Further restrictions are also possible for regional “hotspots” beyond March 20th.
(Photo: dpa)
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Berlin Despite the extremely high number of infections, including a record incidence on Saturday, the first nationwide corona protection requirements were lifted last Sunday. The Bundestag decided on Friday to make corresponding changes to the Infection Protection Act.
Passengers can again use local and long-distance public transport without 3G proof (vaccinated, recovered or tested). The legal obligation for 3G access proofs at the workplace has now also been lifted. In the future, companies should be able to assess the risk situation themselves and define protective measures in company hygiene concepts. There are also no longer upper limits for participants for events and contact restrictions.
Many other measures are also no longer applicable – but there is a two-week transitional arrangement in which the federal states can maintain them until they have found their own regulations for how to deal with the corona pandemic. For the time being, all federal states are doing the same.
Which corona protection requirements still apply until April 2nd at the latest?
- Masks are still compulsory on buses and trains. The 3G rule remains in place in on-board catering.
- In shops, schools and hospitals, for example, masks are still compulsory for the time being.
- Access restrictions such as 2G and 3G remain in place in many places.
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By April 2nd at the latest, most of these measures will no longer apply. Then the countries can only apply the so-called basic protection. A mask requirement in schools, shops and public interiors is then no longer easily possible.
Which corona protection requirements will still apply from April 2nd?
- The mask requirement applies nationwide in air and long-distance passenger transport. The federal government can suspend them with the consent of the Bundesrat.
- The federal states can make masks compulsory in some other areas. Examples are: hospitals, care facilities, medical practices, emergency services, accommodation for asylum seekers and local public transport.
- The federal states can also order compulsory testing for certain areas. Examples are: hospitals, care facilities, accommodation for asylum seekers, schools, day-care centers, prisons and correctional facilities.
In addition to this basic protection, the state parliaments of the federal states can declare areas as “hotspots” in which they see the “concrete danger of a dynamically spreading infection situation”. This can apply to an entire federal state, but also only to a district or a district. The criteria for a hotspot are not clearly defined – these locations must either be at risk of overburdening the hospitals or the spread of a more dangerous virus variant.
What corona protection requirements can countries impose on hotspots?
- The mask requirement can be extended to shops for daily needs, such as supermarkets. Distance requirements can also be reintroduced.
- 3G access restrictions for facilities such as public administration buildings and companies such as restaurants and music venues can be reinstated.
The new regulations implemented by the traffic light coalition have met with broad, cross-party criticism from the federal states and local authorities. Because they allow only a few additional measures. In addition, according to the federal states, the hurdles for declaring a hotspot are too unclear and complex to regulate infection protection.
Most access restrictions fall on Sunday.
(Photo: dpa)
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Bavaria’s Health Minister Klaus Holetschek (CSU) complains that the new law is not practicable. It is not clear how it can be applied and what standards and parameters apply to “hotspots”, he told the “Augsburger Allgemeine”. North Rhine-Westphalia’s department head Karl-Josef Laumann (CDU) called the easing at WDR 5 “irresponsible”. A mask requirement indoors beyond April 2 would be “absolutely right”.
City Day President Markus Lewe expects a patchwork of regulations. “It is quite likely that the law will have to be corrected again soon,” he also told the newspapers of the Funke media group.
>>Read also: Home office, mask requirement, 3G – which measures will apply after March 20th and which will not
The virologist Melanie Brinkmann said on Deutschlandfunk that you suddenly had “a toothless tiger” in front of you. There is currently a very high incidence of infection in the population. Therefore, it was exactly “the wrong time to take tools out of the toolbox.” Brinkmann expressed “complete incomprehension” that one of the most important and least stressful measures – wearing a mask – was being significantly restricted.
FDP leader Christian Lindner defended the law again. It is “responsible” and finds the right balance between individual and state health protection, said the Federal Finance Minister of the “Augsburger Allgemeine”.
“However, there cannot be a mask requirement forever”
There are calls for a nationwide mask requirement, especially for shops. In the future, however, this will only be possible if countries specify it regionally for hotspot areas. The general manager of the German trade association, Stefan Genth, told the “Passauer Neue Presse” when asked whether the industry could live with the continuation of the obligation to wear a mask: “Whoever puts it on protects themselves and others.” Many would have liked them used to, even when shopping. “However, there cannot be a mask requirement forever.”
Several countries in Europe have largely abolished corona rules. Austria is tightening the reins again due to the sharp increase in the number of infections. From the middle of this week, FFP2 masks will have to be worn in public interiors again, as Health Minister Johannes Rauch announced on Friday evening. In the neighboring country, the seven-day incidence is about twice as high as in Germany.
In Germany, according to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), it continued to rise to the highest value of 1735.0 on Saturday – but on Sunday it fell again for the first time after a long increase. The rate of vaccination continues to decrease. According to the RKI, at least 60,000 doses were injected on Friday, compared to 94,334 vaccinations on Friday last week.
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