Germany’s federal and state governments will meet once again on Tuesday to discuss possible further restrictions to combat the spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19. Sources close to the government suggest that new contact restrictions are possible - but they will probably not come into effect until after the Christmas holidays. 

Federal and state governments hold last-minute COVID summit

As Bild reported on Sunday evening, the federal government has convened a last-minute meeting with Germany’s federal states, to discuss how to proceed over the Christmas period to prevent the spread of Omicron, limit infections, and lessen the burden on the healthcare system. 

In a document drawn up by the State Premiers’ Conference, which was seen by Bild, ministers call for new measures to protect hospitals and the emergency services in the first weeks of 2022. The focus of discussions will mainly be on further contact- reducing measures - for instance asking people to avoid larger gatherings, wear FFP2 masks, and test themselves more regularly with rapid tests.

Contact restrictions could come before New Year’s Eve in Germany

RND also reports, citing inner circles, that the government plans to extend contact restrictions to include vaccinated and recovered people, as well as unvaccinated people. One document suggests an upper limit of 25 participants at gatherings indoors, and 100 people at gatherings outdoors. The government is also considering ordering the closure of nightclubs. 

It is expected that these restrictions will not come into effect before Christmas, but might make an appearance before the end of the year, meaning that New Year’s Eve events will likely have to be much smaller. 

Lockdown has so far been ruled out

So far, Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach has ruled out a lockdown before Christmas, despite some of his colleagues sounding the alarm over Omicron. “No, we won’t have a lockdown - like in the Netherlands, before Christmas - we won’t have that here,” he told Bericht aus Berlin. 

Hendrik Wüst, state premier of North Rhine-Westphalia and head of the State Premiers’ Conference, also ruled out a pre-Christmas lockdown, but he did warn that tougher contact restrictions would come before the end of the year. “Big New Year’s Eve parties will not be possible,” he said on ARD.