Mask requirement in bus and train remains - Lauterbach warns of Delta return

Created: 05/14/2022, 11:28 am

By: Mark Stoffers

Lower Saxony wants to stick to the mask requirement, while Karl Lauterbach is looking towards autumn and warning of a Delta comeback.

Hanover – The corona numbers in Lower Saxony may not be in free fall, but the number of corona infections with Omikron and Omikron BA.2 is currently steadily declining.

Nevertheless, the federal state sees no reason to change anything in the current regulation in public transport.

Instead, politicians want to continue to adhere to the mask requirement on buses and trains.

Meanwhile, Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach is already daring to take a look into the future and not only urgently warns of a new omicron wave in autumn, but also of a return of the delta variant.

This is reported by kreiszeitung.de.

Masks are still compulsory on buses and trains in Lower Saxony – Minister of Health Lauterbach also advocates this

On Friday, May 13, 2022, Lower Saxony's Minister of Social Affairs, Daniela Behrens (SPD), spoke to the NDR in favor of sticking to the mask requirement, since the mask is an effective protection, especially indoors.

As a reason, she added, for example, that the corona numbers are relatively high in a nationwide comparison, and this basic protection will continue to be maintained.

On Saturday, May 14th, the Robert Kocht Institute (RKI) reported a further 8,678 new corona infections.

The current corona incidence (653.3) has again fallen slightly compared to the previous day (663.7).

The declaration to continue to adhere to the mask requirement on buses and trains in Lower Saxony could also be interpreted as a direct reaction to the initiative by Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing (FDP).

Wissing had already brought an end to the corona mask requirement in public transport on Thursday.

An idea that Federal Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach also considers premature.

Lauterbach explained that he considered the abolition of the mask requirement on buses and trains to be the wrong signal, since in his opinion the pandemic was by no means over.

Lower Saxony waves it away if masks are compulsory on buses and trains - Lauterbach warns that Delta will return

While Lower Saxony by no means wants to say goodbye to the obligation to wear masks on buses and trains, SPD politician Karl Lauterbach also warns that the corona pandemic is not over yet and that the Delta variant is likely to return in autumn 2022. Lauterbach is referring with his statement on a new study from Israel, which urges further caution.

“An omicron wave in autumn is likely.

But even the more dangerous Delta variant could come back,” Lauterbach announced to the

.

Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach believes that the abolition of the mask requirement on buses and trains sends the wrong signal.

© Axel Heimken |

dpa

According to the Rheinische Post, the study from Israel analyzed the wastewater that, in addition to the now predominant omicron variant, the delta variant could also hold up.

What is worrying about these results is that Delta is considered more dangerous because the Corona variant triggers more severe courses.

Change of strategy at Corona: Lauterbach wants to change the vaccine strategy – “It will be very expensive”

In addition, Lauterbach also wants to bring about a strategy change in vaccinations and, above all, in vaccine production with a view to autumn, in order to be prepared for both Omikron and Delta.

You have to be prepared for both scenarios – delta and omicron.

"We need vaccines against both variants," he said.

"It will be very expensive.

But another missed autumn would be priceless for the economy, ”explained the SPD health minister.

Something can already be done: "Even in summer we should remain careful," said Lauterbach.

“This includes the obligation to wear masks in public transport and also on the plane.

Anyone who now fools people into believing that Corona is history will regret it bitterly in the fall.”

Corona: Lauterbach makes serious accusations against the Union - compulsory vaccination could have avoided deaths and restrictions

Furthermore, Lauterbach did not give a good hair to the Union, which would have opposed the enforcement of compulsory vaccination in the Bundestag.

Even now is still a serious mistake for him.

quoted

the Minister of Health as saying

“The Union is to blame if the vaccine gap leads to preventable deaths and restrictions.

Without their party tactical blockade, vaccination would have come into force,” said Lauterbach.

The warning of a possible return of the Delta variant is not new, as other researchers had already urgently warned of a Delta comeback.