Corona recovery status: There is still a six-month period in the Bundestag

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. The reason: MPs have simply not yet updated the rules.

Since mid-January, proof of recovery has only been valid for a maximum of three months instead of the previous six. Not so in the Bundestag. There is still a convalescent status of six months. At the very least, access to the plenary chamber and the committee meeting rooms will be regulated accordingly. A speaker of parliament said that ARD Capital Studio confirmed.

Bundestag rules linked to outdated Covid regulation

Reason: The Corona rules in the Bundestag are linked to a version of the Federal Government’s Covid regulation, which is now outdated. Namely to the one that was in force on January 14th – the day on which the Bundestag rules were decided. However, the most recent change in the federal Covid regulation with the shortened deadline came into force one day later.

According to the previous regulation, citizens were considered recovered if their corona infection was no more than six months ago. With the new version of the ordinance, the period has been shortened to a maximum of three months. But the Bundestag has not yet updated its rules for the plenary hall and committee rooms.

Different rules apply to offices in the Bundestag

As far as offices in the Bundestag buildings are concerned, the shortened convalescent status of three months already applies. According to the speaker of the Parliament, this is because MEPs work there in their capacity as employers. From this perspective, the Bundestag is primarily understood as a workplace, not as a political space. And then the current federal corona rules automatically apply.

It is unclear when the regulations for the plenum and committees will also be adjusted. It is “continuously analyzed” to see whether changes are indicated, the spokesman said.

Union criticizes rules on recovered status

Criticism comes from the Union faction: Their first parliamentary secretary, Thorsten Frei, says he would find it “strange if something different applied in the Bundestag than in Germany as a whole”. In the opinion of the CDU politician, the question of the duration of the recovered status should primarily be answered medically. This affects MEPs as well as other citizens.

CSU regional group leader Alexander Dobrindt, the federal government decided: to shorten the convalescent status to three months, but leave it at six months for the Bundestag, was “outrageous”. In doing so, Health Minister Karl Lauterbach did democracy a “real disservice,” said Dobrindt. However, the Bundestag regulates the access rules to Parliament itself.

Proof of recovery important for unvaccinated people

Proof of recovery is particularly important for those who have not been vaccinated – for example when access to certain facilities is subject to the 2G or 3G rule. For example, 3G applies nationwide in the workplace and in long-distance rail travel.

In other areas of life such as culture and gastronomy, the federal states regulate access. And according to the Federal Ministry of Health, it is up to them how they design the recovered status with a view to these access rules.

The discussion about special rules for the Bundestag shows one thing above all: the thicket of corona regulations is becoming more and more opaque every day.