Based on the agreement between the Federal Chancellor and the heads of government of the federal states, the state government today adopted the 5th SARS-CoV-2 Containment Ordinance, which comes into force on 23 January.
A press release from the state government states, among other things:
"The existing restrictions due to the corona pandemic will be extended in Brandenburg up to and including 14 February and some additional restrictions will be imposed. [...]
A 7-day incidence value of 224.7 per 100,000 inhabitants was reported for today. Although this is below the 3 highest values in January (299.3 on 11 January; 290.8 on 10 January; 286.1 on 12 January), it is well above the target value of 50. Permanent values below 50 are necessary in order to develop opening perspectives, e.g. for trade, gastronomy and culture.
In addition to the extension of the existing restrictions beyond 31 January up to and including 14 February, the new ordinance stipulates or results from the MPK decision:
- Employers will be obliged to enable their employees to work from home, provided the job allows it and the technical requirements are met. They should also offer flexible working hours so that commuter traffic can be equalised. This is provided for in the draft of the new Corona Occupational Health and Safety Ordinance of the Federal Ministry of Labour.
- The number of passengers travelling on public transport must be reduced. This is to be achieved through extensive home office use, equalisation of passenger volumes during peak times and - where possible and necessary - through the use of additional means of transport.
- In future, so-called medical face masks must be worn on public transport (e.g. surgical masks or FFP2 masks).
- This also applies to customers in shops and in front of sales outlets, for example in associated car parks. Staff must wear a face mask as a minimum, but are exempt from wearing one if they do not come into direct contact with customers or if there are suitable technical devices (e.g. protective screens at checkouts).
- Corresponding masks are also mandatory for the permitted body-related services.
- This requirement also applies to workplaces and operating sites as well as office and administration buildings. This does not apply at fixed workplaces or if the minimum distance of 1.5 metres can be maintained.
- Special protective measures must be taken for retirement and care homes. It is therefore essential that the mandatory rapid tests are carried out several times a week for employees. FFP2 masks must be used for employees in contact with residents. The federal and state governments have launched an initiative to support facilities that are unable to carry out the tests, e.g. for staffing or organisational reasons.
- The obligation to wear and test also applies to outpatient care services, semi-stationary care facilities and semi-stationary facilities for integration assistance.
- The following must be observed for religious services: minimum distance of 1.5 metres, covering mouth and nose, no singing and registration of events with more than 10 people expected with the responsible public order office at least 2 days in advance. This does not apply to religious and ideological communities that have established a hygiene concept that meets the requirements published by the Ministry of Science, Research and Culture (hygiene framework concept).
Schools and daycare centres were once again a central topic of debate at the MPK. Distance learning is used in Brandenburg. Exceptions with face-to-face teaching exist for final-year classes and for special schools GE ("intellectual development").
Parents of daycare centre children are urged to look after their children at home as far as possible. However, for those where this is not possible, the childcare option remains at the daycare centre.
In districts or independent cities with particularly high infection rates, daycare centres must be closed if the 7-day incidence exceeds 300 over several days. Emergency childcare is offered. Even in districts or independent cities with an incidence below 300, daycare centres can be closed by the district councillors or mayors if this is necessary due to the regional incidence of infection.
As with the lockdown in spring, the state will pay parental contributions if childcare is provided at home. What is new, however, is the option of splitting the fees (e.g. 3 days at home, 2 days at the daycare centre). In this case, the state will pay a proportion of the fees.
The state is expected to spend up to 15 million euros per month from the coronavirus rescue fund for this purpose. The necessary directive from the Ministry of Youth is currently being finalised. It is to apply retroactively from 1 January 2021.
Additional support is provided by the amendment to the children's daily sickness allowance passed by the Bundestag and Bundesrat at short notice. This has been doubled from ten to 20 days per child per parent for 2021, and from 20 to 40 days per child for single parents."