According to the will of the federal and state governments, the vast majority of corona restrictions should end at the beginning of spring – but which ones will be needed longer for safety? Risks are not out of the world.
Berlin – Federal Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach has warned against being too careless about the development of the corona virus and is urging that important protective instruments continue to be used.
“I share the concern of many scientists: we have to expect a summer wave,” said the SPD politician to the newspapers of the Funke media group. The omicron and delta variants are so infectious that even when the weather is good, many contacts and decreasing vaccination protection could lead to an increase in the number of infections if there were no longer any restrictions. Physicians and municipalities continue to consider certain precautions – partly also the citizens themselves – to be sensible.
Lauterbach emphasized that the countries must have the opportunity to react early to the coming waves. This included mask requirements and contact restrictions. “It should be possible to set upper limits for private meetings and public events as well as access rules for restaurants, for example” – i.e. access only for vaccinated and recovered people (2G) or additionally with a test (2G plus). It is important to be able to continue to enforce test rules in public spaces and in companies. “All these instruments should only be used when they are actually necessary,” said the minister. “The state parliaments would then have to determine that.”
According to a relaxation plan decided by the federal and state governments, “all more profound” restrictions are to be lifted by March 20, if the situation in the clinics allows it. The nationwide legal basis for such measures expires on March 19. A new basis for a basic protection that is still necessary in spring is currently being discussed. In the traffic light coalition, the FDP has expressed reservations about allowing more extensive restrictions in the future.
Further restrictions were only relaxed on Friday – for example for restaurants, hotels, clubs and discos. Medical President Klaus Reinhardt called on citizens to continue wearing FFP2 masks in retail, on buses and trains. “In dealing with the pandemic in the future, it is crucial that people learn to deal with the risk of infection sensibly by acting independently in everyday life,” he told the “Rheinische Post” (Saturday). This also included Reinhardt getting vaccinated and voluntary quick tests before private parties. In the newspaper, the German Association of Towns and Municipalities called for, among other things, to continue to offer free quick tests for citizens.
According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), the seven-day incidence rose again to 1220.8 – the day before the number of new infections per 100,000 inhabitants in seven days was 1196.4. The health authorities now reported 192,210 new cases in one day. 255 other deaths were also registered within 24 hours.
In neighboring Austria, extensive easing of the corona requirements came into force on Saturday. There are no access restrictions, no upper limit for events and no more curfew. There is still an FFP2 mask requirement in parts of the trade. In addition, the regulations in nursing homes and clinics are stricter. In addition, the capital Vienna is not participating in all the opening steps and is sticking to the 2G rule in gastronomy, among other things. The reason for the openings is a stable situation in the clinics. The seven-day incidence in Austria is around 2200. dpa
