Starting next week, the government will implement a series of measures to prevent hospitals from creaking under the pressure of a fourth wave and to further reduce the number of infections, as the potentially more infectious Omicron variant has been reported. in Europe.

While the Luxembourg health system is still able to cope with the number of hospitalizations (60 patients currently – against 37 last month – including 10 in intensive care), long-term care cannot be provided and others major surgeries and procedures must be unfairly postponed, says the prime minister.

The most frequent infections concern young people under the age of 12, that is to say people who have not been vaccinated. There have been repeated calls for people to be vaccinated, but also to further reduce social contact.

2G for leisure, 3G for work

From next week, the 2G diet, that is, vaccinated or cured of Covid, will become the norm for leisure activities, including dining, cinema, sport or culture. Unvaccinated people will be excluded from these activities. This also includes the Christmas market. Employees at these workplaces can be part of the 3G plan, which includes daily testing.

the 3G regime, which covers those vaccinated, recovered or tested with a rapid antigen test, will become mandatory in the workplace, but Bettel explained that the measure will not go into effect until January to allow people to accept the invitation for a vaccine.

There will also be no more identity checks to prevent people from using someone else’s QR code or using forged documents. In the future, this will no longer need to be done by the police; establishments will be allowed to verify identities as organizers could be subject to fines by allowing entry of people with false codes.

the validity of tests is shrinking; 48 hours for PCR tests (instead of 72 hours) and 24 hours for rapid antigen tests (instead of 48 hours).

With the holiday season Going forward, both ministers urge everyone to do a self-test before gatherings or private parties, as most clusters occur in private settings. Bettel says that is why they are introducing the new measures as soon as possible instead of waiting until December 18, when the current Covid law expires. It is recommended that people wear masks.

Mandatory vaccines remain a thorny issue and the government cannot force people to take a jab, says Bettel. These new measures are designed to help people understand the importance of getting vaccinated – but if these measures did not improve the current situation, the topic of compulsory vaccination as a last resort cannot be ruled out, says Bettel.

Home office is recommended, but not required. As regards frontier workers, Luxembourg still has to find an agreement with the countries concerned in order to avoid administrative problems for these employees. Discussions are ongoing.

AstraZeneca: Booster after 4 months

People who received a duplicate AstraZeneca The vaccine may already be boosted after four months, Bettel said. They can do this immediately and don’t have to wait for an invitation from the health service.

Those who have been vaccinated with Johnson & johnson already have the option of reserving a jab booster.

Protests against government decisions

There is no perfect solution, says Lenert. The ministry works alongside municipal councils to try to reach those considered to be marginalized, to give access to all and to make vaccination as easy as possible.

Addressing the White March, Bettel argues that, of course, people are free to protest. But he says they can’t ignore the fact that people are suffering from this virus, especially if you are looking at intensive care units.