Status: 05.09.2022 7:31 p.m
The criticism was great after the trip to Canada, on which Chancellor Scholz and other government officials did not wear a mask on the plane. The obligation to wear a mask on passenger flights is also to fall soon – apparently due to pressure from the FDP.
Changes are still emerging in the parliamentary deliberations on the Corona rules for the fall. The obligation to wear masks on airplanes, which is initially still provided for nationwide in the Infection Protection Act, is apparently to be abolished. That experienced that ARD Capital Studio from government circles.
At the same time, the law should stipulate nationwide that FFP2 masks must also be worn in doctor’s offices, in addition to long-distance trains, clinics and nursing homes. Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach told the dpa: “Vaccinations and masks remain the best protection against the expected omicron wave. That’s why we use both.” Masks should therefore also be worn in medical practices. “As long as the pandemic situation allows it, on the other hand, masks will no longer be compulsory on the plane. However, the mask remains recommended there too. This is not a question of regulations, but of common sense.”
Pressure from the FDP?
According to the RND report, the originally planned mask requirement in air traffic was removed from the Infection Protection Act under pressure from the FDP. The FDP in the traffic light coalition had campaigned for an end to the mask requirement on airplanes. According to the RND, it is now planned that the Federal Ministry of Health should be given an authorization basis to be able to issue a mask requirement on airplanes by ordinance.
The Bundestag is to adopt the corona provisions in the Infection Protection Act for the fall this Thursday. The federal cabinet had launched a draft that generally provides for more extensive rules on masks and tests from October 1st to April 7th, 2023. The federal states should be able to impose further protective requirements and expand them in a critical situation.
Mask requirement on the plane should be dropped – criticism from the countries
Jim-Bob Nickschas, ARD Berlin, September 6, 2022 at 6:32 a.m