The parliamentary commission will continue to adapt the text for the latest Covid law on Friday, which will primarily see the 2G regime introduced to leisure activities, as well as introducing the 3G CovidCheck system to workplaces from mid-January.
A week after the Prime Minister and Minister of Health announced the proposed changes, the Council of State has given its opinion on the first part of the legal text, which will now permit MPs to work on the full amended law. The council has not yet given its views on the introduction of 3G to the workplace.
Nevertheless, the Council of State has green-lit plans to bring in the more restrictive 2G CovidCheck in the leisure sector, which would see hospitality, sports and cultural establishments reduce their customer base only to those who have either been vaccinated against coronavirus, or those who have recently recovered from the illness. According to the council, the restrictions would not limit personal freedoms in context of the pandemic, as the limited access to leisure activities would be established in the interest of public health. The council said that leisure activities did not constitute a fundamental human right, nor were they considered essential.
The new Covid law will seek to reduce the impact of the ongoing fourth wave, and potential complications arising from the spread of the recently discovered Omicron variant. Around a quarter of the population aged 12 and over is not yet vaccinated against Covid - as a result, the government is focusing on boosting the vaccine rate and keeping the healthcare system from collapse. The council recommended the government follow a precautionary principle, within the legal framework as well.
In its opinion, the Council of State added that the measures would only be effective if the rules are enforced and violations adequately punished, particularly for Horesca establishments or gatherings. For the first time, the new Covid law will introduce the possibility to verify the identity of people in accordance with the CovidCheck, a measure which the council supports. This policy should apply to all forms of photo ID, including passports, identity cards, driver’s licences or student cards.
Experts at Luxembourg’s medical college have also weighed in on the new Covid law. Doctors welcomed the pressure to get vaccinated through the introduction of the 2G system and identity checks, saying vaccination remains the most effective way to get the pandemic under control.
The college also approved of the shorter validity periods for tests (24 hours for rapid tests, 48 hours for PCR tests). In addition, medical staff said they agreed with the government’s proposals to allow minors aged 12-15 to get the jab even if only one parent agrees.
Minors aged 16 and over will no longer need their parents’ permission to be vaccinated. Until now, under-18s could only be vaccinated with the consent of their parents.
On Friday afternoon at 3.30 pm, the Health Commission will meet for the first time to work on the text. The new Covid law could, according to rapporteur Mars di Bartolomeo, be subjected to a vote on Thursday afternoon following budget debates next week. The final text expires on 18th December.
