Ukraine war: Söder Minister sees “blatant” traffic light failure – “Thank God gas is still coming from Russia”

Created: 2022-03-23 ​​04:51

By: Katarina Amtmann, Tanja Kipke

The Corona situation remains tense, and the Ukraine war will also be discussed today in the Bavarian cabinet. 

• Corona *

  in Bavaria

  : seven-day incidence increases

  (see update from March 22, 8:39 a.m.).

• Bavarian cabinet around Markus Söder met on the Ukraine crisis and Corona.

  Aiwanger sharply criticized the traffic light government.

  (Update from March 22, 1:21 p.m.)

• This ticker has ended.

  You can read all other news about the Corona situation in Bavaria here.

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Update from March 22, 1:57 p.m .:

The Bavarian cabinet discussed the Ukraine crisis and the current corona situation in Bavaria on Tuesday.

The federal government is being asked to do more coordination with regard to the distribution of refugees.

Interior Minister Herrmann also called for a "fair and solidarity-based distribution" within the EU states (see update at 1:09 p.m.).

Aiwanger pointed out the dramatic impact of the Ukraine war on the Bavarian economy and sharply criticized the traffic light government (see update 1:21 p.m.).

No new decisions were made on the Corona rules.

The state government is calling for the hotspot rule to be “readjusted” because there are still too many unanswered questions.

In addition, Holetschek announced that the quarantine rules would be relaxed again for nursing staff (see update at 1:29 p.m.).

Ukraine war and Corona in focus: The press conference from Bavaria to read

Update 1:46 p.m .:

A journalist asks whether Bavaria will become a complete hotspot area.

According to Holetschek, that is not possible.

He then goes back to the regulation of the traffic light government and demands a "readjustment" from the federal government.

There are too many open questions in the implementation.

"Is it about the hospitalization?

Is it about the utilization of the hospitals?

Is it about the R-value?”.

You can't just leave the countries as they are, says Holetschek.

This ends the press conference.

Corona in Bavaria: Holetschek announces relaxation of quarantine for nursing staff

Update 1:29 p.m .:

Minister of Health Klaus Holetschek on Corona: “The numbers are still increasing”.

There is already a high load in the intensive care units.

"The normal wards fill up relatively quickly." At the moment, more and more nursing staff are absent due to Corona.

Therefore, it was decided to shorten the quarantine for nursing staff if the person concerned is symptom-free for 48 hours.

Holetschek criticizes the traffic light government with regard to the decided "Freedom Day": "If the numbers increase after April 2nd, the responsibility lies with the Federal Minister of Justice," complains Holetschek.

"We would all like to have very safe and uniform guidelines in order to take measures if they are necessary".

The hotspot regulation is not clearly defined by the government.

Update 1:25 p.m .:

Aiwanger is now talking about Christmas markets and folk festivals.

It has already been decided to help the Christmas market feeders and will now also provide help for showmen at folk festivals.

Aiwanger hopes that family celebrations and folk festivals can be celebrated again in the coming weeks and months.

The festivals would make the citizens think differently in these times.

The Ukraine war has an impact on Bavaria's economy: Aiwanger reacts sourly

Update 1:21 p.m .:

“Thank God gas is still coming from Russia, otherwise our storage would already be empty,” says Aiwanger.

Russian gas is still needed.

It is clear that you have to make yourself more and more independent.

Bavaria therefore relied on the core material extension, which the federal government has so far rejected.

Bavaria also wants to postpone the end of the Isar 2 nuclear power plant by a few months if it is necessary for the power supply.

Update 1:17 p.m .:

Minister of Economics Hubert Aiwanger now has the floor.

He accuses the federal government of “blatant failure” with regard to energy prices.

One therefore calls for “significant interventions in this price process”.

According to Aiwanger, there are enough "screws" to be turned to bring prices down again.

Many EU countries have cheaper fuel prices, which leads to increased tank tourism.

But the federal government has not acted yet, criticizes Aiwanger.

The consequences of the high energy prices are already dramatic.

Companies fear for their existence.

Ukraine war: Interior Minister Herrmann calls for asylum seeker benefits for refugees

Update 1:13 p.m .:

“Every Ukrainian refugee should be granted social benefits,” says Herrmann.

In no other European country can such high levels of social assistance be granted as in Germany.

"It is clear that the refugees will then decide for Germany." One is opposed to paying out the "normal" social benefits, as for Germans.

An asylum seeker benefit is therefore important.

Update 1:09 p.m .:

Over 200,000 refugees have arrived in Germany in the last three weeks, says Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann.

In Bavaria there are 74,000 refugees, around 33 percent of the nationwide figures.

Herrmann is very grateful to the cities and municipalities for their commitment.

"We see the need for a fair and solidary distribution within the EU due to the rush." ​​Germany has developed into one of the main receiving countries.

It is important that all EU countries show solidarity.

Not only Bavaria is making this demand, other federal states are also behind it.

Update 1:05 p.m .:

“We know that Corona is not over,” says Herrmann.

No further changes to the rules have been decided.

The measures will continue to apply until April 2nd.

The hotspot regulation then applies, which, according to Herrmann, was not defined clearly enough by the federal government.

Due to the decision of the traffic light government, the die has now been cast, explains Herrmann.

"From our point of view, the federal government must get back on the path of joint action." The federal states must not be left out in the rain.

Corona and Ukraine war: Söder minister sharply criticizes traffic light government

Update from March 22, 1:01 p.m .:

The press conference starts on time.

Herrmann has the floor.

"The topic was the two crises of our time, Corona and Ukraine," says the head of the state chancellery.

Regardless of the two topics, the medical campus in Lower Bavaria was also discussed.

Regarding the Ukraine crisis and Corona, Herrmann says: "The cabinet has determined that there are clear deficits in the federal government on both issues".

The traffic light government must finally act with regard to the Ukraine refugees.

"Bavaria is helping enormously," says Herrmann.

A third of the arriving refugees are accommodated in Bavaria.

The demand on the federal government is to be more coordinated.

Corona in Bavaria: Cabinet advises on the Ukraine crisis and Corona

Update from March 22, 12:04 p.m .:

The Bavarian cabinet meets on Tuesday via video switching.

Topics are the Ukraine crisis and the current corona situation.

The state government had canceled the so-called “Freedom Day” and extended some corona measures until April 2nd.

Then the rules should also fall in Bavaria.

All that remains is basic protection with a mask requirement on buses and trains as well as in medical facilities.

The rules can only be tightened in hotspot areas.

So is Bavaria going its own way again?

At 1 p.m., Head of State Chancellery Florian Herrmann, Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann, Health Minister Klaus Holetschek and Economics Minister Hubert Aiwanger will provide information on the results of the consultations.

You can follow the press conference live here.

Bavaria's corona incidence is increasing: experts expect the number of infections to increase in spring

Update from March 22, 8:39 a.m

.: At the same time as the corona restrictions in Bavaria were relaxed, the number of infections continued to rise.

The Robert Koch Institute reported 41,298 new corona cases in Bavaria on Tuesday, the seven-day incidence in Bavaria rose within 24 hours from 2134.4 to 2185.9.

50 other people died in connection with the virus.

The pandemic has claimed 22,143 lives in Bavaria in the past two years.

Doctors assume that, unlike in the previous two years, the number of infections will continue to rise this spring.

Reasons are the spread of the highly contagious omicron variant in combination with the easing of restrictions.

Against massive criticism from the federal states, the federal government had decided to phase out all far-reaching corona measures.

However, the state government is using transitional periods so that the previous access restrictions, for example in restaurants and universities, will remain in place until April 2nd.

The obligation to wear masks in lessons for elementary school students has already been abolished.

You can find an overview of the rules here.

Corona and Ukraine war: Söder cabinet meets - press conference in the afternoon

Update from March 22, 6:02 a.m .:

Today, Tuesday, the Council of Ministers will meet via video link, led by Prime Minister Markus Söder.

Topics are in particular the consequences of the corona pandemic and the Ukraine war.

There will be a press conference at 1 p.m.

You can follow the statements by Head of State Chancellery Florian Herrmann, Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann, Health Minister Klaus Holetschek and Economics Minister Hubert Aiwanger live here at 1 p.m.

Corona incidence is increasing in Bavaria in almost all age groups - all-time high among older people

Update from March 21, 3:43 p.m .:

The corona incidence in Bavaria has increased in almost all age groups.

The numbers for the 11th calendar week reported by the State Office for Health and Food Safety (LGL) on Monday were only lower in one group than the values ​​a week ago.

Incidences also continued to rise among the elderly who were particularly at risk.

According to the LGL, the highest incidence was still in the 16 to 19 year olds with 3666. It was the only group with a decreasing value (-432).

This was followed by the age group of six to eleven year olds, in which the incidence rose by 216 to 3434, followed by the twelve to 15 year olds with 3081 (+49).

School-age children, adolescents and young adults continue to be the hardest hit.

These three age groups have recently been infected with corona particularly frequently, as can be seen from the cumulated incidences of the past few weeks.

If you ignore multiple infections, around a third of all children from six to eleven (34.6 percent) have been infected in the two and a half months since the beginning of the year.

For the twelve to 15 year olds (28.5 percent) and the 16 to 19 year olds (28.6 percent) it is around a quarter each.

Across all age groups, it is about one in six.

However, since there are multiple infections of individual persons on the one hand, but also undiscovered or unreported infections on the other hand, these figures are subject to a certain degree of inaccuracy.

The current corona wave is also affecting older people more and more.

All-time highs were reported in all age groups over 35 for the past week.

The value for 35 to 59 year olds was 2195, for 60 to 70 year olds 1138. Among seniors aged 80 and over the incidence was 946. And it also rose again significantly among the youngest up to five years of age and was 1531.

Incidence in Bavaria is increasing - but important corona rule lifted from today

First report from March 21, 8:57 a.m .:

Munich – Some see it as a step that is long overdue, others are skeptical: From this Monday, the masks * can remain in the school bag during school hours in classes one to four.

The obligation to wear masks in the square is lifted.

The cabinet around Markus Söder had decided that last week.

Minister of Education Michael Piazolo (Free Voters) justified the decision by saying that there are PCR pool tests at primary schools and that wearing a mask is a particular burden on the little ones.

A week later, the masks are also to fall in class for fifth and sixth graders – as in primary and special schools, the PCR test is mandatory here until further notice.

Corona rules in Germany – Many measures have expired

With the revised Infection Protection Act, the federal government, against massive criticism from the federal states, enforced that all far-reaching corona measures nationwide expire last weekend.

For Bavaria, too, this not only means the end of all capacity and person ceilings as well as the ban on dancing and music.

There are also no contact restrictions, special regulations for church services and gatherings, the ban on folk festivals and annual markets, the ban on celebrating in public places and existing possibilities for bans on the sale and consumption of alcohol.

Fixed groups no longer have to be formed in day-care centers.

Corona rules: Bavaria uses the transition period - FFP2 mask requirement remains

However, Bavaria uses a transitional period in the new law wherever this is legally possible.

That is why the current access restrictions will remain in place until April 2nd, i.e. 2G in the leisure sector, 2G plus in discotheques or 3G in restaurants and universities.

FFP2 masks are still mandatory in retail, leisure facilities and elsewhere.

You can read all the Corona rules for Bavaria in our overview.

Nationwide - and then beyond April 2nd - the mask requirement in nursing homes, clinics, in local and long-distance transport as well as the obligation to test in nursing homes and schools will remain.

Corona numbers in Bavaria: seven-day incidence increases

The seven-day incidence* has meanwhile increased slightly again.

The Robert Koch Institute* (RKI) gave the value for Bavaria on Monday as 2134.5 (previous day 2133.5).

On Monday a week ago, the incidence was 1990.7, on the previous Monday it was 1541.9.

• 23,189 new infections within one day

• Five new deaths in 24 hours

• The districts of Haßberge (3330.8) and Passau (3312.9) are leaders in the Free State.

Experts assume a high number of cases that are not recorded in the RKI data.

One reason is the limited capacity of health authorities, for example, and contacts are often only tracked to a limited extent.

Corona in Bavaria: number of intensive care patients almost constant

The number of corona patients in the intensive care units has been almost constant in the past few days: the Divi intensive care register reported 402 corona patients in intensive care units in the Free State on Monday (as of 6:05 a.m.), a week earlier there were 417. 164 of them had to to be invasively ventilated on Monday.