At the end of November, the corona spook could be over – at least partially. Federal Minister of Health Spahn does not want to prolong the epidemic emergency. Is Freedom Day approaching?
In view of the corona vaccination quota in Germany, the German Hospital Association has no concerns about letting the so-called epidemic situation of national scope expire. “I can understand the step and do not consider that to be a problem,” said General Manager Gerald Gass of the editorial network in Germany (RND / Tuesday).
The “epidemic situation” is the basis for central corona measures in Germany. Federal Minister of Health Jens Spahn (CDU) spoke out on Monday in discussions with his country colleagues in favor of letting the regulation expire on November 25th. According to information from “Bild”, he referred, among other things, to the fact that the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) classifies the risk for vaccinated people as moderate.
Gass supported this plan. In view of the high vaccination quota in Germany, it should no longer be necessary for the federal government to adopt measures to control pandemics beyond state competencies, he said. “I also no longer expect the same high numbers of Covid patients in hospitals for autumn and winter as in the past.”
Is Freedom Day Coming?
The decision on an end to the “epidemic situation of national scope” lies with the Bundestag. Parliament first established it in March 2020 at the beginning of the pandemic and then repeatedly extended it, most recently for three months at the end of August. It expires if it is not extended by the Bundestag. The “epidemic situation” gives federal and state governments powers to issue ordinances on corona measures or vaccine procurement.
What Spahn’s statements mean in concrete terms is still open. It is unclear whether once the “epidemic situation” comes to an end, a kind of “Freedom Day” with an end to all restrictions would automatically come, as has been discussed again and again recently. Because the federal states are responsible for corona measures themselves. They define distance, event and mask rules in their own regulations and update them regularly.
SPD health expert Karl Lauterbach assumes that central protective measures will be continued even after they expire. “No federal state would be so crazy, given the current number of cases, to forego access restrictions for closed rooms or to bury the mask requirement in buses and trains,” he told the editorial network Germany.
AHA + L rules will stay, right?
According to a media report, the Greens and the FDP are also against an extension of the “epidemic situation”. The traffic light explorers agree that this should not be extended beyond November 30, reported the “Welt”, citing FDP exploratory circles. The Green politician Manuela Rottmann said: “We will not be able to do without masks, distance requirements and hygiene concepts for the next few weeks. As in August, an unchanged determination of the” epidemic length of national scope “is still out of the question for us.”
FDP health expert and infectiologist Andrew Ullmann also spoke out in favor of regional hygiene measures depending on the infection rate. Ordinances by the executive branch alone should no longer be continued. “On Twitter, he wrote:” The epidemic situation of national scope may end, could have ended long ago. Booster vaccinations are now important for vulnerable people. “
Bavaria’s Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) had told “Welt am Sonntag”: “One thing is clear: If the Bundestag no longer extends the epidemic situation, this will probably mean the end of all security requirements, because only the determination of the epidemic situation is the basis and legal basis for the infection protection regulations of the federal states. Then we would indirectly have Freedom Day at the end of November. “
Söder’s party colleague, Bavaria’s Health Minister Klaus Holetschek (CSU), expressed himself cautiously: “The determination of the epidemic situation is a matter for the new Bundestag,” he told the German Press Agency in Munich. He advocated first obtaining assessments from science. “Our colleagues from the health ministers of the federal states agree that – regardless of whether the epidemic situation has been determined – it would be important to have a uniform legal framework in order to continue to take targeted measures.” This is necessary in order to counter the increasing number of infections, especially with a view to winter. The future coalition is now required.
Back to normal with 2G
The President of the German Medical Association, Klaus Reinhardt, suggested introducing a Germany-wide regulation for vaccinated and convalescent people (2G) in certain areas. “I advocate that all federal states introduce 2G without mask and space as an option for the hospitality industry, for sport and the event industry,” he told the newspapers of the Funke media group. That would be a good way to get back to normal.
For the near future, the medical president expects again higher incidences. “The number of corona infections will certainly increase in the coming weeks,” said Reinhardt. However, there is currently no reason to panic in view of the vaccination rate and the situation in the hospitals. It is important that all adults now have themselves vaccinated against Corona, “who for whatever reason have not yet done this”.
No mass tests at schools, but free quick tests at universities
Parents’ representatives called for teachers to be vaccinated. Ines Weber, member of the board of directors of the Federal Parents’ Council, told the Funke newspapers that this had to be “legally stipulated by the federal government”. However, the Association of Education and Upbringing had already pointed out in July that the overwhelming majority of teachers had been vaccinated.
The president of the professional association of paediatricians, Thomas Fischbach, called for the abolition of the regular corona tests in schools. “We no longer need the cause-free corona mass tests in schools,” he told the “Bild”. Because children rarely got seriously ill with Covid-19. The huge logistical effort of the quick tests is not worthwhile and often leads to incorrect results.
The Education and Science Union (GEW), in turn, asked universities, students and employees to offer free corona tests and medical protective masks at the start of the winter semester. Hygiene rules that include the 3G principle – that is, access only for those who have been vaccinated, tested or recovered – are still required, said the deputy GEW chairman Andreas Keller of the “Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung”.