Corona recovery status: the Bundestag apparently wants to adjust the rules

Since mid-January, the corona recovery status has only been valid for three months instead of the previous six. Not so in the Bundestag, where the old deadline still applies. Apparently that is about to change now.

Despite the shortening of the convalescent status from six to three months for citizens, the old deadline still applies in some cases in the Bundestag. This is now to be discussed again in Parliament.

SPD parliamentary secretary Katja Mast announced that the topic would be discussed in parliament’s council of elders on Thursday. She “certainly assumes” that the rules applicable to MPs will be changed for the next week of the session.

According to the current general decree of the Bundestag, which regulates in particular access to the plenary hall and committee rooms, the recovered status is valid for six months. Outside of parliament, however, a validity of only three months has been prescribed for a week and a half due to a decision by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI).

Outdated regulation applies in the Bundestag

The reason for the deviation: The rules in the Bundestag are linked to a version of the Federal Government’s Corona Ordinance, which is now outdated, according to Mast. Namely to the one that was in force around two weeks ago – when the Bundestag rules were passed. The most recent amendment to the federal ordinance – with the shortened deadline – only came into force a few days later.

“I firmly believe that this will change,” Mast said in reference to the different regulations. On the other hand, Bundestag Vice President Wolfgang Kubicki was critical of the three-month rule – both inside and outside of Parliament. The RKI justified the shortening with the fact that the protective effect after an infection with the corona virus is shorter than before with the currently dominant omicron variant.

Criticism from politicians and legal experts

Legal experts and politicians criticized the exception for members of the Bundestag. The constitutional law expert Christian Hillgruber from the University of Bonn told the “Bild” that there was no justification for the “unequal treatment” of citizens and politicians: “Either the shortening of the convalescent status is necessary from a technical and health point of view or not, parliamentary status or here.”

The FDP health expert Christine Aschenberg-Dugnus told the newspaper: “There must be no special regulations in the Bundestag.” She called for the underlying general decree to be changed – if possible in the next few days.

The head of the CSU state group, Alexander Dobrindt, also criticized the current regulation. “It is outrageous to reduce the status of those who have recovered to three months in a technically questionable manner, but to leave it at six months for the Bundestag,” said Dobrindt.

Recovered status important for unvaccinated

The recovered status is particularly important for unvaccinated people. Namely when it comes to access to facilities or places where the 2G or 3G rule applies. Nationwide, this is the case, among other things, at the workplace or in long-distance rail transport.