Corona rules around Christmas: where the mask requirement still applies - and where not

Created: 12/25/2022 8:43 am

By: Elias Bartl

Where is the mask requirement still in Germany?

The Corona rules at Christmas, if they still exist at all, vary from state to state.

© Hauke-Christian Dittrich/dpa

Where in Germany is it still compulsory to wear a mask?

An overview of where the Corona rule still applies at and over Christmas.

Berlin – The first federal states are abolishing the obligation to wear a protective mask in local public transport.

The cabinets of Bavaria and Saxony-Anhalt justified their decisions on Tuesday, December 20, 2022, with a stable infection situation, as reported by kreiszeitung.de.

While the CDU and FDP welcomed the decision and called for further steps, Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) criticized the advance.

Corona rules for Christmas: First federal states abolish the obligation to wear masks in public transport

After the conference of health ministers has not yet been able to agree on a common line on the obligation to wear masks in public transport in Germany, Bavaria and Saxony-Anhalt are now leading the way.

Since December 10th, instead of a mask requirement, only a recommendation to wear the mask on buses and trains has applied in the Free State.

Bavaria's Health Minister Klaus Holetschek (CSU) said the reason was that the corona virus no longer made up the majority of viral diseases.

Influenza and RSV (RS virus) would 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.

Regarding the corona situation, Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) wrote on Twitter: “The infection situation has been stable for a long time”.

Corona rules in Germany at Christmas: Saxony-Anhalt relies on voluntary wearing of masks in public transport

In the future, Saxony-Anhalt will also be relying on the voluntary wearing of masks in local public transport in the eastern federal state.

Prime Minister Reiner Haseloff (CDU) justified the decision with the vaccination rate and the low burden on the health system from Covid 19 cases.

The proportion of people infected with corona in hospitals is less than three percent, said Haseloff.

Other diseases and viruses are dominant.

In addition, the Christian Democrat referred to the basic immunization rate of 74 percent across all population and age groups.

In the over 60-year-olds it is even 90 percent.

The black-green state government in Schleswig-Holstein has passed a new corona regulation that will apply from January 1st without the obligation to wear a mask in local public transport.

The regulation is valid until April 7th, as the state government announced on Tuesday, December 20th.

After a hearing of experts on December 12, the cabinet agreed on the change.

Against the background of the infection process, the state government will in future rely on it being voluntary.

"We are continuously moving towards normality," Prime Minister Daniel Günther (CDU) said after the hearing.

This was also the recommendation of the experts.

North Rhine-Westphalia, Saxony, Hesse, Baden-Württemberg, Saarland and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania initially continue to adhere to the mask requirement, as the state governments made clear on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Lower Saxony wants to abolish the mask requirement in public transport - but not without leaving a back door open.

FFP2 mask requirement for residents of nursing homes: Baden-Württemberg goes its own way

The controversial FFP2 mask requirement for residents of nursing homes and facilities for the disabled is shaking.

Baden-Württemberg overturned the regulation on its own initiative on Friday, December 23.

It was also made clear in Wiesbaden that the requirement does not apply in Hesse.

Via the Federal Council, the federal states also asked the federal government on Friday to correct the corresponding regulation in the Infection Protection Act, which has been in force since October 1, with another change in the law.

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In a statement, the Chamber of States spoke out in favor of lifting the mask requirement for residents of care facilities and for people with disabilities, as well as for employees in workshops for the disabled.

These would be treated unequally compared to other groups of employees in comparable fields of activity due to the mask requirement, it says, among other things.

Corona rules at Christmas Karl Lauterbach (SPD) defends the obligation to wear masks in nursing homes

The rules currently in force actually stipulate that nursing home residents, for example, must wear FFP2 masks, except “in the rooms intended for their permanent stay”.

According to the previous reading, the mask may only be removed in the room and must be worn in common rooms, for example.

Among other things, the federal working group of senior citizens' organizations (BAGSO) had criticized this and spoke of a "significant cut" in the quality of life of those in need of care.

The German Foundation for Patient Protection had joined this.

Federal Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach and representatives of the care industry and health insurance companies, on the other hand, defended the rules after they came into force at the beginning of October.

The SPD politician warned of high risks of corona infection in common rooms of the facilities mentioned.

"If one is then infected and has a high viral load, it is very bad news for the entire facility."

Masks are compulsory in nursing homes in the rest of Germany

At the urging of the state, the federal government presented a catalog with questions and answers on the controversial paragraphs of the Infection Protection Act.

"After that, in our opinion, it is justifiable to waive the obligation to wear a mask in common rooms," said Lucha.

It is important to enable social contacts.

Outside of Baden-Württemberg and Hesse, the mandatory mask requirement would continue to apply.

(with dpa material)