During the preparations for a renewed corona protection in autumn, regulations on the obligation to wear masks are emerging. “The effectiveness of masks for individuals indoors is undisputed,” said Federal Minister of Justice Marco Buschmann (FDP) to the newspapers of the Funke media group (Saturday). “That’s why some form of wearing masks indoors will certainly play a role in our concept.” Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD), who advises Buschmann on new regulations in the Infection Protection Act, is in principle in favor of the requirements for wearing a mouth and nose protector.
Buschmann said: “We have to take very seriously what awaits us in autumn and winter.” He is in good spirits “that we will have a concept at the end of the month, which we will then discuss with the federal states in August, and in September we will bring the amendment to the Infection Protection Act through Parliament.” The proposal will create clear and understandable rules that are proportionate. “We agree in the coalition that there will be no more lockdowns, no blanket school closures and no curfews.”
The corona provisions in the Infection Protection Act, which were severely reduced in spring, primarily at the insistence of the FDP, expire on September 23. They are the legal basis for protective measures in the countries and define possible instruments. General mask requirements for events or when shopping were eliminated at the beginning of April. Masks are still mandatory nationwide on long-distance trains and planes. The federal states regulate this for buses and trains in local transport as well as for medical practices and clinics. A further increase in the number of infections is expected for the colder season after the summer wave.
Bavaria’s Health Minister Klaus Holetschek welcomed the fact that Buschmann finally described the effectiveness of masks, especially indoors, as “undisputed”. “It took long enough to come to this conclusion,” the CSU politician told the German Press Agency on Saturday. The traffic light coalition must now deliver a draft. It is of central importance for the federal states to be able to take all necessary protective measures quickly, effectively and legally.
In the face of a lot of criticism, Lauterbach defended his campaign for more second booster vaccinations not only for older people aged 60 or 70. The seven-day incidence would probably be 1500 to 2000 with unreported cases, he wrote on Twitter on Saturday. “Therefore it is not wrong if I also recommend younger people with a lot of contacts to consider the 4th vaccination after consulting their family doctor. The 4th vaccination is better than the infection.”
In Germany, around 3.9 million corona vaccine doses expired between the beginning of December 2021 and the end of June. This was announced by the Ministry of Health in Berlin in response to a request from Member of the Bundestag Stephan Pilsinger (CSU), which was first reported by the editorial network Germany (RND/Sunday) and which was also available to the German Press Agency. These are vaccine doses from the manufacturer Moderna
In total, the federal government had ordered around 134.3 million vaccine doses during the period. It was said that no can had been donated. The international vaccine alliance Gavi had stated that it was no longer accepting donations because there was no need.
According to a report by “Bild am Sonntag”, there is a problem in the federal states with the implementation of the corona vaccination requirement for nursing and health staff. This has applied to employees in facilities for groups requiring special protection since mid-March. According to information from the newspaper, more than 190,000 unvaccinated health care workers were identified from 12 of the 16 federal states, but only 70 entry bans were issued – in North Rhine-Westphalia, Lower Saxony and Brandenburg. Fines are also possible. But the federal states have apparently made little or no use of this either. The information is based on a survey of the health ministries of the federal states.
The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) gave the official seven-day incidence on Saturday as 752.7 – after 719.2 reported new infections per 100,000 inhabitants in seven days the day before. However, the incidence does not provide a complete picture, mainly because not all infected people do PCR tests, but only these are recorded. (dpa)