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Teachers' Association: Omikron still has a firm grip on school operations
5:03 a.m .:
According to the German Teachers’ Association, there is still no relaxation of the corona situation in the schools.
"The omicron wave still has school operations firmly under control, even if it has been possible to largely maintain face-to-face operations in the area," said association president Heinz-Peter Meidinger of the dpa news agency.
The extremely high incidences in children and adolescents would have brought the test concepts to the brink of failure.
"We warn against immediately withdrawing and reducing health protection measures such as regular tests and the obligation to wear masks at the first sign of a decrease in new infections."
Omicron wave: Many employees in the trades are absent
4.26 a.m .:
The omicron wave has left clear traces in the craft.
Craft President Hans Peter Wollseifer said in Berlin: "There have been massive quarantine and illness-related absences of employees in our craft businesses and sales and order backlogs have fallen again in significantly more companies than in summer and autumn."
Therefore, affected companies are "absolutely" dependent on support programs from the federal government beyond the first quarter.
The bridging aid as the federal government’s core instrument to support companies expires at the end of March.
However, there are indications of an extension until the end of June.
Without a test to Great Britain: Entry rules are relaxed further
4.15 a.m .:
Anyone who enters Great Britain vaccinated will no longer have to show a corona test in the future.
The British government is thus repealing one of the last corona rules.
Until now, people entering the country had to book a test with a certified provider and carry it out and report it by day two after entering the country.
This obligation continues to apply to those who have not been vaccinated.
However, they no longer have to go into isolation after entering the country.
The number of infections in Great Britain has been falling significantly since January.
Most recently, between 60,000 and 70,000 new corona cases were registered every day, the seven-day incidence was around 800 (as of February 5).
However, there are still 200 to 300 deaths related to Covid-19 every day.
Boris Johnson's government, which determines corona policy for England, is still relying on the greatest possible freedom: at the end of the month, the obligation to go into quarantine after a positive test is to be lifted.
US government calls on Canada to take tougher action against trucker protests
3:59 a.m .:
The US government has called on Canada to take stricter action against the blockade of an important bridge on the common border by corona demonstrators.
The White House said Thursday (local time) that US Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas "called his Canadian counterparts and urged them to use their powers to resolve the situation on our common border."
Washington offered its "full and unreserved assistance."
The US government is “mobilized around the clock to end the crisis quickly”.
Opponents of the Canadian government's corona policy have been blocking the Ambassador Bridge between the Canadian province of Ontario and the US metropolis of Detroit for days.
It is a major artery crossed by more than 40,000 commuters and tourists every day, and trucks transport $323 million worth of goods across it every day.
Mask requirement outdoors ends in Italy
3:05 a.m .:
In Italy, people can breathe more freely outside again this Friday.
The government of the country with around 60 million inhabitants has decided to end the mask requirement to protect against infection with the corona virus outdoors.
Outside, people only have to wear a mouth and nose cover when there are crowds, as the order shows.
So far, the obligation has applied nationwide both outside and inside, regardless of the corona situation on site.
The mask must be worn further indoors and on public transport.
From Friday, discotheques will open again in Italy.
The 2G rule applies to entry – so you need proof of recovery or vaccination.
“A disaster”: Minister of Justice reprimands Söder for statements about compulsory vaccination
02.35 a.m .:
Federal Minister of Justice Marco Buschmann (FDP) has criticized Bavaria’s Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) for his arbitrary abandonment of the partial vaccination requirement and wants to enforce it against his will if necessary.
"From the perspective of the rule of law, it is a disaster when state leaders float the idea of ignoring a law passed by the Bundestag and Bundesrat," Buschmann told the "Tagesspiegel" (online).
If Söder sticks to it, it would be “an unprecedented process”.
In the ZDF program "maybrit illner" on Thursday evening, Buschmann expressed his confidence that Bavaria would ultimately implement the law on facility-related compulsory vaccination.
He was "very sure that the lawyers in the State Chancellery have now enlightened Mr. Söder".
State authority is bound by law everywhere in Germany, and federal law breaks state law.
If the Bavarian state government refuses to do so, "there are also ways to enforce this," said the Minister of Justice.
Söder announced on Monday that it would suspend the implementation of the compulsory vaccination, which will take effect from mid-March and was also decided with Union votes.
It cannot be implemented in its current form, and the federal government must improve it.
After the public fuss about his statements, Bavaria's Health Minister Klaus Holetschek (CSU) intervened in the debate with more reserved tones.
In the case of "maybrit illner", he now confirmed that the government of the Free State "acts within the framework of law and order" and will not question the obligation to vaccinate as such.
Missing data: Doctor President urges caution in easing debate
Doctor President urges caution in easing debate
1:17 a.m .:
The President of the German Medical Association, Klaus Reinhardt, has warned against premature easing given the unclear corona data situation.
After many months of discipline, the citizens are entitled to an opening perspective, which must now be considered.
"Nevertheless, caution is advised," said Reinhardt of the "Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung."
»We still lack reliable and comprehensive data on the current infection process.
That makes it difficult to assess the situation clearly.«
He referred to the number of people who had recovered in Germany.
It is unclear how many people have actually been infected with Corona and are therefore immune.
"We should take countries like Great Britain as a model, which regularly take samples to precisely analyze the spread of certain virus variants and the development of immunity in the population," demanded the doctor's president.
Green parliamentary group leader: extend the basis for
corona
measures
12:10 a.m .:
Greens parliamentary group leader Britta Haßelmann has spoken out in favor of extending the legal basis for certain corona measures.
If easing in public life took effect, "they must be further supported by basic protective measures, such as wearing masks," said Haßelmann of the editorial network Germany.
»In our view, for this basic protection we need a limited extension of the legal basis beyond March 19 and an opening perspective in stages.
The federal and state governments should discuss this at the next MPK.«
March 19 is the end date in the Infection Protection Act for regulations with the known measures from the obligation to wear masks, distance and contact requirements, hygiene concepts to the presentation of vaccination, convalescence or test certificates for participation in events or in restaurants.
The Bundestag could extend the validity once by three months.
On Wednesday, the federal and state governments will meet again to discuss further steps in the pandemic.
jok/AFP/dpa/Reuters