Could the Corona rules actually be relaxed soon? On Wednesday, the federal and state governments will wrestle over details. Bavaria’s Prime Minister has clear ideas.
The Federal Government’s Council of Experts believes that corona easing is possible in the coming weeks under certain conditions.
“The number of SARS-CoV-2 infections has so far increased continuously, but a plateau and a subsequent drop for the omicron (BA.1) wave is to be expected in the coming weeks,” said the sixth statement by the Council. “Reducing state infection control measures seems sensible as soon as there is a stable drop in hospitalization and intensive care admissions and occupancy.” The Council called for a prudent approach. Opening too early carries the risk of a renewed increase in the disease burden.
Among other things, the Expert Council advocated maintaining the possibility of using the mask requirement and recommended adjusting the national test strategy in the coming months. He also stressed the importance of vaccinations.
Federal-state summit on Wednesday
The Council commented on the further Corona course before a federal-state meeting. The consultations on Wednesday will also deal with possible opening steps. Bavaria’s Prime Minister Markus Söder called for a phased plan to gradually reduce the rules.
The CSU politician and the heads of government from the other federal states want to discuss the situation with Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) on Wednesday. It is considered certain that an opening plan will be drawn up – because omicron diseases in many people are less severe than those with previously prevalent variants. It is unclear how quickly and in what steps the restrictions will be relaxed and whether the Infection Protection Act, which is limited to March 19, will be extended as a precautionary measure as the basis for the measures.
The Expert Council sees a new phase of the pandemic that will continue to require “a high level of attention”. He warned of “uncertainties due to an immunity gap in the population that is still far too large”.
Council recommends adjustment of the test strategy
From the point of view of the committee, the population should be called upon to continue to act prudently and responsibly. It demanded: «The possibility of using the mask requirement, especially in public spaces, should be retained in principle; if the number of infections is sufficiently low, it can be temporarily lifted, but accompanied by clear communication about the time limit.” It should also be borne in mind that “in the context of any opening steps, unvaccinated and older people at risk of a serious course of the disease are increasingly involved in the infection process. Furthermore, these groups carry the highest risk for a severe course of the disease and must be protected. »
The council also recommended adapting the test strategy in Germany in the coming months, “also due to the high economic and ecological burden”. “In particular, it should be checked whether tests are limited to symptomatic cases. The early detection of significant changes in the infection dynamics, e.g. via random monitoring, is elementary, especially with regard to the coming autumn/winter.”
The Council basically emphasized that the permanent withdrawal of all rules and the achievement of a post-pandemic state is closely linked to achieving a high vaccination rate and the independent action of the citizens. “Despite some uncertainties, the Expert Council believes that under the above-mentioned framework conditions, a prudent withdrawal of individual infection control measures may be possible in the coming weeks.”
Söder calls for the end of contact restrictions
Bavaria’s Prime Minister Söder told the German Press Agency that a phased plan was needed to exit the measures. “First of all, 2G can be abolished nationwide in retail and switched from 2G plus to 2G in gastronomy. In addition, more spectators should be allowed nationwide: 50 percent in sports with a limited maximum number and 75 percent in culture. » In Bavaria, Söder had recently relaxed the corona rules accordingly. In addition, the Prime Minister is now calling for an end to the contact restrictions – but at the same time also for a longer-term legal basis for protective measures such as the obligation to wear masks and distance rules, as well as an emergency strategy for possible new waves.
Schleswig-Holstein’s Prime Minister Daniel Günther (CDU) demanded in the “Welt”: “We now have to concentrate more on basic protection measures and rely on people’s personal responsibility.” North Rhine-Westphalia’s Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst (CDU), Chairman of the Prime Ministers’ Conference, told the newspaper: “Thanks to the milder course of the disease, we are entering a new phase of the pandemic, which opens up prospects for gradual openings. These must be backed up by basic protection so that we don’t have to take them back.”
declining incidence
The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) had previously reported a lower nationwide seven-day incidence than the previous day for the first time since the end of December – although the meaningfulness of the data is currently limited. The RKI also registered a further decrease in the incidence on Monday. Medical experts believe it is reasonable to develop an opening plan, but urge caution. On Monday, the federal and state health ministers want to discuss the corona situation.
Federal Education Minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger called for a cautious approach in schools in the event of easing. Schools would “first of all continue to need a high level of protection, which includes regular tests and wearing masks,” said the FDP politician to the newspapers of the Funke media group. In schools, you have to be “particularly careful not to endanger face-to-face teaching and thus equal opportunities through increasing numbers of infections.” She said: “Relaxation in the education sector should be regionally differentiated with a significant drop in the number of infections and taking into account the vaccination rate of children and adolescents.”
Source: Stern
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