German corona rules at a glance: Where the mask requirement still applies

Enlarge image

Mask on, mask off?

A man with a mask ready to hand is waiting for the bus at Stuttgart Central Station

Photo: Julian Rettig / dpa

The corona virus has lost its danger, but it is not yet out of the world.

The federal and state governments are therefore largely sticking to a basic set of precautionary measures - Bavaria and Saxony-Anhalt have now decided to phase out the obligation to wear masks on buses and trains.

In three years after the outbreak of the pandemic, a federal patchwork is threatening again.

Originally, the responsible ministers of the federal states wanted to agree on a common line at the conference of health ministers on Monday - but could not reach an agreement.

The cabinets in Munich and Magdeburg now pushed ahead.

They justified their decisions to abolish the public transport mask requirement with a stable infection situation.

Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) criticized going it alone.

"I'm just not convinced of that," said the SPD politician in Berlin, referring to the pandemic situation.

In the conference of health ministers with the federal states, he and the President of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), Lothar Wieler, made it clear again on Monday that there were no reasons to say now that masks and the isolation of corona refrain from infected people.

Lauterbach referred to a more contagious virus variant that was to be expected, as well as RS viruses and a wave of flu.

"I have the impression that party politics also plays a role here, and that shouldn't be the case," says Lauterbach.

"We should just try to stand together again this winter, like we did back then, cross-party."

In fact, unlike Bavaria and Saxony-Anhalt, most federal states still want to adhere to the more careful rules.

The overview.

Baden-Wuerttemberg

At least until the end of the year, the state wants to stick to the mask requirement in local public transport, as Prime Minister Winfried Kretschmann (Greens) announced in Stuttgart.

The Green politician expects many more contacts over the Christmas period.

However, the obligation to isolate in Baden-Württemberg has been abolished since mid-November.

In their place, infected people have been required to wear masks for five days outside their own homes.

Bavaria

In the Free State, the mask requirement expires on Saturday.

However, only in public transport - in doctor's offices, hospitals or old people's homes it remains.

The obligation to isolate, on the other hand, has already ended, as in neighboring Baden-Württemberg.

Bavaria's Health Minister Klaus Holetschek (CSU) justified the end with a changed infection situation: The corona virus no longer accounts for the main part of viral diseases - influenza and RS virus have much higher proportions of the sick in hospitals.

In this respect, a mask requirement to protect against the corona virus is no longer proportionate.

Berlin

In Berlin, masks are still compulsory for clinics, nursing homes and public transport.

There is also a mandatory test for retirement and nursing homes and other facilities for vulnerable groups.

Also still active: The obligation to isolate for ten or five days, which has been freely tested.

The current ordinance is valid until December 21, an earlier end is considered unlikely: Governing Mayor Franziska Giffey (SPD) has made it clear that she considers a nationwide uniform understanding to be desirable.

No Senate meeting on the Corona rules is currently planned.

Brandenburg

Brandenburg also continues to uphold its rules – i.e. the obligation to isolate and wear a mask.

The number of corona patients in the hospitals is increasing, said Health Minister Ursula Nonnemacher (Greens).

"Currently, 610 people with a confirmed Covid 19 disease are being treated in the hospital in Brandenburg, two weeks ago there were 454." In view of this situation, there are currently no arguments for abolishing the few remaining corona protection measures now.

Bremen

Bremen remains cautious: in the Hanseatic city, masks are still compulsory for clinics, nursing homes and public transport.

Masks are also worn in shelters for the homeless and asylum seekers.

The obligation to isolate for five days is also still active.

Hamburg

In Hamburg, too, masks are still compulsory for clinics, nursing homes and on buses and trains.

The isolation obligation applies in the Hanseatic city for five days.

A negative test is also required for visits to hospitals and care facilities.

Hesse

Hesse also sticks to its corona course and adheres to the obligation to wear masks on buses and trains in local transport.

A repeal is currently not planned, said a spokesman for the Ministry of Social Affairs in Wiesbaden.

Social Affairs Minister Kai Klose (Greens) had already justified this attitude in mid-November by saying that people on buses and trains sometimes come very close together in local transport.

Mouth and nose protection offers a good precaution against infection with the corona virus, but represents a relatively minor encroachment on people's fundamental rights.

However, the obligation to isolate has been abolished.

Instead, infected people have to wear masks outside of the home for five days and are not allowed to enter clinics and old people’s homes.

Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania

Minister of Health Stefanie Drese (SPD) initially adheres to the obligation to wear masks and to isolate in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.

Isolation is valid for ten days, or free-tested for five days.

Masks are compulsory on buses and trains as well as in medical practices, retirement homes and clinics.

Lower Saxony

In Lower Saxony, the obligation to isolate is valid until January 31, 2023, an earlier end is not planned.

The mask requirement in public transport is also not shaking: "There are currently no plans to change anything about the applicable mask requirement in public transport," said a spokeswoman for the Ministry of Health.

North Rhine-Westphalia

NRW also adheres to the obligation to wear masks and to isolate, the state’s Corona regulation will apply until the end of the year.

Changes to the current regulations are currently "not appropriate" due to the stagnating number of corona infections, according to the state government.

In addition: If masks were not required in public transport, it would be "difficult to explain to citizens why they have to wear a mask on long-distance trains," said a spokeswoman.

more on the subject

Corona vaccination monitor: So many people have already been vaccinated by Holger Dambeck and Marcel Pauly

Rhineland-Palatinate

Rhineland-Palatinate lifted the isolation requirement at the end of November.

However, still active: The mask requirement for buses and trains as well as clinics and other health facilities.

For hospitals in the federal state, there is still a mandatory test.

Saarland

The smallest federal state ends its isolation obligation for corona infected people on Saturday.

The cabinet decided today.

According to Health State Secretary Bettina Altesleben (SPD), however, the mask requirement in local public transport will remain – at least until the new year.

The Saarland Corona Ordinance is initially valid for five weeks.

Saxony

In Saxony, the mask requirement in local public transport and the isolation requirement for those who tested positive will remain in place at least in December.

The cabinet and the team of experts have agreed on this, said Minister of Health Petra Köpping (SPD) in Dresden.

In January 2023, they want to come to a new understanding, reassess the situation and adjust the measures.

"My request to the population is to support this for these few weeks," said Köpping.

Corona and other infectious diseases are currently causing a very high level of sick leave.

It is about ensuring that medical care in the hospitals and the ability of the nursing homes to work remain guaranteed.

Saxony-Anhalt

Saxony-Anhalt is the second federal state next to Bavaria to abolish the obligation to wear masks in local public transport.

The previous Corona regulation expires on Wednesday, so the obligation to wear a mask on buses and trains will no longer apply from Thursday.

However, the federal regulation that is still in force until April remains valid, i.e.: the mask requirement continues to apply to clinics and practices, and the obligation to isolate remains in place.

Schleswig-Holstein

Schleswig-Holstein wants to decide next week on ending the mask requirement on buses and trains.

Three weeks ago, Schleswig-Holstein's Prime Minister Daniel Günther (CDU) announced the goal of not extending the compulsory wearing of masks on buses and trains, which was limited until the end of the year.

He wants to achieve as uniform a regulation as possible in discussions with the other countries.

On November 17th, the general obligation to isolate people who tested positive for Corona was no longer applicable in the north.

The state had agreed with Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg and Hesse on this further step towards normality.

Thuringia

In the Free State, the existing Corona regulation is valid until December 23 of this year.

This means that regulations such as the obligation to wear masks in public transport and in clinics or the facility-related vaccination obligation for healthcare professionals remain in force.

There is also an obligation to test when visiting hospitals, but not for those who have been vaccinated or have recovered.

The isolation obligation applies in Thuringia for five days.

regulations for long-distance traffic

According to the Infection Protection Act, a mask requirement in long-distance transport applies nationwide until April 7, 2023.

Accordingly, Deutsche Bahn continues to follow the official requirements.

For train passengers, this entails some strange rules: In ICE and IC trains, masks are compulsory, but not mandatory in regional trains - depending on the federal state in which a passenger is traveling.

These are currently Saxony-Anhalt and Bavaria, in the other federal states the masks remain on in regional rail traffic.

mrc/dpa