At a press conference on the changes on Tuesday, NRW Health Minister Karl-Josef Laumann made it clear in simplified terms that "in NRW we are at 2G in the entire leisure sector and will remain at 2G", i.e. only fully vaccinated or recovered people will have access to leisure facilities. "Where you cannot wear a mask in the leisure sector, we have a 2G-plus regulation," Laumann added. Here, fully vaccinated and recovered persons must additionally prove a negative Corona test.

EASIER FOR VACCINATED PEOPLE: From Thursday, 13 January, people with basic vaccinations and those who have recovered will only be allowed to enter many areas in NRW if they also present a negative test (2G-plus rule). In contrast, people who have already received a Corona booster vaccination will be exempt from the additional testing requirement in many areas. Those who have had the booster vaccination will therefore no longer have to present a test in recreational sports or in the catering industry, among other things. This relief will also apply in NRW to those who have been vaccinated twice and have also recovered, Laumann explained. These people, just like those with a booster, would be able to do sports or visit restaurants without having to take an additional test. The German Hotel and Restaurant Association rejected the tightening as a disproportionate "quasi-lockdown". (Read also: This now applies to boostered, double-vaccinated and convalescents).

STRENGTHENED ACCESS RESTRICTION: The 2G-plus rule will be extended with the new Corona Protection Order, which is valid until 9 February. The restriction of access to immunised persons, who must also have an up-to-date test, already applies to indoor sports, swimming pools and wellness services. It will be extended to visits to catering establishments, for which a negative rapid test certificate no older than 24 hours will also be required. The collection of food and beverages is exempt from the new restriction in the catering sector. In recreational areas, however, where a mask can be worn, the 2G rule will remain.

CORONATESTS ON SITE: As of Thursday, supervised self-tests will suffice as official test proof in many places in NRW. In places where a test is one of the access requirements (3G or 2G-plus), a self-test can be carried out under supervision instead of presenting an official test certificate. This applies, for example, when entering a fitness studio with a test under the supervision of the reception staff or when exercising under the supervision of the trainer, the NRW Ministry of Health explained. However, the supervisors cannot issue test certificates that also entitle the person to enter other places. Only official testing centres can do that. Whether and in what form tests are offered on site is decided by the respective operator.

SUPERVISORS IN SPORTS ARENAS: In North Rhine-Westphalia, sports arenas may again be filled with spectators from Thursday onwards - but for the time being only with a maximum of 750 people. Due to the low authorised capacity, second division football club FC Schalke decided to refrain from a normal ticket allocation for the match on Sunday, 16 January, against Holstein Kiel. In addition to some contingents for the club's employees and social institutions, tickets will be raffled off to the fans of the Königsblauen. At the start of the second half of the season, the Bundesliga clubs had to do without spectators.

MASK DUTY: According to the NRW Ministry of Health, the exemptions from the mandatory wearing of masks will be reduced again and the obligation to wear medical masks will be extended. This relates in particular to the reintroduction of the mask requirement in outdoor queues and at events and gatherings, unless a 3G access rule (vaccinated, recovered or tested) or 2G access rule (vaccinated or recovered) applies to them, it said.

QUARANTINE RULES IN NRW: With regard to the planned shortening of quarantine and isolation after Corona infections, the state of North Rhine-Westphalia wants to wait for the new recommendations of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI). According to the NRW Ministry of Health, the adaptation of the RKI recommendations on so-called contact person management is expected by the beginning of next week. This would, among other things, set uniform national standards for the handling of vaccinated, recovered and boostered persons in the area of quarantine. The adaptation of the testing and quarantine ordinance of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia is then to follow, according to the information provided. (Read also: These quarantine rules currently apply in NRW).

Original text: ga/dpa

Translation: Mareike Graepel