Gradually, but largely: the federal and state governments have agreed to relax the corona rules. That would clear everything up. Or?
Certainties are rare in a pandemic, but this much is certain: the number of infections in Germany is still high, but politically the signs are now clearly pointing to relaxation. The federal and state governments laid down a phased plan on Wednesday that, after months of restrictions, brings extensive easing within reach (which ones, read here).
That would clear everything up. Or?
As clear as the signal of relaxation is, it is also unclear how things will continue after most of the measures have ended – and the so-called “Freedom Day” also deserves the euphoria that is now spreading. The three open questions about great freedom.
1. What happens after March 19?
It was almost exactly a year ago that the federal government showed how complicated it can look to loosen up: At the beginning of March 2021, the federal and state governments agreed “Opening Perspectives in Five Steps”, squeezed together on a DIN A4 page. the Mockery for the detailed and consequently confusing plans was not long in coming.
Now, a year later, the round presents a much more catchy diagram the planned opening steps. No wonder: within the next four weeks, most of the measures should gradually fall. After March 19, i.e. when the Infection Protection Act expires, only “basic protective measures” should apply.
In the decision paper (which you can read here) are mentioned, for example, the obligation to wear masks in closed rooms as well as on buses and trains, the requirement of distance, general hygiene requirements and the possibility of “test requirements in certain areas”. Berlin’s First Governing Mayor Franziska Giffey (SPD) spoke at the presentation of the summit results of a “sanitary equipment in the trunk” that the federal states could use in an emergency.
However, the Bundestag still has to create the legal basis for this “medical kit”. Parliament has until March 19 to do this – then the legal requirements for the currently applicable measures will expire and the federal states will no longer be able to fall back on them.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) promised that the federal government wanted to get this off the ground quickly and amicably. But shortly after the federal-state summit, there were signs of conflict. “It is conceivable for us to make regulations that allow the mask requirement to be extended,” said Christian Dürr, leader of the FDP parliamentary group. He did not name any further measures. A mask requirement, but nothing more?
Federal Minister of Justice Marco Buschmann has already made it clear that the Liberals would rather return to (almost) normality sooner rather than later clearly in October 2021, when he announced the so-called “Freedom Day” for the beginning of spring. “All measures end at the latest with the beginning of spring on March 20, 2022,” said Buschmann.
Scholz tried to curb the widespread “Freedom Day” euphoria on Wednesday. “We must not become careless,” said the Chancellor, adding that the pandemic is not over yet. Nobody wants to “have a party”. It will now open and there will be basic protection for which the traffic light government is preparing the legal basis.
2. What is the price for “Freedom Day”?
“We can look ahead with more confidence than we have been able to in recent weeks,” said Scholz on Wednesday. Thanks to the previous everyday requirements, a large part of the restrictions could be gradually withdrawn at the beginning of spring.
But all the easing that is now being implemented could be wind and nothing – if “the health system is about to be overloaded” and the infection rate “deteriorates significantly” after March 20, as the decision paper says. Then there could be new measures. However, it is not defined in more detail when these requirements would be met.
There are many indications that the peak of the omicron wave has been reached and that the rate of infection will continue to ease – also with a view to spring. But on Wednesday, on the day of the opening summit, almost all of them were still infected in Germany 220,000 people with Corona, 247 died from it. Today, Thursday, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) almost 236,000 new infections and 261 deaths reported. So is that the price that can be paid for extensive easing?
And when is the healthcare system “overburdened”? The current situation in the intensive care units could even be better than the official numbers suggestbe according to the German Hospital Society (DKG) A significant reduction in occupancy figures is only to be expected in a few weeks. So the situation is still tense. Especially since possible challenges from long-Covid patients are not foreseeable.
Against this background, the question can also be asked as to whether the term “Freedom Day” is correct. Federal Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach (SPD) says: no. “I don’t use this term at all and I don’t think it’s appropriate either,” he said on Wednesday evening on the ARD program “maischberger. die woche”. In the future there will still be people who are at risk from the corona virus – such as older people for whom the vaccinations have not worked so well. “There will never be full freedom for these people.”
3. When will the (partial) vaccination obligation come about?
How long the joy about the regained freedom will last depends not only on the vaccination progress in Germany from the point of view of the federal and state governments – because next autumn will come, possibly also the next virus variant.
Chancellor Scholz again urged more vaccinations and the planned general corona vaccination obligation. “The vaccination requirement is necessary for next fall and winter,” he said. Therefore, it remains right to prepare the legislation for a general vaccination requirement. “It will be necessary precisely when the weather starts to get colder again.”
But recently the legislative process in the Bundestag had stalled. Several motions are now on the table, but possible majorities are just as unpredictable as the timetable for implementation. Scholz therefore appealed for a non-partisan hook. It’s about the matter, not about what it looks like in terms of party politics.
At least when it comes to compulsory partial vaccination, countries led by the Union are particularly opposed to this. Although the federal and state governments have agreed on the basic implementation of the controversial vaccination requirement for employees in nursing and healthcare, the final text of the decision leaves specific details open. Instead, it says: “The health ministers of the federal and state governments are in an intensive coordination process with the aim of continuing to ensure care in the affected facilities across the board.”
This causes question marks and upsets, especially in Bavaria, Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt. In protocol declarations, they again expressed reservations about the implementation, complaining about “numerous open questions”. The (partial) vaccination requirement, which is to apply from March 15, remains a controversial issue.
Other questions remain unanswered: Is Germany ready for more personal responsibility? Could the easing be understood as a license and mark the beginning of “opening orgies” that Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) once feared? Was that it (really) with Corona?
The real work is just beginning now.