Status: 08/08/2022 11:56 a.m
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After a tough struggle, the traffic light had agreed on Corona rules for the fall. But they continue to cause criticism: Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania’s Prime Minister Schwesig wants to have a say in decisions, the Union speaks of “scaremongering”.
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania’s Prime Minister Manuela Schwesig (SPD) wants the federal government to discuss the future Infection Protection Act together with the Prime Minister.
There is a regular exchange at the level of the health ministers, which is right, the SPD politician told the editorial network Germany (RND). “But I think it is necessary for the heads of government to discuss this.” Schwesig warned that the law must also be passed by the Federal Council.
Silent for uniform rules
And Schwesig made another demand in the interview: In her opinion, the Infection Protection Act should be implemented as uniformly as possible in the future. So far, only a few measures of the Infection Protection Act have applied nationwide – such as a mask requirement in buses, trains and planes of German airlines as well as a mask and test requirement in hospitals and care facilities. The federal states should decide for themselves on the implementation of further measures – such as a mask requirement indoors. The draft of the updated Infection Protection Act only provides that the federal states can again impose mask requirements from October.
The mask is the “mildest means of protection against corona,” said Schwesig. At the moment, the mask requirement in public transport and in specially protected areas is sufficient. But: “If the number of coronas increases or if the virus variants become more aggressive, a mask requirement indoors would be better than closures,” emphasized the SPD politician.
CDU health expert considers concept for “scaremongering”
The CDU health expert Erwin Rüddel accused Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) of scaremongering because of the federal government’s new corona protection concept. In Rüddel’s view, the path taken is “a mistake” – that’s what the member of the Bundestag said in the Deutschlandfunk. Because: A basic immunization was achieved in the summer, which is why, in his opinion, there will be a “relatively relaxed corona autumn and winter”. Lauterbach unsettles the population with his course. Rüddel expressed his conviction that there would be “significant changes” to this draft in the course of the parliamentary deliberations.
He is critical of the idea of waiving the mask requirement in restaurants and at events if the corona vaccination was not more than three months ago. “I don’t understand that you should be vaccinated every three months,” said the CDU politician. In all other European countries, the planning for the Corona winter is handled differently. He is surprised “that the FDP is participating in this panic mode”.
Parts of the FDP call for improvements
At least parts of the FDP don’t want that: The federal government’s new corona protection concept continues to meet with resistance from some FDP MPs in the Bundestag. Bundestag Vice President Wolfgang Kubicki told the newspaper “Welt” that the proposal by Justice Minister Marco Buschmann (FDP) and Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) still needed some revisions.
It is not clear to me why, for example, a mask requirement can be imposed outdoors.
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MP Frank Schäffler also called for “urgent” improvements to the draft of the Infection Protection Act. He considers the possibility of a nationwide hotspot regulation to be a step backwards. And the possibility of compulsory masks in schools is also a nuisance. Schäffler said he would make his approval dependent on changes.
His colleague Christoph Hoffmann made a similar statement: “I am sure that the Infection Protection Act will not find a majority in its current form.”
Not all in the FDP against it
On the other hand, FDP parliamentary group leader Christian Dürr told the “Welt” that the measures were a good compromise. The FDP has achieved that there will be no more far-reaching fundamental rights interventions such as lockdowns, curfews, school closures or contact restrictions. Parliament Secretary Stephan Thomae said the measures were both effective and reasonable.
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