Corona rules for autumn: a lot of conclusive information – and a new patchwork quilt

Federal Minister of Justice Marco Buschmann, FDP, on the agreement on the new Infection Protection Act

daily topics 10:10 p.m., August 3, 2022

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In addition, Lauterbach promised the approval of vaccines adapted to new virus variants for the beginning of September. In addition, Paxlovid is a drug that significantly reduces mortality.

What is the core of the planned measures?

Lauterbach and Minister of Justice Marco Buschmann agreed on measures that can be used to contain the corona virus, but which do not paralyze society at the same time. Lockdowns and curfews should be avoided, as should school closures. There shouldn’t have been a way around it, because the acceptance of these measures by the population has become less and less.

The ministers rely on a multi-stage system for the rules, depending on the infection process. That sounds plausible. Stricter regulations are only necessary if the situation deteriorates.

One focus is on measures to protect older people and other vulnerable groups from infection. In hospitals and care facilities as well as for employees of care services, a mask and test certificate should apply. This also makes sense, as it was often these groups that were infected with the virus. It also seems logical that hospitals should be placed under special protection. The pandemic has shown how important these facilities are.

Is there a patchwork quilt of regulations?

It seems more complicated when it comes to the obligation to wear masks in public transport. The rules prescribed by the federal government should only apply to long-distance and air traffic, but not to local public transport. That doesn’t seem very plausible, because the virus doesn’t differentiate between long-distance and local transport. Here, the federal government delegates responsibility to the federal states. They should also be able to impose a mask requirement for public transport.

The same applies to a mask requirement for publicly accessible interiors, cultural and leisure facilities and schools. It should also be up to the federal states if there is a specific danger to health and care facilities and if the measures are to be tightened. There is a threat of a patchwork quilt that is difficult to understand.

Exceptions to the mask requirement raise questions

The federal rules on the obligation to wear masks provide for exceptions. They should apply to those whose last vaccination or recovery was not more than three months ago.

The same exemption should apply to the mask regulations for restaurants, bars, cultural and leisure facilities to be decided by the federal states. But it remains unclear who should control this. It is to be feared that in practice many will not follow the rules. A mess seems inevitable.

Stressed unity in the coalition

Strict rules or a more relaxed approach? In recent weeks there has been talk of a tough struggle between Lauterbach and Buschmann. Both presented the draft law in a video conference – Lauterbach, who is refraining from holiday plans because of the fight against the pandemic, from Berlin, Buschmann from the holiday home.

Observers wonder whether the spatial separation could also have been due to atmospheric disturbances. At the switching conference, Buschmann emphasized conspicuously clearly that the negotiations on the package of measures were conducted “collegially, discreetly and result-oriented”.