Status: 09.11.2021 11:57 a.m.
Are the traffic light parties’ corona measures going far enough? Many say no. The draft law creates legal certainty for the measures of the federal states, the SPD, Greens and FDP defend their plans.
The SPD, Greens and FDP have rejected the criticism of their draft law for the time after the epidemic emergency. “With the law we have created a legally secure basis for all necessary measures,” said Maria Anna Klein-Schmeink from the Greens at a joint press conference.
The traffic light parties’ draft law to combat the corona pandemic caused displeasure. CSU regional group leader Alexander Dobrindt rejected the decision of the traffic light parties to let the epidemic emergency run out in the “Augsburger Allgemeine” as too risky. “To end the epidemic situation politically without naming real, adequate alternatives, while hospitalization is actually increasing, is a signal of lack of plan.”
Christine Aschenberg-Dugnus from the FDP now contradicted this. “With the end of the epidemic emergency, it is by no means said that Corona is over,” she said. “We want to give the countries the opportunity to continue measures such as the mask requirement on a legal basis.” Tougher measures such as a lockdown are not helpful in the current situation. Therefore it is not necessary to prolong the epidemic emergency.
Parties argue about 2G
Marcus Overmann, ARD Berlin, Morgenmagazin, November 9th, 2021
Social associations demand compulsory testing in nursing
The social association VdK and the German Foundation for Patient Protection had demanded a daily test obligation for everyone in the care. The vaccination status should not play a role at all, said the board, Eugen Brysch, the “RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland”.
The draft of the traffic light parties currently provides that only all unvaccinated employees have to be tested daily. However, advice will be given on the extent to which vaccinated people and genesis should also be tested, said Sabine Dittmar from the SPD. Pool tests like those in schools are conceivable. She rejects daily tests, as otherwise unvaccinated people would be treated in the same way as vaccinated and convalescent people.
Aschenberg-Dugnus ruled out a compulsory vaccination for employees who come into contact with vulnerable groups. Dittmar and Klein-Schmeink spoke out in favor of it.
Implementation of 3G in the workplace is still unclear
The chairman of the city council, Helmut Dedy, had insisted on another prime ministerial conference in the newspapers of the “Funke media group”. “Instead of talking for days about the option of a federal-state round, you should perhaps do one and agree on a strategy for the near future together,” he said. Klein-Schmeink replied that the prime ministers would be free to meet at any time.
According to a draft law by the SPD, FDP and the Greens, the drastically increasing corona numbers are to be contained, among other things, by returning to free corona rapid tests, 3G at work and financial aid for clinics. How exactly the 3G regulation in the workplace could look like in practice is not yet clear. “We have commissioned the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs to develop a formulation aid for the legal text,” said Dittmar.
Klingbeil satisfied with coalition negotiations
Meanwhile, the SPD General Secretary Klingbeil expressed his satisfaction with the state of the coalition negotiations with the FDP and the Greens. At present, about 300 politicians in the 22 working groups are fighting for their positions, said Klingbeil in the Deutschlandfunk. It is quite normal that it sometimes jerks. But he is convinced that the specialist groups will complete their work tomorrow as planned. Then you will start to write the coalition agreement as soon as possible.
Klingbeil also stated that at the current state of negotiations, no water level reports will be issued on possible points of dispute. All three parties are aware of the importance of climate protection. Klingbeil emphasized that something really has to happen here in the coming years, for example in the expansion of renewable energies. Klingbeil was nominated yesterday, together with the incumbent co-chair Esken, by the SPD presidium and board as future party chairman.