The Limited Times

Now you can see non-English news...

Corona summit: New rules planned

2022-02-17T04:09:39.808Z


Corona summit: New rules planned Created: 02/17/2022, 04:47 By: Tobias Utz, Tim Vincent Dicke, Christian Stör Germany is facing massive relaxation of the corona virus. What the federal and state governments are planning according to a first summit resolution - and what is already being criticized. +++ 3.45 p.m .: You can find the latest developments from the Corona summit in our new news ticke


Corona summit: New rules planned

Created: 02/17/2022, 04:47

By: Tobias Utz, Tim Vincent Dicke, Christian Stör

Germany is facing massive relaxation of the corona virus.

What the federal and state governments are planning according to a first summit resolution - and what is already being criticized.

+++ 3.45 p.m .: You can find the latest developments from the Corona summit in our new news ticker.

Corona summit: Bavaria decides on new measures

+++ 12.15 p.m .:

As already experienced several times, Bavaria decided on new measures before the Corona summit, more precisely: relaxation.

Prime Minister Markus Söder said at a press conference on Tuesday afternoon that it was now time to plan the "entry into the exit".

According to Söder, “one step more” should apply in the future in the Free State: Instead of 2G-Plus, only 2G and instead of 2G only 3G – for example in the sports and cultural sectors.

All contact restrictions for vaccinated people (up to now a maximum of ten people) have been lifted.

In addition, there should no longer be a 10 square meter limit per person for retail in Bavaria.

However, the epidemic emergency, which Söder described as the "mother of all measures", extended Bavaria.

This is particularly important for an emergency strategy in the fall if there is another corona wave.

Söder demanded that the federal and state governments use the Corona summit for a uniform “exit strategy”, as he called it.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz will lead the Corona summit on Wednesday.

(Archive photo) © Florian Gärtner/Photothek/Imago Images

Corona summit: steps to the end of the measures - virologist Stöhr takes too long

Update from Tuesday, February 15th, 2022, 6.45 a.m .:

Health experts have criticized the draft resolution on easing the corona pandemic.

"You have to loosen up wherever there is evidence that there are no corona outbreaks," said virologist Klaus Stöhr to RND.

"A repeal of all G-rules in retail and in gastronomy is imperative, since neither of these were ever hotspots." "

World Medical President Ulrich Montgomery, on the other hand, criticized the planned easing with reference to these figures.

It was "problematic" that the draft resolution "ignores the fact that the number of hospitalizations and intensive care admissions is still increasing at the moment," he told the newspapers of the Funke media group (Tuesday editions).

Virologist Klaus Stöhr in the ZDF talk with Markus Lanz.

(Archive photo) © Teutopress Gmb/Imago Images

Corona measures: link relaxation to compulsory vaccination

Montgomery emphasized: “It is right that you make a plan for how you want to relax and how you want to monitor the easing.” However, he qualified: “I think it is problematic that the easing is linked to calendar dates, because the virus doesn’t care about the beginning of spring.” Instead, in his opinion, it would be better “to tie this to a mix of data on hospitalizations, intensive care bed occupancy and the incidence of new infections”.

The head of the hospital company, Gerald Gass, welcomed the plans for a “moderate and gradual” opening.

However, he warned: “We need to set the political course that will ensure that we are prepared for the winter.

Politicians should therefore urgently stick to general vaccination," said the DKG boss of the Rheinische Post. 

Corona summit: draft resolution leaked – three steps to the end of the measures

+++ 12.45 p.m .:

On Wednesday (February 16th, 2022) the federal and state governments will discuss how to proceed in the corona pandemic.

The first draft resolution leaked out in advance: the paper is available to our editors.

Although the omicron variant is spreading further in Germany and the numbers are still increasing, there are nevertheless numerous positive signals.

"Thanks to the responsible and prudent behavior of the vast majority of citizens, Germany has managed the omicron wave comparatively well so far," says the draft.

Corona summit: draft resolution leaked

The draft resolution provides for far-reaching relaxation of the corona measures and rules * so that on March 20, 2022 - the beginning of spring - "far-reaching restrictions on social, cultural and economic life can be gradually withdrawn".

It should be relaxed in three steps.

  • In the first step

    , private meetings for vaccinated and recovered people with more than ten participants should be allowed.

    The upper limit should rise to 20 people.

    However, this should not apply to the unvaccinated, as the draft resolution states: "Due to the particular risk to the unvaccinated, the restrictions for these people will remain in place until March 19, 2022." The draft also provides for the abolition of corona controls retail before.

    Only wearing an FFP2 mask should continue to be recommended.

  • In the second step

    , only the 3G rule should apply in gastronomy and overnight accommodation.

    According to the draft, discotheques and clubs will be open to those who have recovered and those who have been vaccinated with a daily test or with a third vaccination – so a strict 2G Plus rule should apply here.

  • In the third step

    , from March 20, 2022, "all more far-reaching protective measures" will be eliminated.

    The draft resolution also states: “The home office regulations that are mandatory under the Infection Protection Act are also no longer applicable.”

According to a first draft resolution for the Corona summit, Germany could be facing an end to the Corona measures.

© Frank Rumpenhorst/dpa

Corona summit: draft resolution leaked – the federal and state governments are planning this

+++ 10.08 a.m .:

Before the Corona summit of the federal and state governments on Wednesday (February 16, 2022), details of the first draft resolution on the further course in the pandemic were made public.

As can be seen from a draft available to our editors, the federal and state governments are planning a joint exit from the Corona measures in three steps.

Accordingly, the regulation should soon fall that no more than ten people may be present at private meetings.

The draft resolution also provides for the abolition of corona controls in retail.

Only wearing an FFP2 mask should continue to be recommended.

Corona summit: All pandemic measures could be dropped

After these first relaxations of the corona virus, the 3G rule is to be implemented in restaurants and pubs as well as in hotels and other overnight accommodation from March 4th - which would mean that unvaccinated people would also have access to these facilities.

Currently, either 2G or 2G plus applies in gastronomy and in accommodation establishments.

Where there is celebration, strict measures should be maintained.

According to the draft, the 2G plus rule should continue to apply in clubs and discos.

The third step would be a real paradigm shift in corona policy in Germany.

According to the draft, the end of all pandemic measures could be imminent on March 20th.

The draft resolution speaks of the end of “all far-reaching measures”.

“The home office regulations that are mandatory under the Infection Protection Act are also no longer applicable,” it says.

Corona summit: Expert advice for easing restrictions "in the coming weeks"

Update from Monday, February 14th, 2022, 6.30 a.m .:

The Corona Expert Council named conditions for a relaxation of the protective measures before the federal-state meeting on Wednesday.

A “plateau formation” and a subsequent “drop” in the number of infections is to be expected for the “coming weeks”, wrote the Federal Government’s expert panel in a statement on Sunday evening.

"Reducing state infection control measures seems sensible as soon as there is a stable drop in hospitalization and intensive care admissions and occupancy," the paper says.

The experts warned that opening too early carries the risk of a renewed increase in the burden of disease.

Corona measures: Isolation and testing of great importance

The mask requirement can be temporarily lifted “if the number of infections is sufficiently low” – “but accompanied by clear communication about the time limit”.

The experts expect that wearing masks indoors could become necessary again in the coming autumn and winter.

Isolation and testing remain "of great importance in the current phase".

The government should check whether, in times of reduced protective measures, it also randomly tests people without symptoms in order to identify “significant changes in the dynamics of infection” at an early stage. 

Corona summit: "Noticeable" loosening - Lindner, Scholz and Habeck give the first details

Update from Sunday, February 13th, 2022, 12.15 p.m .:

FDP leader Christian Lindner also spoke in the run-up to the Corona summit.

Lindner called for “noticeable” easing in Germany.

The "difference in everyday life" must be recognizable, said the FDP boss to the picture on Sunday.

“It is clear that you can be too bold when opening.

However, this danger is now extremely manageable,” said Finance Minister Lindner.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Vice-Chancellor Robert Habeck had previously commented on possible relaxation of the corona virus (see update from February 12, 2022, 1 p.m.).

Olaf Scholz, Robert Habeck and Christian Lindner in a discussion.

© Florian Gaertner/Photothek/Imago Images

+++ 1 p.m .:

At the Corona summit on Wednesday, among other things, a “Freedom Day” in Germany should be discussed.

This is suggested by a report by Business Insider magazine.

Several government members of the traffic light coalition therefore confirmed that the Chancellery is working on a phased plan to abolish almost all corona rules from March 19th.

Depending on the extent of the easing, this could then become the German "Freedom Day".

According to the report, the hospitalization rate and the occupancy of the intensive care units should serve as the central indicators of the graduated plan.

Paragraph 28a of the Infection Protection Act would thus become obsolete.

Vice-Chancellor Robert Habeck had also spoken out in favor of gradual relaxation of the corona virus without addressing a “Freedom Day” (see update from 11 a.m.).

First report from Friday, February 11th, 2022, 10.30 a.m.:

Berlin – easing yes or no?

In the corona pandemic*, despite the currently high number of cases, the desire for opening steps is increasing.

Now Olaf Scholz* (SPD*) has also commented on the subject.

In his speech in the Bundesrat, the Chancellor spoke of taking the first step towards opening up at the next Prime Ministers' Conference (MPK) on Wednesday (February 16, 2002). 

"The scientific forecasts show us that the peak of the wave is in sight," said the Chancellor.

“That allows us to take a first step towards opening up next week at the federal-state meeting and then look at more for spring.” He did not say what kind of easing Scholz is aiming for.

Corona summit: FDP calls for relaxation

Scholz continued that politicians will listen to the advice of science so as not to jeopardize previous successes in fighting the pandemic.

"At the same time, we will be vigilant and prepared in the event that the number of infected people increases significantly again."

So the corona measures that were decided on worked.

In addition, Scholz called on people to vaccinate again.

Meanwhile, FDP parliamentary group leader* Christian Dürr reiterated his call for the first corona protection measures to expire quickly.

The MPK should decide "first steps", he said on Friday in the morning program of ZDF *.

First of all, the 2G obligation in retail can be omitted.

Contact tracing could also be stopped soon, as could the contact restrictions for private meetings of vaccinated people, which are still in force.

According to the current legal situation, the Corona measures would expire on March 19, 2022.

Dürr advocated "opening step by step now" and organizing a "smooth transition" by this deadline.

That is better than lifting everything at once “ad hoc” on March 20th.

(cs/tu/tvd with dpa/AFP)

*fr.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA.

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2022-02-17

You may like

News/Politics 2024-02-10T01:53:04.958Z
News/Politics 2024-02-21T09:32:46.277Z
Business 2024-03-12T15:13:28.566Z

Trends 24h

News/Politics 2024-03-27T16:45:54.081Z

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.