BERLIN (dpa-AFX) – In view of the increasing number of infections, the demand for rapid legal preparation for the corona autumn wave is gaining momentum. Bundestag Vice President Katrin Greing-Eckardt (Greens) wrote on Twitter on Saturday: “Further corona precautions must now be developed very quickly so that proven measures can be taken in autumn and winter.” Federal Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach had previously predicted that the situation would deteriorate significantly warned.
“We are facing strong waves in autumn and winter,” said the SPD leader on Friday evening in ZDF’s “Haute Journal”. After submitting an expert report, Lauterbach promised to press ahead with the revision of the Infection Protection Act. In the spring, the provisions were severely watered down, and the current nationwide legal basis expires on September 23.
On Friday, a panel of experts presented a long-awaited report on the effectiveness of previous corona protection measures. In such a situation, protective measures such as wearing a mask against the corona virus can remain helpful. But experts questioned several other known conditions, saying reliable estimates weren’t possible due to a lack of sufficient data.
The report is remarkable, but “brake pads shouldn’t be,” Lauterbach wrote on Twitter. He denied the lockdown and the beginning of the pandemic on ZDF: “We will not repeat that.” But it is possible that one or the other means will make sense again. Lauterbach did not want to give details, referring to confidential talks with Justice Minister Marco Buschmann (FDP). They had already started the hour and a half conversation on Friday. “I think we’ll be quick,” Lauterbach insisted. A good infection protection law will be ready in the next few weeks.
At the same time, Lauterbach criticized the elimination of the FFP2 mask requirement in local public transport in Bavaria. From Saturday, there will only be a medical mask requirement on the buses and trains there. According to Lauterbach on Twitter, given the Corona heat wave, that was an obvious mistake. “Easing the wave seems illogical and discredits simultaneous calls for more measures by the federal government.” Bavaria’s department head Klaus Holetsch (CSU) rejected the criticism: “Bavaria has the longest FFP2 facade of all federal states,” he said. The expert report also confirmed that the correct fit is particularly important for the protective effect of the mask.
Christian Dr., chairman of the FDP parliamentary group, accused the states of always striving for a federal government, but doing little about it. “They often demand measures that restrict freedom, but do not prepare themselves organizationally for the autumn/winter wave,” Dr. what we still have to demand of individual citizens.”
If the legal requirements for basic protective measures are expanded, Dr. no great time pressure, as it can happen very quickly. “The German Bundestag managed to pass such measures within a few days. So we are already prepared for the worst in the summer, should something happen.” However, he categorically rejected some of the measures: “Lockdowns, you cannot come back, curfews, even school closures should no longer be an instrument that we use across the board .”
The number of infections has been rising again for some time, with the more infectious omicron subline BA.5 already dominating the infection process. According to a survey, almost half of the people in Germany are in favor of stricter rules immediately. In a survey by the opinion research institute Civi on behalf of the “Augsburger Allgemeine” (Saturday), 49 percent answered positively whether the current corona measures should be tightened immediately. 43 percent were against, 8 percent undecided./csd/DP/nas
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