In view of an apparently declining number of corona infections, the federal and state governments have agreed that most corona measures should be dropped by March 20th. That said Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) after a meeting with the Prime Ministers. However, protective measures such as wearing a mask and keeping your distance should be maintained.
“Basic protection” is still needed, and everyone agrees on that, said North Rhine-Westphalia’s Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst (CDU), who is currently chairing the Prime Ministers’ Conference – this includes, for example, the possibility of enacting a mask requirement or hygiene requirements. The federal government will now create a legal basis for this, said Chancellor Scholz.
After the meeting, he spoke of a “very special day”. The peak of the omicron wave has probably been reached and one can assume that the situation is now improving from day to day. “It’s the same for many citizens as I am: somehow, after all these two long years, we deserved that things somehow get better again,” said Scholz. “It looks a bit like that’s exactly what we have in front of us.”
However, you have to be prepared for a new wave in autumn – it is still necessary for as many people in Germany as possible to be vaccinated against the corona virus. Scholz said that a general obligation to vaccinate is still “important”. He agrees with all country heads of government on this. “The pandemic is not over yet.” Wüst said you have to “combine openings and mindfulness”.
There should be gradual easing until March 20th – albeit with slight reservations. This was announced by Berlin’s governing mayor Franziska Giffey (SPD). 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 will 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. However, this is subject to the condition that the health system is not overloaded by Corona.
“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. Then, for example, the home office obligation should also be eliminated.
After the anger about the short-term reduction of the convalescent status by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), the legislature should again decide on this in the future. “The back and forth was not good,” criticized Wüst. Scholz said he had confidence in the RKI – but it would be better if citizens were not simply referred to an RKI website for such an important question. In order to be able to act faster, the federal government had not previously determined how long one is considered to have recovered from Corona, but left this to the RKI. This shortened the status in January to three months without announcing the decision in advance, which also triggered considerable resentment in politics. (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)
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)