According to a draft resolution, there are signs of far-reaching easing in the federal-state consultations on the Corona crisis – albeit with reservations. This emerges from one of the points that were already voted on on Wednesday between the Prime Minister and Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD). However, the entire bill has not yet been finalized. The draft decision is the Süddeutsche Zeitung before.
In a first step, contact restrictions for those who have been vaccinated and those who have recovered should therefore be completely eliminated – “without limiting the number of participants”. The access rule in retail only for vaccinated and recovered people (2 G), which has already been abandoned in many federal states, is to be overturned nationwide. Medical masks would have to be worn there.
In a second step, from March 4th, access to the catering and hotel industry should not only be made possible for those who have been vaccinated and those who have recovered, but also for people with a negative test (3 G). Discotheques and clubs are open to those who have recovered and those who have been vaccinated with a daily test or with a third vaccination (2 G Plus). For major national events – including sports – the following should apply: indoors, an occupancy of up to 60 percent of the maximum capacity, a maximum of 6000 spectators; in the outdoor area up to 75 percent of the maximum capacity, a maximum of 25,000 spectators.
“In a third and final step from March 20, 2022, all more extensive protective measures should be dropped if the situation in the hospitals allows it,” says the three-stage plan. Accordingly, for example, the home office obligation should be omitted. (02/16/2022)
Austria lifts almost all corona measures on March 5th
Austria plans to lift almost all corona measures on March 5th. The mask requirement should remain in place. This was announced by Chancellor Karl Nehammer after the opening summit between the federal government, the states and the “Gecko” expert panel. The opening should happen in two steps.
On February 19, the 2-G rule is to be replaced by the 3-G rule in ski areas and sports facilities, on bus trips, physical services and at events. In a second step, the previous curfew at midnight will be lifted on March 5 and night gastronomy will also be allowed to open again. Events should be possible again without a limit on participants. “We haven’t overcome the pandemic yet. But as it is now, we decide that people should now be freed from restrictions as much as possible,” said Nehammer. Entry should also be made significantly easier with the then applicable 3-G rule for those who have been vaccinated, those who have recovered and those who have been tested.
The current infection process enables “a dignified spring awakening from a well-established crisis mode,” said Austria’s Health Minister Wolfgang Mückstein. However, the situation could get worse again in autumn, the minister warned. Therefore, the summer must be used for vaccination. According to Mückstein, the obligation to vaccinate is not up for discussion. The rate of those with basic protection, which usually requires two injections, is currently 70 percent. With a seven-day incidence of around 2,500 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants, Austria has a significantly higher value than Germany.
In the run-up to the opening summit, the “Gecko” Commission had already published a report in which the experts involved were cautiously optimistic. The first steps towards easing can be taken – but only on the condition that the peak of the current omicron wave has passed, it said. All forecast scenarios would show that after the peak of the wave, easing would no longer have a significant impact on the course of the pandemic. (02/16/2022)
Switzerland lifts almost all corona measures
“Freedom Day” also in Switzerland: from Thursday onwards, unvaccinated people can again freely go to restaurants, cultural institutions, leisure facilities and shops. There are no longer any restrictions on private meetings and the recommendation to work from home is lifted. The government decided this Wednesday to lift almost all corona protection measures.
Masks are only compulsory on buses and trains, as well as in health facilities. However, this does not apply to residents of retirement and nursing homes. There it only applies to the staff. The government justified the openings as the epidemiological situation continues to develop positively. Thanks to the high level of immunity in the population, the health system is unlikely to be overloaded despite the continued high virus circulation. (02/16/2022)
Union-led countries want to extend recovered and vaccinated status
The Union-led federal states want to push through at the Prime Ministers’ Conference that the recovered status will be extended to six months in the future and to nine months for those who have been vaccinated twice. This emerges from a second draft of the so-called B-side, which also includes the Green Prime Minister of Baden-Württemberg, Winfried Kretschmann. The group of countries also wants to enforce a vaccination register and thus systematically record vaccination data.
On the question of who will decide on the duration of the recovered status in the future, Health Minister Karl Lauterbach announced in interviews that he would withdraw responsibilities from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) and decide “himself and directly” on this in the future. “Otherwise I bear the political responsibility for the actions of others,” said Lauterbach image. The RKI’s decision to shorten the convalescent status from six to three months recently triggered public criticism.
The B-states go even further in their draft and demand that the Bundesrat should also approve changes in the future. North Rhine-Westphalia’s Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst said on Deutschlandfunk: “In the end, the federal states have to execute it and it has proven useful to talk about it together beforehand.” The draft of the SPD-led countries says nothing about the participation of the Federal Council or an extended convalescent status. (02/16/2022)
Lauterbach for loosening with a sense of proportion
Immediately before the federal and state consultations on the future Corona course, Lauterbach opposes a complete reduction in the Corona requirements. It’s time to relax with a sense of proportion, he said. However, it is still necessary to be able to react quickly and flexibly to the pandemic. The virus does not go away overnight. “That’s why we have to formulate the Infection Protection Act in such a way that basic protection is guaranteed and can be extended if necessary.” The SPD politician announced: “We will supplement the text in the parliamentary procedure so that even after March 20th more is possible than masks and distance.”
He is “firmly counting on a new wave in the fall,” said Lauterbach SZ. In the autumn wave, you could then be dealing with a variant “that has a greater penetration depth into the lung and nerve tissue and destroys the tissue more,” said the minister. Serious cases of illness and strict measures can only be prevented if Germany prepares, says Lauterbach: “It is urgently necessary that we get general vaccinations done. It will depend on where we are in the fall.”
The federal and state governments are discussing far-reaching easing this Wednesday. According to Lauterbach, the peak of the omicron wave has been passed. Immediately before the Prime Ministers’ Conference (MPK), Bavaria had pushed ahead with a plethora of openings. (02/16/2022)
The nationwide incidence value drops to 1401
The nationwide seven-day incidence has fallen for the fourth straight day. This increases the evidence that the omicron wave actually breaks. The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) gave the value of new infections per 100,000 inhabitants and week on Wednesday morning as 1401. On Tuesday the value was 1438. The health authorities in Germany reported almost 220,000 new corona infections to the RKI within one day. 247 people died in connection with the virus.
However, the figures are only of limited significance. Experts assume a high number of cases that are not recorded in the RKI data. Test capacities and health authorities are at the limit in many places, contacts are only traced to a limited extent. That is why we use the SZ Corona Dashboard to show an average value from the reports of the past seven days, which is intended to compensate for fluctuations from day to day. You can find more information on this in the transparency blog, further data and graphics on the pandemic here. (02/15/2022)