On Monday, the Hessian Corona Cabinet laid down the planned easing of the Corona rules in several steps and issued a corresponding ordinance.

This should apply until March 19th.

After almost two years of the pandemic, most of the restrictions will no longer apply.

The reason is the "general expectation" that the omicron wave has passed its peak and is going back, said Prime Minister Volker Bouffier (CDU) on Monday.

The pandemic is not over, but the relevant data from the health authorities and clinics indicated that the situation is easing.

As early as Tuesday, all contact restrictions for those who have recovered and those who have been vaccinated will be lifted.

For those who have not been vaccinated, however, they continue to apply – they are only allowed to meet with members of their own household and a maximum of two other people from another household.

Health Minister Kai Klose (Die Grünen) also announced new test requirements in schools.

After a Corona case in a class, the students currently have to test themselves every day for two weeks.

From Tuesday, these daily tests will only be mandatory one week after the corona case occurs.

Otherwise, there will still be three mandatory tests per week for unvaccinated students.

Fully vaccinated or recovered students will be offered voluntary testing.

A relief is promised to students from March 7th.

Then the mask requirement at the seat should be lifted.

However, it will remain on the school grounds.

Larger attendance at events

Another significant easing step from March 4th will primarily affect leisure time, as Bouffier announced.

Then the 3-G rule will apply again inside and outside restaurants, pubs and hotels, according to which vaccinated, recovered and unvaccinated but tested people are allowed in.

2-G-plus currently applies indoors in the catering trade.

Only people who have already received their booster vaccination are allowed in without an additional test, unvaccinated people are not.

At events, the new regulation allows larger numbers of visitors again: A maximum of 25,000 spectators can attend a concert or sporting event outdoors.

Taking into account the 2-G-plus rule, 75 percent utilization is allowed.

The 3G rule applies to events with ten to 500 visitors.

A utilization of up to 100 percent is possible if the hygiene and distance rules are observed.

Up to 6,000 people can take part in large events indoors, with a maximum occupancy rate of 60 percent and if the 2-G-plus rule is observed.

For smaller events in closed rooms with ten to 500 participants, the 3-G rule applies and there is no limit to occupancy, provided that the distance rules can be observed.

From March 4, only the 3-G rule will apply in sports halls, fitness studios, saunas and indoor swimming pools, zoos, botanical gardens and amusement parks, casinos and arcades, castles, museums, galleries and memorial sites, as well as in providers of body-related services.

Wearing a medical mask is required.

Discotheques and clubs can also reopen from March 4th, but the somewhat stricter 2-G-plus rules should apply there, and unvaccinated people are still not allowed to dance.

What restrictions or easing will apply after March 20 is still open, said Bouffier.

The federal legal basis for the protection regulations expires on March 19.

A new law should correspond to the desire of the federal states to be able to react to regional outbreaks with restrictions afterwards, which, to his knowledge, can only be passed by the Bundestag on March 18th.

The Federal Council would then no longer have time for consultation, "they can then only agree or reject," says Bouffier.

Health Minister Klose repeated his appeal that a high vaccination rate is the best protection against Covid 19 disease.

The new protein-based vaccine from Novavax, which will first be distributed to the health authorities and then to resident doctors this week, could be a replacement for the mRNA vaccines for some unvaccinated people.