So, my question is: Should we fix the document to describe the long standing
practice more understandably, or should we change the practice to allow new
dist-git branches until the actual EOL?
I'm in favor of allowing new branches until the actual EOL, with the expectation that it will be a pretty rare occurrence. We shouldn't preclude ourselves from providing support to a supported release.
If it turns out to be an undue burden, we should adjust the policy accordingly.