In order to contain the rapidly spreading Corona virus variant Omikron, the federal and state governments have decided to impose stricter restrictions on private and public life.
There should also be contact restrictions for vaccinated persons and genesis.
In the future, major events will again have to take place in front of empty stands.
These and other measures should apply by December 28 at the latest, as the federal government and the state ministers decided on Tuesday.
It is not now the time for big parties on New Year's Eve, said Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) after the switching conference. Therefore, by December 28th at the latest, private meetings for vaccinated and genesis patients are only allowed with a maximum of ten people. Children up to the age of 14 are exempt from this. Clubs and discos must be closed nationwide, dance events are prohibited. This has already been the case in many federal states so far, but was handled differently by some states.
The Chancellor prepared people in Germany for a sharp increase in corona infections from the Omikron variant.
At the moment one is still in a strange intermediate time.
The recently decided measures against the pandemic have had an effect, the fourth corona wave is slowly being brought under control.
But the fifth wave is already looming.
"It won't be over as soon as we had hoped." Omikron will massively increase the number of infections, said Scholz.
"We have to adjust to that now."
Omikron is more aggressive and threatens to undermine vaccination protection.
Only a booster vaccination gives some protection.
Scholz thanked the government's Corona Expert Council, which proposed measures against Omikron on Sunday.
In the fight against the corona virus, the federal and state governments are aiming for a further 30 million booster vaccinations by the end of January.
That would mean three quarters of citizens in Germany would be vaccinated three times, said Scholz.
"Corona does not take a Christmas break." That is why it was decided to continue the vaccination campaign during Christmas and between the years "with undiminished strength".
At the same time, he called for caution and consideration at family gatherings for Christmas.
The Chancellor promoted safety distances, the wearing of masks and additional vaccinations - even for people who had been vaccinated twice.
However, they made a conscious decision to only put the corona measures into effect after the holidays.
Christmas and Easter would not have turned out to be pandemic drivers in the past.