The corona pandemic is over. The virologist Christian Drosten says so. Calls for an end to all coronavirus measures are growing louder. NRW reacts.
Düsseldorf – Restricted everyday life for almost three years: The corona virus has left deep scars in all areas of life. After top virologist Christian Drosten has declared the end of the pandemic, the last protective measures should disappear as soon as possible, asks Federal Justice Minister Marco Buschmann. But not everyone shouts cheers.
Quick conclusion for all corona measures? NRW reacts to advance
The health ministry of North Rhine-Westphalia, for example, warns of a quick end to all coronavirus rules. Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) also rejected a hasty lifting of the measures: “An immediate end to all measures would be ill-advised and is not demanded even by Christian Drosten.”
Many areas of the health system are currently reporting significant strains or overloads, NRW Ministry Karl-Josef Laumann (CDU) said on Tuesday (27 December). Corona also plays a role in this, because the number of people infected with the virus in hospitals is currently around 5,300 patients. Otherwise, this number would be “significantly lower,” he said.
“The current burden is not solely due to corona infections, but the conscious acceptance of further corona infections would trigger an additional burden here.” Waves of infection are currently pouring into NRW: children are particularly often affected by scarlet fever; Strep bacteria make people sick. RS virus (RSV) infection can be dangerous for infants and young children.
End of all Corona rules: warns the Ministry of Health NRW
The Ministry of Health NRW emphasized with regard to Corona: “For the question of the necessity and legality of the current protective measures, it is not a question of a classification of the medical term – “pandemic” or “endemic” – but of the consequences of the current infection process.” The state government has “always made it clear that it is constantly monitoring the infection process and will adjust the measures if necessary.”
NRW-SPD chairman Thomas Kutschaty also spoke out against a quick end to the latest corona measures. In light of the tense situation in the healthcare system, masks and tests are still important companions, especially to protect vulnerable groups, said Kuchaty WAZ. “We should therefore continue to be careful and thoughtful this winter, especially since there are only very few measures left,” stressed the SPD federal deputy. “And we’ll say goodbye in the spring when everything goes well and smoothly.”
Corona rules in NRW: masks are still mandatory here
The mask requirement currently only applies in a few places in NRW, including here:
- Public transport: You must wear at least one surgical mask on buses and trains in NRW local transport and at least one FFP2 mask on long-distance transport (ICE, IC, Flixbus, etc.).
- Medical facilities such as doctor’s offices, hospitals and rehabilitation facilities
- Nursing homes or rest homes at least FFP2 mask for visitors
It was not until 23 December 2022 that the testing obligation for visitors to hospitals and nursing homes was relaxed in North Rhine-Westphalia. (sst/dpa)
