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Office Information concerning the Coronavirus

Dear client of my office,

since Corona entered our lives in the spring of 2020, a variety of regulations have come into effect, depending on the extent of the infection, that have restricted our behavior and coexistence in different ways.

In addition to the distance rule and mask obligation, a control system was created depending on the vaccination or disease status, which interferes with the freedom of the individual in a graduated manner with the aim of effectively combating the pandemic.

These measures are recorded in the 14th Bayerische Infektionsmaßnahmenverordnung of September 1, 2021, and in a supplement of the Ministerrat of November 9, 2021, which came into force on November 11, 2021. Further supplements depending on the infection occurrence are to be expected in the following weeks.

On the one hand, the 3G, 3G+ and 2G system has applied since then, and on the other hand, the so-called Krankenhausampel decides which restrictions are to be imposed in concrete terms. Depending on the current manifestation of the pandemic, there are different conditions for visiting certain places or events.

I. The system 3G, 3G+, 2G

1. 3G (vaccinated, tested, recovered)

Places or events where 3G applies may be visited by those who have been vaccinated, recovered or tested, and a rapid test will suffice. Those who do not meet these requirements are not allowed to enter the relevant place.

2. 3G+

Vaccinated and recovered persons may visit these places or events. However, those tested must present a PCR test: the rapid test is no longer sufficient. Other persons are excluded.

3. 2G

Only vaccinated and recovered people are allowed to visit these places or events. All others, even those who have only been tested, are not allowed.

II. The Krankenhausampel

While in the first months of the pandemic the so-called incidence, i.e. the number of infected persons, was decisive for the measures, later on, as the vaccination of the population increased, the Krankenhausampel was introduced. Here, the number of patients in intensive care units infected with Covid-19 or the critical utilization of intensive care beds in Bavarian hospitals determines which contact restriction measures take effect.

If few patients are ill, the Ampel is green, which is associated with extensive freedoms. If the number of patients increases, the Ampel turns yellow: the first restrictions or requirements are imposed, especially on non-vaccinated patients. If the Ampel finally turns red with even higher intensive care bed utilization, the maximum number of restrictions is reached, which also mainly affects non-vaccinated patients.

On the page of the Bayerisches Gesundheitsministerium, you can find out where the Krankenhausampel stands right now and what restrictions apply to you. You can also find charts with explanations and current adjustments to the Krankenhausampel.

As a general rule, vaccinated and recovered individuals still retain extensive freedoms, but unvaccinated individuals - especially in the case of 2G - are affected by significant restrictions.

Your freedom and responsibility

You still have the freedom in our democracy to decide for or against vaccination, i.e. to take responsibility in a pandemic in different ways. This responsibility is - as you know - a personal and a social one. It is about the risk of a vaccination or an illness with and without vaccination and about the question of solidarity, i.e. whether you want to make the spread of the virus more difficult and relieve the health care system with the vaccination.

I cannot take the answer to this question from you and respect your freedom in one direction or the other. However, I may inform you that I personally decided to receive the vaccination, and in the meantime, after the first and second vaccination, I have also received the booster vaccination. I have tolerated all three vaccinations very well.

Therapy and protection

While in early phases of the pandemic, especially during the lockdown, services that required physical proximity were prohibited in hotspots except for medically necessary treatments, this regulation was later abandoned. In addition, psychotherapy is not such a service, as there is sufficient safe distance in this case.

With the fourth Bayerische Infektionsschutzmaßnahmenverordnung and a decision of the Bayerischer Verwaltungsgerichtshof of 14.6.2020, the wearing of a mask can be waived if a minimum distance of 1.5m between therapist and client is maintained and both agree. This means that you will have to wear a mask in the stairwell and when you enter my office. Later, when we are seated with the necessary distance, you may take it off.

Of course, you are free to wear a mask and of course, if you wish, I too will wear a mask.

Currently, you are not required to be vaccinated, recovered, or tested to come to my practice, i.e., there is not yet a legal basis for making the above 2G or 3G rules a prerequisite for psychotherapy. However, this may change rapidly depending on how the pandemic develops. You are welcome to contact me by phone to inquire about the current state of affairs.

Lastly, you reserve the right to switch to the contactless video therapy and thus eliminate any risk of infection.

Not wearing a mask, i.e. ensuring psychotherapy that allows you and me the benefit of full non-verbal communication, is only possible if we adhere to basic hygiene measures in my practice that are designed to protect you and me. These I may now present to you.

 

Measures of Protection and Hygiene
– My Office Guidelines –

1. Basic Remarks

The infection protection and the hygiene are a top priority in our traffic psychological work as well. Only if therapist and client are compliant with these measures, will the necessary safety of protection be ensured. Yet, every visit of my office will retain a residual risk not fully eliminable which everyone accepts who enters my office.

2. Visitor Regulation

a. Client appointments in sufficient time intervals

Client appointments will take place at intervals of one and a half hours. Since each session lasts 75 minutes there will not be a contact between clients. There will also be sufficient time for the necessary procedure of disinfection.

b. Rigorous adherence to the time frame of the therapy

Clients are asked to appear exactly at the time fixed. The sessions will have to close punctually. Although a waiting room is available, it will exclusively be at the disposal of one client.

c. Individual counseling in private conversation

The therapy will exclusively take place in private conversation, i.e. only the psychologist and the client will be in the office. For the time being, no third person (family member, interpreter etc.) will be present. This is necessary to guarantee the safety distance of all visitors in the studio.

3. Hygienic Guidelines

a. Washing one’s hands before the session

Every client is asked to wash his hands immediately after entering the office in the guest toilet. Liquid soap and disposable towels, as well as a disinfection fluid and spray, are available. The therapist will also wash his hands before each session.

b. Disinfection of possible contamination points

Before respectively after each session the arm rests of the client’s chair and the door knobs and handles are disinfected.

c. Keeping a safety distance of at least 1.5 meters (5 feet)

Client and therapist keep under all circumstances the necessary safety distance of at least one and a half meters (5 feet). There will be no handshake. A delivery table is separating the chairs of the client and the therapist. It can be used to share documents.

d. Voluntary use of disposable plastic gloves or a protection mask

The client will be offered disposable gloves and a disposable protection mask which will not remain in the office after use. If he wishes so, the client can also bring his own protective gear. The use is optional. There will be disposable towels on the delivery table which offer extra protection against droplet infection.

4. Self Observation and Health

Client and therapist only visit the office if they are feeling healthy and if they do not observe any of the symptoms of COVID-19 (fever, dry cough, respiratory problems etc.). In such a case it is always possible and necessary to cancel the session. You are helping me if you do so 24 hours in advance.

5. Personal responsibility and self discipline

Therapist and client respect the concept of social distancing. They develop ways to minimize the infection risk when coming to and leaving the office, as well as relating to social contacts.

6. Risk groups

The client decides in own responsibility if he belongs to one of the groups especially endangered by COVID-19 (age, health issues etc.) and thus should better change to video therapy.

I apologize for any inconveniences involved in these measures of protection and hygiene. Only if we all keep to these guidelines will a personal traffic psychological therapy in the office be possible. We have to get used to the fact that a way back to normality will happen step by step. Thus the presented safety measures will have to be followed for some time.

Video Therapy

Alternatively I am offering you video therapy by mobile phone or PC. For this, just call me. I can then mail you the required documents resp. a link with which you can access the online therapy. On an own web page you will find the corresponding detailed information. I will gladly talk you through the steps of installation on the phone, and I am also offering a non-binding test which can show if this kind of counseling is an option for you.

You can reach me by phone Monday to Thursday from 2.30 pm to 4 pm. You can also write an email to keep contact. I hope that in the foreseeable future a certain normalization of life will take place and I am glad that the presented safety measures are now enabling me to personally see you in my studio.

Weblinks

Bavaria:

Bayerische Staatsregierung (Gesundheitsministerium)
Verlängerung von Maßnahmen anlässlich der Corona-Pandemie vom 16. April 2020

Bayerische Staatskanzlei
Neunte Bayerische Infektionsschutzmaßnahmenverordnung vom 30. November 2020

Bayerische Staatsregierung
Bericht aus der Kabinettssitzung vom 6. Dezember 2020

Bayerische Staatsregierung (Innenministerium)
Informationen zum Coronavirus sowie FAQ zur Ausgangsbeschränkung

Bayerisches Landesamt für Gesundheit und Lebensmittelsicherheit
Übersicht der aktuellen Fallzahlen von Coronavirusinfektionen in Bayern

Germany:

Bundesregierung
Coronavirus in Deutschland – Aktuelles von der Bundesregierung

Bundesregierung sowie Regierungschefs der Länder
Beschluss vom 15.4.2020

Robert-Koch-Institut
Antworten auf häufig gestellte Fragen zum Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2

Robert-Koch-Institut
COVID-19-Dashboard (Bundesweite Fallzahlen)

International:

Our World in Data
Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) – Statistics and Research

John Hopkins University & Medicine
Coronavirus Resource Center

World Health Organization
Daily Situation Reports

Take care!

Yours,

Dr. Matthias Junker

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