pandemic
Lauterbach is calling on countries to implement new corona rules
Federal Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach appealed to the federal states not to react with a cold. Photo: Michael Kappeler/dpa
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The first nationwide corona protection requirements are no longer applicable, but all federal states are using a two-week transitional period. The Federal Minister of Health calls on the federal states not to play the “offended liver sausage”.
Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach has again defended the end of many corona protection regulations and called on the federal states to implement the new legal basis.
“We cannot continue to limit the liberties of the entire population just because ten percent of those over 60 are not ready to be vaccinated,” said the SPD politician in the ARD “Report from Berlin”.
The protective measures did not expire now, but continued for two weeks until April 2nd, explained Lauterbach. It could be that the number of cases would then be more stable or fall – if not, conditions in “hotspots” could even be tightened.
The minister admitted that the federal government had made the legislative changes for the first time without involving the federal states. But he appealed to the countries not to react coldly. “Now nobody can, let me say, play the offended liverwurst and don’t make themselves a hotspot where it’s necessary.”
Lauterbach said it was not in dispute with Justice Minister Marco Buschmann (FDP) that an entire federal state could also be a hotspot. “If a federal state now has a large number of hotspots, then the federal state is made up of hotspots.”
The SPD politician called on unvaccinated older people in particular to be vaccinated in view of the high number of infections. “You are at the highest risk.” He again campaigned for a general obligation to vaccinate and for the two drafts in the Bundestag for compulsory vaccination from the age of 18 and from the age of 50 to be merged. It is also possible to talk to the Union and to stick together “for reasons of state”.