Soon it will be of no use to carry out a PCR test to eat in a restaurant or take part in a gathering of more than 200 people indoors. The government plans to subject these activities to the so called 2G scheme, "geheelt, geimpft", meaning vaccinated or recovered. Questions have risen regarding the Christmas market, an outdoor gathering which can attract large amounts of people, especially on weekends. The ministry of health says that it would be necessary to “wait for the new Covid law to be tabled”, while pointing out that “events” would be open to those who are vaccinated or recovered.

In the meantime, some municipalities such as Esch-sur-Alzette have already taken action. Its Christmas market has been open only to vaccinated or recovered people since Wednesday. On site, GDL Security agents check the QR codes of visitors. On the CovidCheck application, however, it is impossible to see whether the person is presenting a negative test, certificate of recovery or of vaccination. The agents are, however, refusing people who present a paper certificate for a negative test. This Wednesday, several visitors who had only been tested had the unpleasant surprise of being turned away at the entrance to the market located on the Place de l'Hôtel de Ville. When contacted, the local authorities did not give any explanation to Delano's sister publication Paperjam about this rather ambiguous system, which raises questions about the implementation of a law that has not yet been debated and voted. The Christmas market has been open since 19 November and should remain open until 22 December.

Waiting for the law

The Differdange Christmas market plans to switch to the same system as Esch-sur-Alzette on Monday 6 December only if the law allows it and if the CovidCheck application has been updated by then. Otherwise they will wait. In the meantime, the Christmas market will be open to the public under the CovidCheck scheme on Friday evening, 3 December, and is due to close on 21 December.

For its part, Luxembourg City “will examine the new measures as soon as the practical details are known”. Their implementation at the Christmas market, in place since 19 November and until 2 January, will be “decided by the aldermanic college” afterwards. Mamer has also not yet decided whether it will restrict its “Winter moments” to vaccinated or recovered people. “There will certainly be a change. We are waiting to see the law and will adapt to the measures,” say the local authorities in Mamer. There, the festivities started on 26 November and will last until 2 January.

When contacted, the city of Dudelange has not yet replied to Paperjam but indicates on its website that the visit of Saint Nicolas, scheduled for Sunday 5 December, is cancelled due to the pandemic's evolution.

This story was first published in French on . It has been translated and edited for Delano.