After the federal-state resolutions on new restrictions due to the Omikron variant, the Hessian Corona Cabinet met and found a "paradoxical situation", as Prime Minister Volker Boufier told the press in the morning.

The indicators of hospitalization incidence and bed occupancy in corona intensive care units point in the right direction, on the other hand, the new, spreading virus variant Omikron is considered very contagious.

Thorsten Winter

Business editor and internet coordinator in the Rhein-Main-Zeitung.

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"We have no reason to panic, but every reason to be careful and take the greatest possible precaution," said Bouffier.

The resolutions that have now been announced are therefore valid for a short time.

Nobody can say what the situation will be like in three weeks.

"It is not a situation of relaxation, but of great tension".

Bouffier called for testing before meetings.

Only "recommendation" for meetings at home

The new resolutions come into force on December 28th and should apply until January 13th.

Contacts in public spaces are limited to ten people, children up to 15 years of age are not included.

For domestic meetings, leave the country with a recommendation and a serious warning.

According to the federal-state meeting, the following applies to large events: spectators are excluded from events with a supraregional character.

This applies to culture, sport and other parts of public life.

The catch is: Nobody can define what “supra-regional” means.

Hesse therefore takes the limit of 250 participants who identify major events.

“The usual hygiene rules naturally apply,” says Bouffier.

Clubs and dance halls would have to close, just like in hotspots like Offenbach.

Hessen will revise with a view to the critical infrastructure such as health care and police.

"Politics overslept a bit again"

According to the Frankfurt virologist Martin Stürmer, the resolutions of the federal-state round to contain the corona pandemic come too late. "With the doubling rate that Omikron shows, every day is important," said Stürmer loudly on Wednesday on Deutschlandfunk. Omikron was not just a threat since yesterday. Politicians could certainly be accused of having "overslept again" with the late meeting.

“Of course we all want to get back to normal.

We want to enjoy these holidays and take a break.

But I don't think we can send the signal to relax, ”said Striker.

He had the feeling that the signal was being conveyed, "We can still relax over Christmas, then we will apply the brakes again".

The chairman of the Standing Vaccination Commission, Thomas Mertens, also advocates putting new restrictions into effect "very quickly".

It is important to severely restrict contacts between people.