For a long time Markus Söder was captain in the “Team Caution” together with the Chancellor, recently the Prime Minister and CSU boss located himself in the “Team Awareness”. On Monday after a meeting of the CSU board of directors, Söder spoke of “Team Hoffnung”. And promised a “gentle Bavarian way” for the Corona measures, “not a general opening, it’s progressing step by step”. Specifically: The curfew in the catering trade, previously at 10 p.m., should be eliminated. Events in culture and sport are again allowed to visit significantly more spectators, also in the professional area. And for body-related services such as hairdressers, 2G is no longer used in favor of 3G – even non-vaccinated people are allowed back in with a test. The changes, which will probably take effect on Thursday, are subject to the approval of the coalition partner in the cabinet on Tuesday – however, the free voters have never been noticed as a brake on easing during the pandemic.
“With the burden on the hospitals and the health system, there is no longer a risk of being overwhelmed,” said Söder – despite the record incidence. Because the “rigid anxiety and looking at the incidence is no longer the indicator”. This shows that in the omicron wave there is a “decoupling and decoupling” of infection numbers and hospitalization. Above all, you can see it in the occupancy of the intensive care units, where “everything is stable”. On Monday, 329 intensive care places were occupied by corona patients, in previous waves there were sometimes more than 1000. It is now a question of “finding the door through the omicron wall” – and “entering the exit”.
The nationwide Corona line is to be discussed in the Prime Ministers’ Conference next week, where “we also want to set our accent”, said Söder. Bavaria had already made this clear in the preparatory meetings of the state chancellery. A first step is now the “controlled procedure” in your own state. The Bavarian Hotel and Restaurant Association Dehoga welcomed the end of the curfew on Monday as a “responsible and at the same time very important step towards more normality”. In the past few weeks, the landlord lobby has considered the rules “ripe” for abolition. The two Corona years have shown that the industry guarantees safe operations under all the conditions. The 2G rule in the catering trade or with other offers remains in place, and there is no imminent departure from it, said Söder when asked. Going to football may be “vital for some”, but it is a voluntary decision.
At the same time there are changes for culture and sport. In the future, significantly more places will be filled there. In cinemas and theatres, for example, the upper limit is to be raised to 75 percent; up to now half the occupancy rate has been permitted. In sports stadiums and at larger events, 50 percent is the new brand (instead of 25), with a maximum of 15,000 guests. Bayern had only increased here a week and a half ago. The experiences have been positive, said Söder. 2G-Plus and FFP2 masks are still mandatory, which is “very adequate protection”. Just like the mask, even with conceivable openings, “will be what stays the longest” in the future. In the CSU, many had recently insisted on a unified approach to improvements in gastronomy and culture, otherwise one would quickly be criticized as “cultural philistine”.
In addition, hairdressers, nail salons, pedicurists or other body-related service providers should again be able to serve customers without vaccination or recovered status, but with a negative test. The 3G rule is sufficient, the current situation has led to “considerable distortions” because such things are “actually part of everyday needs”. The Bavarian hairdressers’ guild had recently complained: Many companies “are standing with their backs to the wall, some have had to give up, and through the decisions of the state government we are massively promoting undeclared work”. Söder also commented on the strategy in schools. In view of the rapidly increasing number of infections among children, there is currently a debate about an allegedly accepted “contagion” in face-to-face lessons. The accusation that it is based on “conscious penetration” is wrong, said Söder. Face-to-face teaching is “central”, also with a view to final exams in the next quarter. Many school managements – as “the” Corona managers – see it similarly.
For the time being, the Free State does not want to implement the nationwide vaccination requirement for nursing staff, for example, which will apply nationwide on March 15, they will make “the most generous transitional rules in enforcement”. On the one hand, there are no clear enforcement rules from the federal government, and on the other hand, there is a risk of skilled workers leaving the profession. Health Minister Klaus Holteschek (CSU) recently emphasized this, especially since there is no general obligation. A “special sacrifice for those working in the healthcare sector” is out of place.