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Corona rules at the entrance to a nail salon in Munich
Photo: Wolfgang Maria Weber / imago images / Wolfgang Maria Weber
In a joint round on Wednesday, the federal and state governments envisaged an extensive end to the current corona protection measures: When the Infection Protection Act expires on March 19th, there should no longer be any far-reaching restrictions - if the situation in the hospitals allows it.
But what about the isolation and quarantine measures that now apply to infected people and their contacts?
These are not regulated in the Infection Protection Act, but were last shortened following decisions by the Prime Ministers' Conference in January.
Are they still necessary if other measures are dropped?
»Make it milder or abolish it«
There are different views on this in the Bundestag.
The health policy spokesman for the Union faction, Tino Sorge, calls for the quarantine rules to be adjusted as soon as the measures are taken.
"With a view to March 20, the federal and state governments will have to reconsider the previous quarantine agreements," he told SPIEGEL.
It is important to constantly adapt the rules to the current situation.
He is confident "that this will succeed in connection with the follow-up regulation of the Infection Protection Act."
more on the subject
Corona measures: the federal and state governments decide on a relaxation plan
Federal and state resolutions: A little "Freedom" by Julia Merlot
Justice Minister Marco Buschmann (FDP) sees it similarly.
“The same applies here as to other restrictive measures.
If they are no longer medically required or are no longer required to the appropriate extent to protect outstanding common goods, they must be made milder or abolished," he told SPIEGEL.
The health policy spokeswoman for his parliamentary group in the Bundestag, Christine Aschenberg-Dugnus, expects an adjustment to the scientific situation.
"Of course it is necessary that quarantine rules have to be adjusted if the infection process changes or the corona measures are lifted."
»If you are sick and infectious, you should stay at home«
Nobody wants to explain exactly what that means.
Party colleague Andrew Ullmann is a little more cautious on the subject.
The isolation of infected people will continue to be used as a means, as with other notifiable infectious diseases.
»As a doctor, my recommendation is unequivocal: if you are ill and infectious, you should always stay at home, regardless of the legal situation.«
However, the quarantine rules for contact persons would have to correspond to the current state of science.
"Adjustments are always possible here as soon as the scientifically-based recommendations of the RKI change accordingly."
The health policy spokeswoman for the SPD parliamentary group, Heike Baehrens, remains rather vague.
She emphasizes: “The countries naturally retain the option of ordering quarantine and isolation.” This is important, “because it allows them to react quickly and precisely if local outbreaks make it necessary.”
The Federal Ministry of Health, on the other hand, is surprised at the statements made by the FDP and the Union.
It is said that there are no plans to adjust the quarantine rules.
mfh/so-called
