FAQ
Status: 03/20/2022 05:45 a.m
Most nationwide corona protection measures are no longer applicable today. Basic protection and stricter rules in hotspots remain possible. In many federal states, well-known corona rules remain for the time being. What applies where?
What is changing in the Corona policy?
The legal basis for most corona measures has expired. Which rules can still apply is laid down in the federal government’s new Infection Protection Act, which the Bundestag passed despite massive criticism from the federal states. It was also approved by the Federal Council.
The law distinguishes between two different measures: basic protection, which the countries can apply in any case – and stricter restrictions for hotspots with a dangerous infection process. Implementation is up to the states.
What basic protection will there be in the future?
Mask requirement: Wearing a mask can be ordered for hospitals, dialysis facilities, care facilities and outpatient care services as well as in doctor’s offices and emergency services. The same applies to accommodation for asylum seekers and local public transport. However, masks are no longer compulsory in schools, shops or indoors. Nationwide, only the mask requirement in air and long-distance passenger transport remains in place. However, it can be suspended by the federal government with the consent of the Bundesrat depending on the infection process.
Test obligation: It can also be ordered – namely for hospitals, care facilities and accommodation for asylum seekers as well as schools, day-care facilities, prisons, detention facilities pending deportation and in forensic institutions. This is also possible for facilities with “custodial accommodation” – especially in psychiatric hospitals, youth welfare homes and for seniors.
What will apply to hotspots in the future?
According to the law, hotspots are areas in which “there is a concrete risk of a dynamically spreading infection situation”. This is the case when a dangerous virus variant spreads – or the number of infections increases sharply and at the same time there is a risk of hospitals being overloaded. The respective state parliament must determine by resolution that such a situation exists. A hotspot can be limited to a district, but it can also cover an entire state.
It is unclear when an area becomes a hotspot. Thresholds are not specified in the law. The general prerequisite is either that a dangerous virus variant is circulating there – or that there is a risk of overloading the clinic capacities due to a particularly high number of cases.
In hotspots, more extensive mask requirements than those provided for in basic protection can be ordered on the basis of the regulation – for example also in supermarkets. It is also possible to reintroduce a distance requirement of 1.50 meters in public spaces – especially indoors.
In addition, people should be able to be obliged in this case to present proof of vaccination, recovery or test when entering certain facilities and companies. Facilities or offers open to the public should also have hygiene concepts. The measures should end automatically if the respective state parliament does not extend them after three months at the latest.
What transition periods are there?
The federal states can extend the extensive measures that apply due to the old Infection Protection Act until April 2nd. A large part of the federal states want to make use of it.
In Bavaria decided by the cabinetthat the previous 2G and 3G access rules and mask requirements in schools or in retail should remain in place until April 2nd. Even Baden-Wuerttemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate want to use the transition period for individual measures – such as the mask requirement.
Thuringia, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Brandenburg also want to make use of the rule. Berlin and the Saarland want to maintain measures until March 31st.
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania had already announced that conditions would be maintained. In Hamburg many measures will also be extended. Even Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia want to use the transitional arrangement until April 2nd. In Schleswig Holstein the mask requirement will be extended until April 2nd. In Bremen many loosening will be postponed to April 2nd, Hesse extends rules such as the obligation to wear masks and certain access restrictions.
What’s next in April?
After April 2, stricter measures than those provided for in basic protection can only be imposed on the basis of the hotspot regulation. It is questionable whether this will happen – because the countries see high hurdles for this. As a result, the previous restrictions on access to shops or restaurants, for example, should largely no longer apply. Otherwise, the new Infection Protection Act is limited to September 23. The Federal Ministry of Health also sees the possibility of passing a new regulation after the parliamentary summer break, if this is necessary.