New rules and loosening are in the air in the run-up to the Corona summit – the situation at a glance.
- On Wednesday (February 16, 2022) the federal and state governments will be advising at a Corona summit. At the Prime Ministers’ Conference (MPK), the priority should be to relax the corona-measures* go.
- The Schedule: From 11.30 a.m. the Prime Ministers want to advise in advance. This is followed by the federal and state round with the Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz*. After that, those responsible want to comment on the decisions of the Corona summit at a press conference.
- Our editorial team accompanies the Corona summit in the following news ticker. We tick the announced press conference live.
>>> Update news ticker
+++ 10.30 a.m.: NRW Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst had already warned early on Wednesday morning about hasty relaxation of the corona virus (see update from 9 a.m.). In the “early start” on Ntv, he followed up – and criticized Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach for going it alone with regard to the recovered status. “I’m not in favor of Mr. Lauterbach figuring this out on his own.” Instead, a joint solution with the federal states would be desirable, said Wüst: “We should return to the old rule that the Bundesrat is subject to approval.”
Wüst emphasized that it was a decision of the Federal Ministry of Health that competence in this matter was transferred to the Robert Koch Institute. “It ended in chaos. That does not work like this. We need clarity and reliability. People must not continue to be unsettled.”
Corona summit live: New draft resolution should regulate the status of those who have recovered
+++ 9.30 a.m.: According to the latest draft resolution from the Corona summit, a change in the status of those who have recovered is to be decided. After the status was shortened by the RKI, the federal states apparently consider it necessary to extend the recovered status to six months for those who have not been vaccinated or to nine months for those who have been vaccinated twice.
Corona summit today: Union federal states want to enforce vaccination registers
+++ 09.15 a.m.: The federal states led by the Union apparently want to enforce a vaccination register at the Corona summit. This emerges from a new draft of the so-called B-side. Specifically, a systematized data collection for corona vaccinations is required. The Expert Council had already called for this at the end of January.
+++ 09.00 a.m.: Shortly before the start of the Corona summit on Wednesday, there were numerous reports of possible easing in Germany. In particular, the second draft resolution of the federal-state consultations, which is available to our editorial team, fuels it (see update from February 15th, 2022, 11 p.m.).
Hendrik Hendrik Wüst is obviously going too fast. The Prime Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia warned against premature easing on Deutschlandfunk on Wednesday morning. “We need the steps, we shouldn’t throw everything overboard that has proven itself as a protective mechanism over the past few months,” says Wüst. Combining “opening” and “mindfulness” must be the goal. The mask and distance requirement as well as the tests are important as basic protection, he emphasized. “We should always take 14 days between the stages and look in both directions to see whether we’ve succeeded or not, whether we have to be more careful,” explained Wüst.
Corona Summit Live: New easing planned
Update from Wednesday, February 16th, 2022, 7 a.m.: Today, Wednesday (February 16, 2022), the federal and state governments are meeting again for a Corona summit to discuss how to proceed in the pandemic in Germany. However, the signs are clearly pointing to easing, as shown by an initial draft resolution that our editorial team has received. This mainly talks about extensive easing for private meetings and about a 3G regulation in gastronomy. Major events with a larger audience should also be possible again.
Corona summit live: Lauterbach gives details of easing
Health Minister Karl Lauterbach, however, positioned himself immediately before the federal-state meeting against a complete reduction in the corona requirements. Lauterbach told the dpa that it was time to relax with a sense of proportion. However, the ability to react quickly and flexibly is still necessary because the virus does not disappear immediately. “That’s why we have to formulate the Infection Protection Act in such a way that basic protection is guaranteed and can be extended if necessary,” said Lauterbach. Even after March 20th, more should be possible than just “mask and distance”.
Corona summit: New draft resolution provides for further easing
Update from Tuesday, February 15, 2022, 11:00 p.m.: Shortly before the Corona summit on Wednesday (February 15, 2022), a surprise is looming. As emerged from a first draft resolution that is available to our editorial team, there are said to be numerous relaxations of the pandemic measures in Germany. It has now transpired that it could be relaxed even further. This emerges from a new draft resolution, which is also available to our editorial team.
According to the report, the second draft on the subject of private meetings states: “In a first step, private meetings for vaccinated and recovered people will again be possible without limiting the number of participants”. In the previous paper, there was still talk of an upper limit of 20 people. Ten people are currently allowed to meet privately.
According to Business Insider, the upper limit for spectators at events should also be increased. Indoors, a maximum utilization of 60 instead of 40 percent of the respective maximum capacity should be allowed. According to the report, the maximum number of people was also increased in the draft resolution: from 4,000 to 6,000.
Corona summit: new rules, relaxation, “Freedom Day” – that should change
First report from Tuesday, February 15, 2022, 2:15 p.m.: Berlin – A new Corona summit is on the political agenda. The representatives of the federal and state governments will meet in Berlin on Wednesday (February 16, 2022) to discuss Germany’s next steps in the corona pandemic.
The point in time was not chosen by chance: According to the forecasts of the Federal Minister of Health, it should be in mid-February Karl Lauterbach* and RKI boss Lothar Wieler the highlight of the omicron-wave* be reached. On Tuesday, the minister even announced in the Bild newspaper that the “peak was passed”. In fact, the number of cases has been falling for a few days. However, after weeks of increasing, they are still at a comparatively high level. One factor that experts have repeatedly brought into play in recent months is the incidence of hospitalization, i.e. the utilization of hospitals and clinics. The situation in the intensive care units remains tense. According to Data from the DIVI intensive care register 2479 Covid-19 patients are currently being cared for (as of February 15th, 2022).
Corona summit: New easing planned for MPK
Apart from the situation in the intensive care units, the vaccination rate in Germany is increasing: there are now loud Federal government data 74.9 percent (about 62.3 million people) have been vaccinated twice against the corona virus. 55.6 percent (about 46.2 million people) have already received their booster vaccination. In the run-up to the Corona summit, this fact repeatedly called for those responsible to call for easing. Especially representatives of FDP* stood out. But also Chancellor Olaf Scholz* and Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck* commented on this.
The first draft resolution of the federal-state consultations, which is available to our editors, sees far-reaching Relaxation of the corona measures and rules* before. On March 20, 2022 – the beginning of spring – “extensive restrictions on social, cultural and economic life should be gradually lifted”. It should be relaxed in three steps.
- In the first step private gatherings for vaccinated and recovered people with more than ten participants should be allowed. The upper limit should rise to 20 people. However, this should not apply to the unvaccinated, as the draft resolution states: “Due to the particular risk to the unvaccinated, the restrictions for these people will remain in place until March 19, 2022.” The draft also provides for the abolition of corona controls retail before. Only wearing an FFP2 mask should continue to be recommended.
- At the second step only the 3G rule should apply in gastronomy and overnight accommodation. According to the draft, discotheques and clubs will be open to those who have recovered and those who have been vaccinated with a daily test or with a third vaccination – so a strict 2G Plus rule should apply here.
- In the third step from March 20, 2022, “all more extensive protective measures” will be dropped. The draft resolution also states: “The home office regulations that are mandatory under the Infection Protection Act are also no longer applicable.” March 20 is therefore being discussed as “Freedom Day”.
The concrete measures which are to be decided according to the draft resolution of the Corona summit again in a compact overview:
- Contact restrictions: Up to 20 recovered and vaccinated people should be allowed to meet again.
- Events: Events should be possible again with the 2G or 2G Plus concept.
- Gastronomy: Bars and restaurants should be allowed to open again with the 3G concept.
- Retail trade: Restrictions in retail are to be abolished.
- Discos and Clubs: With the 2G Plus concept, dance halls should be allowed to open again.
(tu/as/tvd) *fr.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA.
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