Before the Corona summit: SPD federal states call for easing

Created: 2/9/2022Updated: 2/9/2022 12:33 p.m

By: Tobias Utz, Alexander Gottschalk

A week and a half before the next Corona summit, the opening debate flares up again.

The calls for easing are getting louder.

• On Wednesday (February 16, 2022) there will be another Corona summit*.

  The federal and state governments want to advise Germany on how to proceed in the pandemic.

• Relaxation of the corona measures are required in advance.

• The news situation before the Corona summit at a glance.

+++ 12.15 p.m .:

In the run-up to the Corona summit, the SPD-led federal states have apparently agreed on relaxation requirements.

According to a report by Business Insider magazine, the first opening steps should be discussed and decided in the federal-state group as soon as the pandemic situation allows.

The report does not contain anything more specific.

According to reports from the dpa and AFP news agencies, government circles have said that the 2G rule in retail may drop as soon as the number of cases falls.

The peak of the omicron wave - forecast by RKI boss Wieler and Health Minister Lauterbach for mid-February - could represent a turning point.

An illustration of the coronavirus.

(symbol photo) © AFP

Corona situation: Calls for easing get louder before the Corona summit

Update from Wednesday, February 9th, 2022, 7.15 a.m .:

The calls for easing prospects in the corona pandemic are getting louder despite the further increase in the number of infections.

According to information from the German Press Agency, the leader of the FDP parliamentary group in the Bundestag, Christian Dürr, said that as soon as the risk of overloading the health system no longer existed, restrictions would have to be withdrawn.

"That's why we are already talking about concrete opening prospects." The next Prime Ministers' Conference should make the first decisions on this.

The German Association of General Practitioners called on the federal government to draw up an opening plan for the exit from the corona measures.

Federal Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach only warned on Tuesday that measures would be lifted quickly.

"We don't really have the situation under control yet," said the SPD politician.

A peak in the omicron wave is expected for the middle of this month.

He described the discussion about easing as out of place.

A sign on the Zeil shopping street in Frankfurt indicates that masks are compulsory.

© Sebastian Gollnow/dpa

Corona situation: NRW is sticking to the obligation to vaccinate nursing staff and hospital staff

+++ 10.50 p.m .:

Despite the concerns about the practicability of the law, the state of North Rhine-Westphalia wants to implement the corona vaccination requirement for nursing and hospital staff.

This was confirmed on Tuesday (February 8th, 2022) by NRW Health Minister Karl-Josef Laumann (CDU) in Düsseldorf.

Even if the meaning of the law is understandable, its implementation is difficult.

On this occasion, Laumann also advocated the implementation of a general obligation to vaccinate in order to be prepared for Corona next autumn.

The chairman of the Prime Ministers' Conference, Hendrik Wüst (CDU), sees errors in the law at the federal level.

The institution-related vaccination requirement is encountered by all those involved, hospitals and institutions, cities and districts "in the implementation of enormous difficulties," said the NRW Prime Minister on request.

That is why “essential uniform federal rules” are necessary.

Laumann also called on the federal government to define guidelines for individual decisions on exceptions and a clear definition of the group of people to whom vaccination applies.

In contrast to other federal states led by the Union, North Rhine-Westphalia has spoken out in favor of the implementation of compulsory vaccination for nursing staff.

© Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa

Patient protection for more tests instead of compulsory corona vaccination for nursing staff

Update from Tuesday, February 8th, 2022, 12:15 p.m .:

The German Patient Protection Foundation currently rejects the corona vaccination requirement* for nursing staff.

Your board member, Eugen Brysch, is also calling for a viable nationwide regulation.

Under the current conditions, he thinks “nothing about compulsory vaccination,” said Brysch on Tuesday in the ZDF* morning magazine.

After all, the regulation carries the risk that tens of thousands of nursing staff will not be able to come to work and that more than 100,000 people in need of care will suffer.

However, Brysch also criticized Bavaria's one-sided departure.

"Not every country can do what it wants," said the foundation's board of directors.

"That's why we need a nationwide solution," demanded Brysch.

To protect those in need of care from Covid-19, Brysch relies on a combination of vaccinations and tests.

"Vaccination helps us get through the crisis," he said on ZDF.

But it is also clear: “Testing is part of it.” That is why he is with the nursing staff for “consistent testing before starting work”.

According to Brysch, this is “a good means of choice” to avoid corona infections in care facilities.

An employee of the PCR test laboratory at the Robert Bosch Hospital prepares PCR tests.

© Bernd Weißbrod/dpa

Corona crisis: Patient Protection Foundation hopes for support from the authorities

Although rapid corona tests are currently sufficient, the PCR test capacities are not sufficient.

Here he spoke out for more support from the authorities.

“Why are the health authorities actually phoning after the virus?” Brysch criticized.

Rather, they should support the care facilities with the corona tests.

The Bundeswehr could be used again for this.

Vaccination obligation: CDU leader Merz calls on the federal government to suspend

+++ 19:28:

CDU leader Friedrich Merz calls on the federal government on behalf of his party to suspend the implementation of compulsory vaccination because of many unresolved issues.

In December, the CDU/CSU parliamentary group in the Bundestag approved the introduction of facility-related vaccination requirements from March 15th.

The party leaders Merz and Söder justified their departure from this schedule, among other things, with the concern that nursing facilities would lose massive staff if unvaccinated workers were no longer allowed to appear on duty.

They accused the federal government of serious omissions in preparing for compulsory vaccination.

"The federal government leaves the facilities and employees alone with the consequences of this compulsory vaccination," said Merz after consultations with the CDU parliamentary group leaders from the state parliaments in Saarbrücken.

Facilities in many countries were threatened with massive staff losses.

The obligation to vaccinate "throws the facilities into chaos," said Merz.

Friedrich Merz is calling on the federal government to suspend compulsory vaccination.

© Becker/imago

Too many unanswered questions: Friedrich Merz wants to suspend compulsory vaccination

The Union faction approved the proposal in December "assuming that the problems can be solved," said Merz.

"We have to rethink how we deal with the subject of compulsory vaccination," he said.

"It can't stay the way it is." The CDU isn't about turning away from implementation completely, but about suspending it until all questions have been clarified.

+++ 4.43 p.m .:

Federal Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach (SPD) criticized the Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) for his announcement that he would not initially implement the facility-related corona vaccination obligation.

"The Bavarian state government should also take the law that has been passed seriously," said Lauterbach on Monday in Berlin.

It's about protecting patients and residents.

"Lax enforcement rules for institution-related vaccinations can not only endanger the lives of older people with weak immune systems," explained Lauterbach.

They also jeopardize the credibility of politics.

Bavaria does not want to implement compulsory vaccination – "leads to problems"

+++ 1.30 p.m .:

Bavaria’s Prime Minister Markus Söder announced easing for the Free State about a week and a half before the Corona summit.

Part of this includes new rules in gastronomy and at major events (see update from 11 a.m.).

Söder also announced at a press conference that Bavaria will not initially implement the occupational corona vaccination requirement in the hospital and care sector.

The start for this was actually planned for mid-March.

Söder wants to proceed “generously”.

This amounts to "de facto a suspension of enforcement," said the Bavarian Prime Minister.

A “partial obligation to vaccinate” is not a solution in the current Omikron wave.

"I am in favor of compulsory vaccination, but this partial solution does not help, but rather leads to the reverse problems."

Before the Corona summit: Söder announces far-reaching easing

+++ 11.00 a.m .:

The corona rules are relaxed in Bavaria.

Markus Söder is thus reacting in the run-up to the summit next Wednesday (02/16/2022).

The easing mainly affects two areas and one group: gastronomy as well as major events and the unvaccinated.

Markus Söder, Prime Minister of Bavaria.

© Chris Emil Janssen/Imago Images

In the catering trade, the curfew (currently still 10 p.m.) should be abolished, as Söder announced in a CSU switch.

The reports of the Bavarian radio and the newspaper Bild unanimously.

At major events, up to 15,000 people should be allowed to sit in the audience again.

There is also a change for those who have not been vaccinated: in Bavaria, the group should be able to go to the hairdresser in the future with a negative test.

Corona summit: Söder calls for relaxation

Update from Monday, February 7th, 2022, 8.45 a.m .:

Bavaria's Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) has accused the federal government of a "confused debate" on how to proceed in the corona pandemic.

"The federal government is divided," said Söder on Monday in the ZDF "Morgenmagazin".

This can be seen, for example, in the unilateral shortening of the convalescent status or in dealing with the President of the Robert Koch Institute, Lothar Wieler.

Calls for a step-by-step plan for corona loosening: Markus Söder, here on the sidelines of a CSU retreat.

© Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa

Before the next Corona summit, which will take place on February 16, Söder campaigned for the current restrictions to be relaxed.

Restrictions on the population are correct when the health system is extremely burdened - but that is currently not the case with the Omicron variant.

In such a situation, freedom must find a stronger place in the balance between freedom and security.

At the same time, Söder advocated making vaccination mandatory.

The obligation to vaccinate is also the answer to challenges posed by possible future mutations of the corona virus.

In comparison to hundreds of regulations, compulsory vaccination also creates significantly more clarity.

Corona summit: Habeck and Lauterbach warn - Söder calls for a phased plan

First report from Sunday, February 6th, 2022, 11.30 a.m.:

Berlin – While the number of corona infections in Germany is rushing from record to record*, a debate about the right course in the pandemic flares up again.

Vice-Chancellor Robert Habeck* (Greens*) and Federal Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach* (SPD*) warn against premature easing, while Bavaria's Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) is already calling for a phased plan that allows further opening steps.

The traffic light coalition partner FDP* is also pushing for milder restrictions.

The background to the discussion is that the omicron variant* is spreading rapidly, but the health system has so far held up.

"Our strategy has worked well so far," said Lauterbach on Sunday (06.02.2022) in the "Bild am Sonntag".

With targeted corona measures and booster vaccinations, it was possible to protect the elderly and those who were previously ill.

"But if we ease up too early now, we unnecessarily question our own success and risk new, dangerous infections and an extension of the wave." of "days" could gamble away.

Karl Lauterbach (left) and Robert Habeck are in favor of a quick loosening of the corona crisis.

© Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa

Robert Habeck: Relaxation of the corona rules only "at the right time"

"Of course we need an opening perspective, but the easing must come at the right time," said Green politician Habeck to the newspapers of the Funke media group in an article that is due to appear on Monday (February 7th, 2022).

The omicron wave is "not broken" yet.

As far as future simplifications are concerned, Habeck advocates a uniform approach.

"I think it's important that we coordinate the individual steps, which comes first," is the quote.

The corona rules of the federal states differ significantly from each other.

For example, Hesse recently overturned the 2G controls in all trade, other countries are more hesitant.

With a view to the further development of the corona pandemic *, Federal Minister of Economics Habeck sees “reason for cautious hope”, even if there is a comparatively low vaccination rate in Germany, especially among the elderly population.

He also once again announced an extension of the Corona aid beyond March.

The economic aid would be made available "as long as it is necessary," he said.

"Should it be necessary to extend it again to ensure the survival of hard-hit businesses, then we will do so and the necessary funds will then be available."

Corona summit casts shadows ahead: Markus Söder wants a plan for easing

The next top-level talks – better known as the “Corona Summit” – between the Prime Minister and Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz* (SPD) are planned for February 16th.

Nationwide loosening should become an issue there.

On January 24, the federal and state governments agreed to develop “opening perspectives” as soon as the health system could be overburdened.

Health Minister and physician Lauterbach had repeatedly stated that the peak of the omicron wave in Germany would probably be reached in mid-February.

As that time approaches, calls for more freedom are multiplying.

One who calls out loud is the Bavarian Prime Minister and CSU* boss Markus Söder*.

He would like the red-green-yellow federal government to come up with an opening plan.

"If we can be sure that the health system will not be overburdened, freedom rights should no longer take a back seat as in other phases of the pandemic," said the Christian Democrat of the picture on Sunday.

“We should take further steps to open up culture, sport and trade if the number of hospitals remains stable.” The “consistent use” of FFP2 masks allows contact restrictions to be lifted.

Söder: "The federal government must submit a phased plan for this."

Relaxation of the corona rules: there is a risk of a dispute in the traffic light coalition

On Wednesday (February 2nd, 2022), a spokesman for the federal government had dampened hopes of an early easing.

Government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said he sees no reason to draw up a relaxation schedule for the next meeting of the federal and state leaders on February 16.

This attitude should cause resentment among parts of the young traffic light coalition *, because the FDP has been in favor of easing for a long time.

Finance Minister and party leader Christian Lindner* (FDP) recently pointed out that the legal basis for the current Corona measures will expire on March 19 anyway.

The position at the head of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) could also develop into a point of contention for the federal government.

The designated FDP general secretary recently distanced himself publicly from RKI boss Lothar Wieler, whom he repeatedly accused of "misconduct" and publicly withdrew his confidence.

Politicians from the front row of the green coalition partner then showed solidarity with Wieler, and Chancellor Scholz also made his position clear.

(ag/tu with dpa/AFP/epd)