Bavaria has abolished the obligation to wear masks on local public transport.
From Saturday, the only recommendation on buses and trains is to put on a mouth and nose protector.
Passengers react to the new old freedom with mixed feelings.
District – It has been almost three years since the corona protective mask became an essential tool in the fight against the pandemic.
Now the number of infections is gradually flattening out and the Bavarian state government is relaxing its use of mouth and nose protection: On Tuesday the cabinet decided to drop the mask requirement in Bavarian buses and trains.
The easing will apply from Saturday and only for local transport - the face mask must remain open on long-distance trains that travel nationwide.
A survey in Schongau and Weilheim shows that passengers in the region react differently to the political decision.
For Corinna Schwathe from Peißenberg, the mask is a daily companion.
The 17-year-old works in a nursing home and uses the train to go to the vocational school in Schongau.
She finds the mask requirement as a means of protection against the corona virus generally sensible and also feels more comfortable with mouth and nose protection on buses and trains.
That's why she wants to continue to put on the mask "when the train is completely full," says Schwathe.
The end of the mask requirement on buses and trains: That's what passengers from the Weilheim-Schongau region say
Vincent Sieber from Diessen has the same opinion.
The 16-year-old regularly takes the train to the Schongau vocational school.
He wants to continue wearing the mask while driving, even without a legal obligation – at least when the train is “packed to the brim”.
"The mask is important to protect yourself and others," says Sieber, who does not want to underestimate the danger of the corona virus.
"That's why I'm happy to wear a mask on the train for half an hour."
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Corinna Schwathe from Peißenberg thinks that it makes sense to wear a mask.
© Theresa Kuchler
Sieber's vocational school friend Alexander Matthey sees it differently.
The 19-year-old from Weilheimer is relieved about the relaxation on buses and trains and would like the mask requirement to be dropped everywhere soon.
"I think it's exaggerated that masks still have to be worn in nursing facilities," says Matthey, who is training to be a nurse himself.
If he takes the train to Schongau to the vocational school or otherwise travels through the region by bus and train, Matthey no longer wants to wear mouth and nose protection.
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Alexander Matthey from Weilheim does not wear mouth and nose protection.
© Theresa Kuchler
The 16-year-old Mausour Amiri from Wessobrunn, who commutes by bus to the vocational school in Weilheim, now finds the mask superfluous.
"I find it annoying to raise one," he admits.
"I wouldn't wear any more voluntarily."
Wear a mask to protect yourself and others - "Corona is not just gone"
The couple Völker from Weilheim also travels a lot by bus.
Because the 87-year-olds no longer own a car, they are dependent on local public transport.
As far as the end of the mask requirement is concerned, the two have different views: while Horst Völker no longer wants to put on a mask because he feels sufficiently protected against the corona virus by his four-fold vaccination, his wife Lore wants mouth and nose protection first maintained.
"I've gotten so used to the mask," says the 87-year-old.
"That's why I'll continue to wear them for now."
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In order to protect himself and others, Mohit Khatwani will not do without the mask for the time being.
The 27-year-old from Penzberg regularly uses the bus and train connections to be mobile in the region.
He feels more comfortable if he wears a mouth and nose protector while driving.
"The corona virus is not just gone," says Khatwani.
“And as a carrier, I can endanger others.” He wants to avoid that by wearing a mask.
The local newspapers in the Weilheim-Schongau district are represented on Instagram under “merkur_wm_sog”.
