Advertisement

Germany eyes limits on NYE parties to combat Omicron

AFP
AFP - [email protected]
Germany eyes limits on NYE parties to combat Omicron
Feuerwerk wird zu Neujahr bei der ZDF-Silvestershow «Willkommen 2021» am Brandenburger Tor gezündet. Deutschlands größte Silvesterparty in Berlin am Brandenburger Tor ist dieses Jahr coronabedingt abgesagt. +++ dpa-Bildfunk +++

Germany plans to limit private New Year's Eve parties to 10 people, a draft document showed Monday, as it tightens Covid restrictions in a bid to slow the spread of Omicron.

Advertisement

The proposed new rules will target the vaccinated and the unvaccinated alike, though the government has ruled out a strict lockdown ahead of Christmas.

A government proposal shows that from December 28th, Berlin wants to close nightclubs and further reduce the number of people allowed at large events.

The text also proposes caps on private gatherings, with those who are vaccinated or recovered from Covid to be allowed to host just 10 people, a measure specifically aimed at New Year's Eve revellers.

READ MORE: EXPLAINED - German leaders consider new restrictions to fight Omicron wave

Guests themselves must also have immunisation to the virus, the text says.

Advertisement

"New Year's Eve celebrations with a large number of people are unjustifiable in the current situation," reads the draft document.

Those who are unvaccinated can only mingle with a maximum of two other people.

Children under 14 would be excluded from the new rules.

The proposals will be discussed with the leaders of Germany's 16 states on Tuesday.

Germany has so far managed to slow a fierce fourth wave of the pandemic driven by the Delta variant, in part by ramping up booster vaccinations.

The country reported some 16,000 new coronavirus cases on Monday, according to the Robert Koch Institute, down from a peak of more than 75,000 in late November.

Fears are growing about a surge in cases fuelled by Omicron, which was first detected in South Africa and has quickly spurred new waves of infections
around the world.

More

Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.

Please log in to leave a comment.

See Also