More than two years after the start of the corona pandemic, most day-to-day government restrictions are coming to an end in much of Germany. Despite the continued high number of infections, the new national legal framework provides only a few general protective measures as of today.
In almost all federal states, it is still possible to wear masks, for example, in offices, nursing homes, clinics, buses and trains, in addition to tests in schools, for example. Masks are still mandatory across the country on long-distance trains and planes. Regardless of state rules, businesses, stores and other facilities can continue to maintain specifications such as mask requirements.
Traffic light coalition prevailed against protests
The traffic light coalition had approved the extensive end of measures to contain the crown against protests from federal states, among others. The federal government justifies this by saying that there is no national burden on the healthcare system and that in an emergency, stricter rules can be issued regionally.
Under the amended Infection Protection Act, numerous conditions expired Sunday night that millions of people had been used to for months – including access only for vaccinated, recovered and tested (3-G) or for vaccinated and recovered (2 -G). General mask requirements when shopping or in schools are now over.
Stricter rules only in Hamburg and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
Other requirements initially only apply in Hamburg and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. For now, the two countries are the only ones using the so-called Infection Protection Act’s so-called hotspot rule. Allows for additional specification if the state parliament determines a regionally critical situation for clinics.
The other federal states are not making use of it for the time being and have complained that the legal criteria in federal law were too uncertain. It’s valid initially until September 23, then a follow-up regulation may follow in the fall.
mask search
According to a survey by Insa, 63% of citizens in Germany wish to voluntarily continue to wear mouth and nose protection when shopping after the mask requirement ends. However, 29% of respondents said they did not want to do this. In a representative poll by pollster Insa, eight percent of respondents were unwilling to commit to Bild am Sonntag.
High infection numbers
Across the country, the number of infections remains high, even though they have been dropping for a few days. The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) gave the value of new corona infections per 100,000 population and week on Saturday at 1531.5. The day before it was 1586.4 and the week before it was 1758.4.