Covid-19, Covidcheck FAQ

Legal documents — measures to combat the Covid-19 pandemic.

Covid law updated (Law of March 24th 2023)

Repeal of the mandatory wearing of masks

• The obligation to wear a mask is abolished including in hospitals and medical places.

End of the isolation period

• Isolation of infected persons is no longer mandatory in case of a positive test.

In case of infection

• Only the recommendations are maintained:
  screening test, hygiene measures, as well as avoiding contact with fragile or immunocompromised people.

Covid law updated (Law of October 27th 2022)

Shortening of the isolation period

• The isolation period for infected persons is now reduced from seven to four days.

Contact tracing

• Systematic contact tracing is abolished.

Covid law updated (Law of March 11th 2022)

Lifting of health restrictions

• The wearing of a mask and the CovidCheck scheme are no longer compulsory in companies.

Recommended health measures and habits to maintain

• Refer to the temporary recommendations of the Health Department for individuals (PDF via sante.public.lu)

Covid law updated (Law of February 11th 2022)

CovidCheck in companies

• CovidCheck in the workplace is no longer mandatory but optional.
• The employer decides on the implementation of CovidCheck (3G scheme - vaccinated, cured, tested: PCR or certified rapid test).
• Mask wearing and social distancing rules remain even though the CovidCheck scheme has been discontinued.

Quarantine

• Contact cases: Quarantine is removed (vaccinated and unvaccinated persons).
• Positive cases: the isolation period can be shortened if two negative antigenic tests are performed 24 hours apart.

New Covid law adopted (Law of January 12th 2022)

Vaccination certificate validity

• The vaccination certificate is valid for nine months (or 270 days) from the last dose received.
• The vaccination certificate is valid indefinitely for people who have received their booster dose.

2G+ scheme

• No mandatory testing for those who have received their booster dose.
• No mandatory testing for people with a complete vaccination schedule of less than 6 months (180 days).
• No mandatory testing for cured persons with a certificate of recovery of less than 6 months (180 days).

Isolation of positive tested persons

• The duration of isolation period is reduced to six days (instead of 10) for persons with a complete vaccination schedule of less than 6 months or a booster dose, as long as two negative rapid antigen tests are performed on the fifth and sixth day..

CovidCheck mandatory in companies from 15 January 2022

The CovidCheck at Work scheme (3G: Vaccinated, Recovered or Tested) will apply to all employees from 15 January until 28 February 2022.
Employees who are not vaccinated or recovered by this date will be required to provide certified rapid antigen tests (valid for 24 hours) every day or PCR tests (valid for 48 hours). The tests will remain at the employees’ expense.

Those who do not present a valid CovidCheck will not be able to work on site(s) or will have to take leave.
The government encourages teleworking.

Employers can create a list of vaccinated or cured employees (name and CovidCheck validity period) to simplify the daily CovidChecks verification. The registration on this list must be voluntary. Individuals on the list may request to remove their name at any time, without any justification. This list will have to be deleted after the expiration of this law.

Company canteens and restaurants are also subject to the CovidCheck (2G) scheme.

As of January 14, 2022, employees with a first dose will be able to receive 20 free certified antigenic self-tests while waiting for their second dose of vaccine.

Reminder: the CovidCheck does not dispense with the wearing of a mask due to the hyper-contagiousness of this coronavirus.

Contraindication to vaccination:

Persons who cannot be vaccinated for health reasons must submit a request for a certificate of contraindication to the Health Department. The request is made by the attending physician. If the request is granted, the certificate and a set of vouchers for free PCR testing will be sent to the patient.

Contraindications to COVID-19 vaccination are defined by the Luxembourgish Health Authority..

Certificates information on: https://covid19.public.lu/en/covidcheck/certificate.html

Implementation of CovidCheck in companies (Law of October 18th )

The Union des Entreprises Luxembourgeoises has elaborated a FAQ about the CovidCheck scheme in companies.
We invite you to visit the UEL website directly: https://www.uel.lu/en/article/faq-about-the-covidcheck-scheme/
(This FAQ is available in English, French and German).

Below changes focus on restaurant and gym spaces and replace the previous measures.

How many people may be gathered in dining areas?

Gatherings to a maximum of four people per table are permitted as long as:

• Tables are at least 1.5m apart from one another;
• People wear a mask when walking through the area;
• People hold either a negative PCR test that was done over the past 72 hours OR a negative, certified antigen test that was done over the past 24 hours OR a negative self-test, performed on site.

What are the conditions under which wearing a mask in gymnasiums and fitness areas isn’t mandatory?

• A minimum of 10m2 per person is guaranteed;
• A distance of 4m between each individuals is maintained.

What are the measures regarding locker rooms?

A maximum of 10 people wearing a mask is allowed OR a distanciation of 2m between individuals is required.

What about the measures regarding showers?

A maximum of 10 people wearing a mask is allowed AND a distanciation of a minimum of 2m between individuals is required.

Autotests are by no mean a replacement to the barrier gestures.

How many people can gather in one place?

Gatherings of more than four people are prohibited, whether at home or during private events, in a closed or open air space.
Work spaces are not considered as such, provided that all persons are assigned to seats with a minimum distance of two meters between each person.

Under what conditions is it mandatory to wear a mask?

Wearing a mask is mandatory during activities open to the public that take place in closed areas.
Masks are not mandatory in work spaces when people are assigned to specific places and when a minimum distance of two meters is respected.

What is the maximum number of people that can gather at a specific event?

Any gathering exceeding one hundred people is prohibited (speakers are not taken into consideration when counting these one hundred people).

Do these rules apply to the practice of sports?

The practice of sports activities indoors, in groups of more than four athletes, is prohibited.

How long is the mandatory quarantine period in the event of a Covid-19 infection?

Following a contact: seven days, on condition of submitting to a test from the sixth day onwards. In case of refusal to submit to a test, the quarantine is extended for a maximum of seven days, or 14 days in total.

In the event of infection: isolation with a prohibition on leaving the premises for a period of ten days.

What is the recommended timeframe to perform a PCR test?

It is now recommended to perform a PCR test on the 6th day instead of the 5th day, in case of suspicion of contamination or symptoms.

Is it possible to use a protective face shield as an alternative to wearing a mask?

No, a face shield cannot be used as a substitute for wearing a mask.

In working areas (offices, reception, circulation areas, etc.), is it possible to use a transparent Plexiglas screen as an alternative to wearing a mask?

No, even though it is not mentioned in the law, the occupational health division considers that plexiglass screens cannot supersede the wearing a mask if a distance of 2 metres cannot be kept during a contact of more than 15 minutes.

What are the sources of Covid-19’s contagion?

The main source of contagion is saliva droplet (>5microns) or aerosol (<5microns) transmission. We emit droplets by talking, coughing and sneezing. Aerosols are rather emitted by singing, shouting or breathing deeply as during physical exercise. If the droplets fall quickly to the ground, the aerosols remain suspended in the air for up to three hours and can be inhaled by another person. It is therefore essential to protect oneself:

• by the social distancing of 2m. The droplets are barely projected further;
• by the interposition of a plexiglass which stops the droplets;
• by vigorously ventilating enclosed spaces to eliminate aerosol clouds;
• by wearing a mask to prevent the emission;
• by avoiding places where people shout (stadiums), sing (parties) or breathe deeply (sports).

Unless everyone wears a mask!

Contamination in the open air is unlikely due to the dispersion of aerosols by the circulating air. In restaurants, therefore, give preference to terraces.

Transmission through contaminated surfaces is much less likely and can be effectively prevented by frequent hand washing/disinfection and by avoiding touching their face.

What is Covid-19’s incubation period?

The incubation period is the time that elapses between contact with the sick person (contagion) and the development of symptoms. In most cases this period lasts 5-7 days. The person becomes infectious 1-2 days before the onset of symptoms.

What are Covid-19’s symptoms?

Covid-19 is a very non-specific disease and may present with a variety of clinical patterns ranging from a completely asymptomatic form to severe life-threatening pneumonia, passing through coughs and colds with or without fever. The most common symptoms are a dry cough, fever, cold and/or loss of taste or smell.

Other less common symptoms are sore throat, headache, body aches, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, conjunctivitis, rash.

Who are the Vulnerable persons?

It is essential to make personal assessment of complications risk because there are too many factors involved and there is no way to generalize.
Severe cases are fortunately rare and can also occur in people who have no vulnerability factors and who are young.
Severe cases are likely to be more frequently aggravated in the following situations:

• elderly: Severity increases with age from 50-60 years of age;
• smokers;
• obese people;
• heart insufficiency;
• respiratory insufficiency;
• hepatic insufficiency;
• diabetics;
• cancer in the treatment process;
• immunosuppressed;
• pregnant women.

What is the procedure for vulnerable persons?

Vulnerable persons may work in companies on condition that the employer has provided them with protection measures appropriate to their vulnerability.
In case of doubt, vulnerable persons and/or their employers can contact the ASTF.

For government recommendations please refer to the attached PDF brochure.

What are the manifestations, complications and after-effects of a covid-19 infection?

Approximately 81% of infected people will have mild symptoms, 14% will have severe symptoms and 5% will have critical, life-threatening symptoms. As there is still insufficient evidence, there is no possible conclusion regarding the long-term after-effects of Covid-19.

How does immunity to covid-19 develop?

Antibodies appear in the second week of symptoms. At the present time we do not yet know how effective these antibodies are or how long they persist in our circulation. We also do not know what role cellular immunity plays in the development of the immunity.

What is the infectivity of coronavirus (SARS-CoV2) leading to Covid-19?

Generally, infectivity begins 2 days before the onset of symptoms and is maximal 1 day before the onset of symptoms, then gradually decreases and disappears 8-9 days after the onset of symptoms. By convention it is assumed that the person is no longer infectious two days after the symptoms have disappeared.

How tenacious is the coronavirus (SARS-CoV2)?

In one study, the presence of the virus in aerosols was demonstrated 3 hours after their emission. This highlights the importance of wearing a mask as soon as you leave your workstation and the importance of adequate ventilation to dilute the aerosol clouds. On surfaces the virus can survive between 4 and 48 hours. This underlines the importance of hands hygiene, exclusivity of the workplace and cleaning with a virucidal detergent.

What about research and vaccine development?

Currently there are more than 160 different vaccines in development. 21 of these vaccines are already in human clinical trials. Now we will have to be patient in order to test their medium and long-term effectiveness.