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Karl Lauterbach
Photo: IMAGO/Chris Emil Janssen / IMAGO/Chris Emil Janssen
The corona indicators are currently falling continuously.
And politicians have already reacted: since the beginning of April, the general mask requirements for events or when shopping, as well as 2G and 3G regulations, have been abolished.
In the future, however, there could be signs of a further tightening of the requirements.
Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach wants to create the possibility of making masks compulsory indoors again in the event of a new corona wave in autumn.
The Infection Protection Act is currently being worked on again, said the SPD politician on Wednesday evening on the ZDF program “Markus Lanz”.
"It's running on September 23rd.
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And then the question will have to be discussed again, for example whether wearing a mask indoors will become mandatory again," said the minister.
That could come again, "I also think it is absolutely necessary that we open up this possibility for the autumn".
Lauterbach emphasized: "The Infection Protection Act does not describe what is done or what should be done, but describes what we can use in terms of precautionary measures and restrictions if it were necessary." He is also working on this topic with Federal Justice Minister Marco Buschmann (FDP).
The minister had already announced that he would soon present a concept for combating Corona in the fall.
The health ministers of the federal states had also asked the federal government to adapt the Infection Protection Act with a view to autumn.
Clear message about vaccines: "Everyone wants the best"
The recently amended law runs until September 23.
For the time being, “basic protection” applies – for example with mask requirements in buses, trains, clinics, practices and nursing homes.
Irrespective of state requirements, however, there are also further protection rules with mask requirements in many places, for example in cultural institutions.
Lauterbach defended government plans to procure additional corona vaccine.
There are vaccines for three different corona lines for the fall - the Wuhan variant, a pure omicron vaccine and a combination vaccine.
"Now I'm not telling a secret by saying: We'll have to throw away some of these vaccines later." When a dangerous wave comes, everyone wants the best vaccine.
"That's why I prefer to be criticized for throwing away later."
jok/dpa
