possible in individual cases.

Outdoor: Up to 200 (unvaccinated) people, current test recommended


Services / Personal Care

Step 1: Open with conditions: appointment obligation, contact data collection + current test

Step 2: Open with conditions: appointment obligation, contact data collection + current test recommended


Kita/Childcare

Steps 1 and 2: Regular operation under pandemic conditions


Schools

Step 1: Grades 1-6: In-person classes, Grades: 7-11 alternating classes, Graduation Classes: In-person lessons

Mandatory tests: Twice per week

Step 2: All grades: Classroom lessons, test obligation twice per week


For more information:

These areas are no longer covered by the Federal Emergency Brake:

Hochtaunuskreis
Vogelsbergkreis
Wetteraukreis

Under the following link, the Hessen Ministry of Social Affairs and Integration publishes which requirements of the Federal Emergency Brake apply according to the RKI. There, you will find all counties with their respective incidences and the corresponding regulations, including those that apply as a result of the cabinet decision of the Hessen state government in local authorities with an incidence of less than 100: https://hessenlink.de/BFxfz


The current vaccination status in Hessen:

In recent weeks, the federal government has delivered more vaccines than ever before to Hessen. Up to and including Tuesday May 11, 2021) exactly 2,711,174 million doses of vaccination were administered in Hesse. More than 2.1 million vaccinations were carried out in the vaccination centers, and more than 580,000 vaccinations were carried out by the family doctor. With a vaccination rate of 34.1 percent for the first vaccinations (2,145,081 million first vaccinations), Hessen is in 7th place in the federal ranking. Nine percent of Hessen’s population (566,093) has already received their second vaccination.


Vaccination progress in the vaccination centers:

Vaccination is progressing faster and faster in Hessen and more and more people can be vaccinated in the 28 Hessen vaccination centers. While in April more than 180,000 people could be vaccinated per week, in the past two weeks more than 200,000 people have already been vaccinated in the vaccination centers. 214,000 vaccinations last week are the previous weekly record. Within a calendar week, almost all the doses of vaccination that the state makes available to the vaccination centers were also given out. Specific provisions of the counties are not necessary. More than 30,000 people are now vaccinated every day in the vaccination centers.

Current vaccination numbers are published regularly on https://impfdashboard.de or https://www.rki.de/DE/Content/InfAZ/N/Neuartiges_Coronavirus/Daten/Impfquoten-Tab.html

Testing
The legally required proof that there is no evidence of infection with the SARSCoV2 virus can be provided in several ways:
(a) a certificate on the basis of a molecular biological test (PCR test)
(b) a certificate on the basis of a rapid antigen test
(c) a certificate of a test carried out in the context of employment
(d) an on-site self-test or proof of complete vaccination protection (for 14 days) or a certificate of recovery
The test shall not be older than 24 hours before the beginning of the visit or the use of a facility, offer or service. An event-related self-test on site is suitable for negative proof if it is carried out in front of the employees immediately before entering the respective facility with a negative test result.

Source: https://www.hessen.de/presse/pressemitteilung/ministerpraesident-volker-bouffier-zum-stufenplan?fbclid=IwAR3b3gTGB1hxZeu-eW89J083ow7S-h4Niy2wUp3s4-jexu5TxBQLTCtQGuY

• Date Taken: 05.12.2021
• Date Posted: 05.13.2021 02:50
• Story ID: 396213
• Location: WIESBADEN, HESSEN, DE