The Limited Times

Now you can see non-English news...

Traffic light partners are tightening corona rules

2021-11-15T06:26:55.618Z


Do we need contact restrictions or not? This is one of the points of contention in fighting the pandemic. The SPD, Greens and FDP wanted to abolish them - but have now changed their minds.


Do we need contact restrictions or not?

This is one of the points of contention in fighting the pandemic.

The SPD, Greens and FDP wanted to abolish them - but have now changed their minds.

Berlin - The corona numbers are increasing dramatically - and the more they increased, the louder the criticism of the legislative proposals by the SPD, Greens and FDP for the future fight against the pandemic.

But now the possible coalition partners have sharpened their plans.

So the possibility of contact restrictions should not be abolished.

This emerges from an agreement between representatives of the three parliamentary groups that has been submitted to the German Press Agency.

In addition, unvaccinated people should no longer be allowed to use buses and trains without a negative test - regardless of the mask requirement that continues to apply.

Without this tightening of the previous plans, certain measures would no longer be possible after the legal status of the national epidemic situation expired on November 25th.

However, the three coalition-forming parties are sticking to the plan to end the special epidemic status.

Which restrictions should still be possible?

- Contact restrictions: "The possibility of being able to order contact restrictions in private and in public spaces should be added to the catalog of measures," agreed the possible partners of a so-called traffic light coalition, which is expected to be formed. Greens boss Robert Habeck explained in the ARD: “Contact prohibition or 2G regulation means in large parts: Lockdown for unvaccinated people. That is the vulgar translation. "

- Other restrictions: The federal states should get an opening clause.

That means, by resolution of their respective state parliament, they should be able to retain certain measures.

For example, they should be able to prohibit or restrict leisure, cultural and sporting events as well as gatherings, prohibit entry to health facilities, prohibit the sale and public consumption of alcohol and close universities.

Which restrictions should no longer be possible?

- Exit or travel restrictions

- Prohibition or restriction of restaurants and hotels as well as trade and commerce

- Prohibition or restriction of sport

What should the country clause bring?

"In this way, on the one hand, regionally different infections can be combated in a very targeted manner, on the other hand, we are shifting responsibility there from the executive back to the parliaments," it was said to explain.

What else is planned?

In the future, in addition to the mask requirement, a 3G rule will apply in local and long-distance public transport: "Anyone who uses public transport must either be vaccinated, recovered or tested," it was explained.

How long should the measures be limited in time?

So far, the SPD, Greens and FDP had set the end date of March 19, 2022.

Now there is a one-time extension option: "The Bundestag is authorized to extend the validity of the regulations by a maximum of three months by March 19, 2022 by means of a resolution."

What other measures are known?

The expired home office obligation for employees is to be reintroduced, as can be seen from a draft text from the SPD-led Ministry of Labor.

However, this is part of the draft law for the 3G rules in the workplace.

How is the status so far?

The amendment to the Infection Protection Act has already been introduced in the Bundestag.

The agreed tightening must therefore be added retrospectively.

The hearing of experts, which is part of the legislative process, is scheduled for this Monday.

The Bundestag should then vote on Thursday.

"The law is now getting a new legal basis, a more secure legal basis," said Habeck.

"We are only taking away the possibility: area-wide lockdown without differentiation for vaccinated and unvaccinated people."

Numerous critics, especially from science, but also state health ministers of the Greens had criticized the plan in the last few days to completely dispense with instruments such as contact restrictions. The Union parliamentary group had announced that it would apply to the Bundestag for an extension of the epidemic status in order to prevent an end to the contact restrictions.

The Bonn virologist Hendrik Streeck told the dpa: "We will not be able to avoid the fact that in a certain way we will have contact restrictions again and that major events in this form may no longer be possible - or if so, only under strict conditions." are events with a PCR test for unvaccinated people and a rapid antigen test for vaccinated and convalescent people, explained the director of the Virology Institute at the University of Bonn.

The SPD health expert Karl Lauterbach is personally convinced that "a very strict 2G-plus regulation at events and 2G everywhere" is more effective than contact restrictions, as he said in the "Bild" broadcast "The right questions".

2G means: access only for vaccinated and convalescent people - 2G plus: only for this group if it has also been tested.

“That corresponds to a kind of lockdown for the unvaccinated,” explained Lauterbach.

also read

Saarland relaxed: Many restrictions have been removed

Those who have 3G - that is, vaccinated, recovered or tested - can now be on the move in Saarland almost as they were before Corona.

Breathe a sigh of relief in the leisure and event industry too: a full house is possible again.

Saarland relaxed: Many restrictions have been removed

Teachers' Association calls for uniform corona regulations

Association president Heinz-Peter Meidinger speaks of "wildest small states" with reference to the Corona regulations in schools.

Some even call for a "Freedom Day" for minors.

Teachers' Association calls for uniform corona regulations

State government extends 3G rule for interiors in the north

For indoor events, the 3G rule will also apply in Schleswig-Holstein in the coming weeks.

Only fully vaccinated, recovered or tested people are allowed access to the cinema, restaurant or stadium.

There is then no mask requirement.

The state government extended the corona regulation on Tuesday up to and including November 14th, as the state chancellery announced on Tuesday.

State government extends 3G rule for interiors in the north

The executive head of the Chancellery, Helge Braun, agreed in the “Bild” broadcast that there should be no curfews, as they will certainly no longer be needed.

Above all, the FDP has so far resisted, in their view, excessive restrictions.

Party leader Christian Lindner told the broadcasters RTL and ntv: "Those who have been vaccinated must continue to have the opportunity for social life - anything else would be disproportionate."

What is the corona situation like?

The pandemic has gotten out of hand in the past few weeks.

According to the RKI, the number of infections has now exceeded the five million mark.

The seven-day incidence per 100,000 population rose to a record 303.0 on Monday.

Saxony was at the top with 754.3.

“With the number of cases that we now have, the clinics will exceed the capacity limit nationwide in the first two weeks of December,” Lauterbach told the newspapers of the Funke media group.

dpa

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2021-11-15

You may like

News/Politics 2024-02-20T11:02:55.083Z

Trends 24h

News/Politics 2024-03-27T16:45:54.081Z
News/Politics 2024-03-28T06:04:53.137Z

Latest

© Communities 2019 - Privacy

The information on this site is from external sources that are not under our control.
The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.