Status: 01/13/2022 11:10 p.m
There was a lot of confusion about when the shortened quarantine rules that the federal and state governments have decided should apply. The Bundestag has now approved the regulation. The Federal Council will decide on Friday.
Last Friday, Chancellor Olaf Scholz and the Prime Ministers decided on new, shortened quarantine rules for contact persons of people infected with the coronavirus at a federal-state summit. The Bundestag has now confirmed this.
According to the new rules, people infected with the corona virus and their contacts only have to be in isolation or quarantine for ten days. Previously 14 days was usual. All those affected should be able to take a free test after seven days. Contacts who have already received a booster vaccine or who have been fully vaccinated or recovered within the past three months are no longer in quarantine.
Exceptional rules apply to children, young people and employees in the healthcare sector. Government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit published this chart:
Confusion about missing time frame
The shorter quarantine times are intended to ensure that important supply areas do not collapse even if the number of infections increases sharply.
Initially, confusion was caused by the fact that the federal-state consultations did not set a fixed timeframe as to when the new rules should apply. A senior official at a county government reported to him ARD Capital Studiothat this led to considerable problems at the weekend. Many people would have ended their quarantine or isolation prematurely.
It was clear that the new rules could only come into force as soon as the COVID-19 Protective Measures Exception Ordinance was amended. This measure must be approved by both the Bundestag and the Bundesrat.
The Federal Council will decide on Friday
Now that the Bundestag has given the green light for the regulation, the Bundesrat is also to decide on it on Friday. The federal states then have to enforce the rules in some cases with their own regulations.
The new rules also state that the 2G Plus rule should be mandatory in the catering trade. It is also strongly recommended to use FFP2 masks in shops and on public transport.