Massive corona easing is to be decided at the federal-state summit on Wednesday. Health Minister Karl Lauterbach is now commenting on this.
- The federal and state governments will discuss the relaxation of the corona virus on Wednesday, February 16th. Apparently, most of the Corona rules should be abolished by March 20th.
- Bavaria had already announced generous relaxation of the corona virus. Prime Minister Markus Söder gave a press conference on Tuesday, February 15th.
- This News ticker for the upcoming prime ministers’ conference is continuously updated.
Update from February 15, 1:04 p.m.: North Rhine-Westphalia’s Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst (CDU) is demanding a legal basis for basic corona protection from the federal government for the period after the previous measures have expired. “We still need at least the possibility of proven protective measures such as compulsory masks, distance rules and hygiene concepts,” said the chairman of the Prime Ministers’ Conference on Tuesday in a special session of the Düsseldorf state parliament. “A responsible opening perspective only works with good basic protection.”
According to the current status, the legal basis for every protection option under the Federal Infection Protection Act expires on March 19, said Wüst. One lesson from the pandemic, however, is not to rule out proven protective measures. “We have to be prepared for the third winter of the pandemic. We owe that to the people,” he warned in a briefing by the state parliament on the day before the next federal-state round of talks on the Corona crisis.
“In the future, too, we need the option of being able to protect the most vulnerable in our society, if we have to,” emphasized Wüst. “The first openings are correct, but they have to be made in such a way that we don’t have to turn back halfway after a few weeks.” That’s why we still need to be careful.
Update from February 15, 12:45 p.m.: Before the federal-state summit on Wednesday, there are far-reaching corona easing in the room. However, Union parliamentary group manager Thorsten Frei has warned against a complete waiver of a legal basis. It would be negligent if the corresponding regulations in the Infection Protection Act were to simply expire on March 19, said the CDU politician. He also thinks it is right to abolish regulations now if the health care system is not overloaded. But you don’t know what will happen in six or eight weeks. “I would like to give the countries the chance to react to an outbreak of infection.”
If the federal government did nothing at all, the toolbox for the federal states would be completely emptied, explained Frei. Only the slightest restrictions such as protective masks would be possible. He would therefore not end the basis in the Infection Protection Act on March 19th. According to the current legal situation, the Bundestag could extend the validity by a flat rate of three months.
Lauterbach: “The peak of the omicron wave has been exceeded” – also a warning minister in front of the MPK for relaxation
Update from February 15, 12:15 p.m.: Federal Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach (SPD) is considered a constant reminder in the corona pandemic – but now he is announcing good news: Despite the currently uncertain data situation, he sees the current wave of infections broken. “The peak of the omicron wave has passed – pretty much on the day I predicted a month ago,” Lauterbach said image-Newspaper. Therefore, “moderate easing” is now possible, added the minister with a view to the upcoming federal-state talks. According to Lauterbach, he “fully supports” the proposals for gradual easing that have been made known so far. “But not more, so as not to risk another increase.”
The health minister predicted the peak of the omicron wave a month ago for mid-February using a model by several scientists. Now you can see how well the model works. “The measures were right,” said Lauterbach, referring to the corona restrictions. “This enabled us to significantly reduce the number of deaths and, compared to other countries, we got through this omicron wave really well.” The SPD politician added with a view to his critics: “One should acknowledge that something worked.”
Update from February 15, 11:50 a.m.: For Bavaria, Prime Minister Markus Söder has just announced corona easing, some of which go beyond the draft resolution for the federal-state meeting on Wednesday. 2G plus rules should largely fall, contact restrictions for vaccinated people should fall completely. All the latest information about Söder’s press conference in the live ticker.
Update from February 15, 11:25 a.m.: Employer President Rainer Dulger spoke out in favor of a reliable opening perspective before the federal and state consultations on the further course in the corona pandemic. “Germany now needs an opening booster,” explained Dulger. “Only those measures that are effective, necessary and proportionate should be maintained. It is time for proportionate regulations that do not further burden companies and their employees and ensure that they can be planned.”
The legal requirements for infection protection in companies would have to be adjusted appropriately and the high cost of companies for corona protection measures would have to be significantly reduced. “The German economy urgently needs legal certainty to ensure upswing and stability in all sectors.”
Regarding the 3G regulation for the catering trade from March 4th, Dulger said: This shows that the state leaders, together with the federal government, felt the need for action for this important branch of the economy. “However, it would be desirable to have it implemented more quickly in the coming week.”
First report: Corona loosening at the start of spring? World medical chief has something to complain about at the summit plan
Berlin – the federal and state governments will advise on Wednesday in the so-called Prime Ministers’ Conference (MPK) how the corona pandemic * should continue. In a previously announced opening plan*, there is talk that a large part of the current Corona rules should be eliminated by the beginning of spring on March 20th – in three stages. First step: instead of 10, 20 people should be allowed to meet privately and 2G in retail should be eliminated. Second step: 3G instead of 2G in restaurants and hotels, discotheques are allowed to open, more spectators at major events. Third step: All rules are no longer applicable, only the obligation to wear a mask indoors should remain for the time being.
Corona loosening: Almost all rules should fall by March 20th
Corona summit on easing: Doctors praise step-by-step approach
The three-step plan is widely praised within the medical profession. The Marburger Bund medical association considers this to be the “right approach”. “It can only go step by step and with a sense of proportion,” said association leader Susanne Johna New Osnabrück newspaper. The last thing to be done is the FFP2 mask requirement, which has proven to be particularly helpful in the pandemic. “They will probably no longer be needed until early summer, but they will probably be part of everyday life in some areas of the healthcare system,” predicted Johna.
Gerald Gaß, Chairman of the German Hospital Society, also finds a gradual easing of the Corona rules useful: “Society needs a plan for gradual easing, but of course with a sense of proportion,” he said Editorial network Germany. “This is especially true because the numbers show that we have also passed the peak of the omicron wave.” Although the occupancy of patients who tested positive in the normal wards is still increasing, the intensive care wards are not nearly as full occupied as at the turn of the year.
Corona summit on easing: world medical director criticizes the appointment
On the other hand, the chairman of the World Medical Association, Frank Ulrich Montgomery, criticizes the envisaged date by which most of the corona rules should fall. He told the newspapers of the Funke media group: “There is a lot of sensible stuff in this paper.” However, he thinks that the fact that the easing is tied to calendar dates is “problematic, because the virus doesn’t care about the calendar beginning of spring,” said Montgomery. “It would make more sense to tie this to a mix of data on hospitalizations, intensive care bed occupancy and the incidence of new infections,” he suggested.
The Federal Government’s Expert Council has also spoken out in favor of a prudent approach to easing – otherwise there is a risk of a new wave*. For the virologist Klaus Stöhr, on the other hand, the relaxation is far too slow. He tears apart the federal-state plan and calls for immediate easing in many areas*. *Merkur.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA. (dpa/smu)
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