As of: May 1st, 2021 3:24 p.m.
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Now NRW is also following suit – and almost all federal states want to relax the corona rules for fully vaccinated people. They are anticipating a nationwide regulation. So far, no country has lifted exit and contact restrictions.
As the fifteenth of the 16 federal states, North Rhine-Westphalia is now planning to relax people who have been completely vaccinated against the coronavirus and those who have recovered from Covid-19. From Monday they will be treated the same as those who tested negative. This was announced by the NRW state government. For those affected, this goes hand in hand with more freedom.
The state is anticipating the regulations agreed between the federal and state governments on the rights of those who have been vaccinated and those who have recovered, it said. These have not yet been decided, only a draft from the Federal Ministry of Justice is available.
Visiting the hairdresser and shopping without a test
Vaccinated and convalescent people in NRW have advantages in retail, when visiting zoos and botanical gardens or when visiting the hairdresser. Customers are currently only allowed access there if they can show a negative corona test that is no more than 24 hours old. This test obligation will no longer apply from Monday for those who have had complete vaccination protection for 14 days or who can prove by means of a positive PCR test that is at least 28 days old that they have already survived a corona infection. This group of people also does not have to test in schools – however, so far, pupils have rarely been vaccinated.
In addition, travelers who have been fully vaccinated or already infected with the virus and who come to the state from corona risk areas no longer have to go into quarantine.
Numerous federal states have already relaxed
With the exception of Hamburg, all federal states have either already implemented relaxation measures or are planning to do so shortly – before a decision has been made on the nationwide regulation for the rights of vaccinated people. Bundestag President Wolfgang Schäuble had criticized the advance of the states on Friday. On Wednesday, NRW Prime Minister Armin Laschet (CDU) followed this line: In the Düsseldorf state parliament, he said it was important to proceed in coordination with the federal government and the other states.
Laschet justified the current change of course by pointing out that vaccinated and recovered people pose no greater risk than those who tested negative. That is why fundamental rights encroachments are being withdrawn for this group of people. Laschet emphasized whether “such restrictions on fundamental rights can already be lifted which are still necessary for those who have tested negative for the time being”, will be decided jointly with the federal government and the other states. “Here we need uniform regulations on the basis of the agreed federal submission.”
Also remove exit and contact restrictions?
Federal Justice Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD) presented a draft for a nationwide uniform ordinance on Thursday, but it is still unclear when this will be decided. According to government spokesman Steffen Seibert, the federal government is trying to ensure a speedy procedure.
In addition to making it easier for people to shop or visit the hairdresser, Lambrecht also no longer imposes exit and contact restrictions for vaccinated people. However, this is controversial because a large part of the population has not yet had the opportunity to be vaccinated.
Danger of social division
This is also pointed out by the chairwoman of the German Ethics Council, Alena Buyx. She welcomed the government’s plans to relax those vaccinated and recovered from corona, but at the same time warned of a division in society. The draft of the Ministry of Justice is “in line with the considerations of the German Ethics Council”, Buyx told the “Rheinische Post”.
In view of the new findings that vaccinated people would hardly ever transmit the virus, strong individual freedom restrictions such as quarantine can no longer be justified, said the medical ethicist. However, the exceptions to exit and contact restrictions in public spaces have the potential to divide society as long as not all people can be vaccinated, said Buyx.
Günther wants to enforce hotel openings
Schleswig-Holstein’s Prime Minister Daniel Günther (CDU) is one step further in his considerations and insists on hotel openings for people with corona vaccinations or negative test results. The faster you can take opening steps, the better, says Günther. Accommodation companies are not pandemic drivers, he told the “Tagesspiegel”.
He spoke out in favor of families being able to go on holiday in hotels on the North Sea, for example, with a mixture of parents’ vaccination records and test reports for older children.
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