Anger over hotspot rule
Countries storm against lack of basic protection
03/19/2022, 4:16 p.m
Against the will of the Union and all 16 federal states, the traffic light is enforcing a very slimmed-down infection protection law. While FDP boss Lindner sees this as a step “towards normality” from the corona pandemic, critics continue to storm. The hotspot rule in particular is a source of trouble.
The new Infection Protection Act continues to meet with massive criticism. The German Association of Cities expects a quick correction of the new regulation that has just been passed: The law “curtails the toolbox for states and municipalities to react quickly to the Corona situation,” said City Council President Markus Lewe to the Funke newspapers. It is “quite likely that the law will have to be corrected again soon”. It is right to relax strict contact restrictions and 2G rules a bit, since the omicron variant only rarely causes severe courses. “But the next virus variant Deltakron is already in Germany and we don’t know if it is more dangerous,” warned the mayor of Münster.
Lewe advised the federal states to decide in good time before the end of the transition period on April 2nd whether they wanted to continue to allow protective measures such as compulsory masks in retail or 3G/2G in some areas of life. According to the new law, such measures are only possible in hotspots “of which nobody knows where they are”. The Infection Protection Act is “complicated and imprecise”. Therefore, the countries would have to determine very quickly what applies when.
There are calls for a nationwide mask requirement, especially for shops. In the future, however, this will only be possible if countries specify it regionally for hotspot areas. The general manager of the German trade association, Stefan Genth, told the “Passauer Neue Presse” when asked whether the industry could live with the continued obligation to wear a mask: “Whoever puts it on protects themselves and others.” Many would have gotten used to them, even when shopping. “However, there cannot be a mask requirement forever,” he added. 3G proof of vaccinated, recovered or tested is no longer required for train travel with Deutsche Bahn. However, the mask requirement in local and long-distance public transport continues to apply.
Lindner: “Strengthens people’s personal responsibility”
The Bundestag and Bundesrat approved the new Infection Protection Act on Friday, which only allows most of the previous corona measures on a transitional basis until the beginning of April. Without the new law, all previous restrictions would have expired this Saturday. It is now replaced by so-called basic protection, which basically only provides for a mask requirement for public transport and facilities with vulnerable people. The federal states may only order stricter measures for so-called hotspots. For the time being, however, all countries want to keep the previous rules in force until April 2nd.
FDP leader Christian Lindner defended the new law. Germany is “now taking a step towards normality”. The law finds “the right balance between individual and state health protection,” emphasized Lindner in the “Augsburger Allgemeine”. “Necessary protective regulations remain, and the federal states are also able to act with the hotspot regulation,” added the Federal Minister of Finance. “In this phase of the pandemic, we are strengthening people’s personal responsibility again.”
Union: “Traffic light completely irresponsible”
On the other hand, the Bavarian Health Minister Klaus Holetschek reiterated his criticism of the law. The new hotspot regulation is not a substitute for necessary corona measures, he told the “Augsburger Allgemeine”. It is not clear how the law can be applied and what standards and parameters apply to hotspots. “We don’t think this regulation is practicable,” emphasized the CSU politician. Bavaria is therefore not planning to make use of it for the time being. No precautions would be taken after April 2nd, Holetschek said.
The parliamentary manager of the Union faction, Thorsten Frei, called the new regulation “awful”. This means that “not even proper basic protection is possible anymore, and the hotspot regulation puts the federal states in a very uncertain legal situation,” Frei told the Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung. “We don’t want to have anything to do with this law,” said the CDU politician. “We consider what the traffic light is presenting to be completely irresponsible,” he added.