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Düsseldorf (dpa / lnw) - North Rhine-Westphalia celebrates Christmas Eve in corona lockdown - and that means restrictions in many areas.
A new entry regulation will then apply from Monday.
Worship services
Despite the corona pandemic and lockdown, the churches in North Rhine-Westphalia want to be present on Christmas Eve.
They rely on digital church services and Christmas masses under strict conditions.
Many services are broadcast live on the Internet, on the radio, or on television.
Classroom services are still allowed under strict hygiene requirements.
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In practice, however, there are hardly any Protestant face-to-face services in North Rhine-Westphalia because the church leaders have largely advised against it.
Many Catholic parishes have also decided against attendance at church services, but not as widely as with the Protestants.
Both churches reject a general cancellation of services - the decision must be made on site.
Due to the high number of corona cases and the high occupancy of several hospitals, the Oberbergische Kreis has banned attendance services until January 10th.
This applies to the municipalities of Radevormwald, Gummersbach, Bergneustadt, Nümbrecht and Waldbröl.
The district appeals to all other churches and religious communities in the district area to also refrain from corresponding face-to-face events.
FAMILY VISITS
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The Corona regulations have been relaxed a little over the festive season: It is possible for your household to meet up with a maximum of four other people from the closest family circle, not including children up to and including 14 years of age.
VISIT TO NURSING HOME
Nursing home operators appeal to relatives to weigh up any visit over the holidays.
Despite the high number of infections, old people's and nursing homes are open.
North Rhine-Westphalia is investing 13.8 million euros so that enough staff is available in old people's homes for corona rapid tests over the Christmas period.
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The administrative court in Aachen ruled on Wednesday that a nursing home can refuse visitors if they refuse a quick test.
The court granted an urgent application from a nursing home in Würselen.
With the application, the nursing home had turned against a regulation in the general decree "Care and visits" of the NRW Ministry of Health.
ENTRY REGULATION FOR AFTER THE HOLIDAYS
After Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia is also introducing compulsory corona testing for travelers from risk areas.
All travelers returning from such areas outside of Germany are subject to a corona test obligation in North Rhine-Westphalia from Monday (December 28).
You are obliged to be tested no more than 24 hours before entry or immediately after arrival.
Air travelers must be offered a test option at the airport at their own expense.
This emerges from a corona entry regulation published by the Ministry of Health on Wednesday evening.
Passengers passing through are not affected by the regulation.
Cross-border commuters and cross-border commuters are also excluded.
On Tuesday, Bavaria had already decided on such a test obligation for travelers returning from risk areas - there it has been in force since Wednesday.
Corona Protection Ordinance