From Sunday, general mask requirements and other requirements should be over – despite many warnings. There is a crunch between the federal and state governments in the Corona course. Something is happening during quarantine times.
A few days before the end of most everyday requirements in Germany, the dispute over more protection rules in regions with a critical corona situation continues to smolder.
Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach countered the reservations of numerous federal states about the new legal framework for further requirements in so-called hotspots. “You may like the law or not, but it has been made legally clean so that it could be implemented,” said the SPD politician on Wednesday. “It should be used much more.” Lauterbach announced more pragmatic regulations for quarantine times in view of the many, but mostly lighter infections in the current omicron wave.
The minister called it “deplorable and wrong” that a large number of countries, in which he himself would have found it appropriate, did not make use of the hotspot rule. “I simply cannot see any legal uncertainty here,” he emphasized. An impending overload of the health care system as a prerequisite is justifiable and can be derived with criteria for the clinics. He is convinced that nationwide regulations in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Hamburg would have legal validity. In the Hanseatic city, the citizenship approved a corresponding application on Wednesday.
Only two countries apply rule
Only these two countries want to apply the rule for the time being, which allows stricter requirements in regional hotspots, for example with more mask requirements and access rules if the state parliament determines a critical situation for them. Other countries had complained that an application was not possible because of the uncertain legal requirements in federal law. Basically, as of this Sunday, the Infection Protection Act amended by the traffic light coalition only provides for a few general protective requirements, such as masks in clinics, nursing homes, buses and trains, as well as tests in schools, for example.
Federal Minister of Justice Marco Buschmann (FDP) again defended the hotspot rule. It gives the countries the necessary instruments if the medical supply situation on site should no longer be guaranteed. “These are deliberately high hurdles so that we can get away from the blanket and nationwide massive restrictions on freedom,” he told the “Rheinische Post”. However, the Ministry of Health again emphasized that hotspots could not only include cities and districts, but also entire federal states.
Lauterbach announced proposals from his ministry and the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for further changes to the quarantine and isolation rules, which are to be sent to the countries. The specifications are not really practicable in the current wave. The point is to solve this pragmatically. The aim is to be able to work with a new regulation in the next week.
Hard rules for quarantine
In general, the quarantine times for contact persons of infected people and isolation if you are ill yourself are based on a “seven-day rule”. They end after seven days if you “test yourself free”, otherwise after ten days. The health ministers of the federal states had asked the federal government to check whether and for how long separations were indicated in the current pandemic phase.
Lauterbach also expressed his confidence that a compromise for the introduction of a general corona vaccination can be reached. As far as he knows, a joint proposal is being worked on. He expects to reach his ministry in the next few days so that a joint draft can possibly be formulated. The lines of compromise that are emerging are convincing and wise. He did not provide any further details.
The Bundestag is to decide on Thursday next week (April 7th) without the usual parliamentary group specifications, but majorities are still uncertain. A draft by a group of deputies for compulsory vaccination from the age of 18, which Lauterbach and Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) also support, has the greatest support. In addition, there is a draft by a group for compulsory advice and a possible compulsory vaccination from the age of 50. Another group application rejects compulsory vaccination. Union and AfD have also submitted applications.
Source: Stern
David William is a talented author who has made a name for himself in the world of writing. He is a professional author who writes on a wide range of topics, from general interest to opinion news. David is currently working as a writer at 24 hours worlds where he brings his unique perspective and in-depth research to his articles, making them both informative and engaging.
