BGerman Transport Minister Volker Wissing has spoken out in favor of ending the obligation to wear a corona mask on public transport. There is an urgent need for adjustment in Germany, said the FDP politician on Thursday. He referred to the fact that EU authorities have relaxed their recommendations for a general mask requirement on airplanes. “We should take a uniform approach here across Europe and lift the mask requirement, especially in air traffic,” said Wissing. “I see the same need for adjustment for the mask requirement on buses and trains.”
The EU health authority ECDC and the European Aviation Safety Agency EASA had announced that they would relax their recommendations for corona protection in aviation. Among other things, a general recommendation to wear medical masks in airports and airplanes will no longer apply as of this Monday. If there is a government obligation to wear masks in public transport at the point of departure or at the destination, this should also continue to apply on board the aircraft, according to the recommendation. The German aviation industry then called for the obligation to be abolished in Germany.
In France, masks are no longer compulsory on public transport
The nationwide mask requirement on airplanes – and also on long-distance trains – is initially stipulated in the Infection Protection Act until September 23rd. Masks are also compulsory in local bus and train transport, which the federal states have ordered. With a view to the recommendations of the EU authorities, the Federal Ministry of Health explained that the national authorities decide on the mask requirement. It therefore continues to apply to all domestic German routes and flights that take off or land in Germany. Children under the age of six are exempt.
The nationwide seven-day incidence of new corona infections has again fallen slightly. The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) gave the value on Thursday morning as 502.4. On Tuesday the incidence was 507.1, compared to 566.8 a week ago. The value quantifies the number of new infections per 100,000 inhabitants in a period of seven days.
In France, it has already been decided that the obligation to wear a mask on public transport should end. French Health Minister Olivier Véran said on Wednesday that the change will come into effect early next week. Nevertheless, it is recommended to wear a mask. The health situation has improved, but the corona pandemic is not over yet. The incidence value, i.e. the reported infections with the corona virus within a week per 100,000 inhabitants, was last around 405 in France.
As the World Health Organization (WHO) announced in Copenhagen on Thursday, the number of corona deaths in Europe has exceeded the two million mark since the beginning of the pandemic. According to this, the 53 countries and territories for which the WHO Regional Office for Europe is responsible reported a total of 2,002,058 deaths to the World Health Organization.
According to the WHO, more than 218 million cases of infection have been recorded in the Europe region since the pandemic began more than two years ago. The WHO Europe region also includes hard-hit countries such as Russia and some Central Asian countries.
After an increase in the number of infections until mid-March, falling numbers are now being reported all over Europe. The number of new infections and deaths has fallen by around a quarter in the past seven days.
As American President Joe Biden announced on Thursday, the United States has become the first country in the world to have passed the one million corona death mark. In view of this “tragic milestone”, Biden called in a statement not to let up in the fight against the pandemic and “to do everything possible to save as many lives as possible”. More tests, vaccines and treatment options are available for this than ever before.
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