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SÖDER

‘Highly likely’ that Germany will enforce face masks, says Bavarian state premier

When Germany loosens its restrictions on public life, it’s “highly likely” that a requirement to wear a mask would follow, said Bavaria’s state premier Markus Söder.

Published: 8 April 2020 12:17 CEST
'Highly likely' that Germany will enforce face masks, says Bavarian state premier
Markus Söder (CSU), Minister President of Bavaria, stands with a face mask in a production hall of the automotive supplier Zettl on April 2nd. They are now producing face masks. Photo: DPA

Söder’s comments, made following a cabinet meeting on Tuesday April 7th, add to a growing debate over whether the Bundesrepublik should mandate that its residents wear a mask, as both neighbouring Austria and the eastern city of Jena began to enforce on Monday. 

READ ALSO: Jena becomes first German city to make wearing a mask mandatory

Söder also said that, “We must prepare people to live life with the pandemic. Part of that means wearing a mask more often,” he told the public broadcaster ARD.

As of Wednesday morning, Germany had over 107,600 coronavirus cases, according to data from Johns Hopkins university. Bavaria is the country's worst-hit state, with over 27,564 cases.

“If as many masks as possible are used in the areas where people come together, then that benefits everyone,” said Söder, of the centre right Christian Social Union (CSU).

According to Bavarian health minister Melanie Huml (CSU), the southern state is expecting a mask delivery “in the millions” from abroad, with orders in the double-digit millions.

On Tuesday, Söder tweeted about a delivery eight million masks which had arrived at Munich's airport. “In the long run, we need, however, more masks in Germany. We need our own emergency production. We have already begun in Bavaria.”

Söder referred to the production of masks by various companies in Bavaria, including several which did not produce them before the crisis, such as car parts manufacturer Zettl.

A concept paper from Germany’s federal Interior Ministry on the country’s exit plans after the partial lockdown also talks about the introduction of compulsory masks in return for relaxation of other measures. 

For example, the wearing of protective masks in buses and trains – as well as in public buildings – is to be made mandatory as soon as enough masks are available, according to the draft plans.

READ ALSO: When and how will Germany's lockdown measures end?

Markus Söder (CSU), state premier of Bavaria, stands with a face mask in a production hall of the automotive supplier Zettl on April 2nd. Photo: DPA
 
Is it beneficial to wear a mask?

The Robert Koch Institute announced last week that wearing such a mask could help slow the spread of the coronavirus – even if a person doesn’t show symptoms.

Yet health care professions and politicians have warned against using masks which may be in short supply, and needed more urgently in hospitals.

READ ALSO: 'They could reduce the risk': Germany's public health institute updates stance on face masks

“Do not order or buy professional protective masks on the Internet,” said German Doctors' Association President Klaus Reinhardt. “If you are not working in the healthcare sector or have corresponding preexisting conditions, you do not need FFP2 or FFP3 masks.” 

Health Minister Jens Spahn (CDU) said last week that a distinction must be made between medical masks to protect medical staff from infection from patients and other masks worn in public – including self-sewn ones.

The latter are intended to prevent others from becoming infected, and could “actually also help to slow down the spread of the virus,” said Spahn.

The social media initiative #maskeauf (masks on) has taken off in Germany, with celebrities such as Lena Meyer-Landrut, satirist Jan Böhmermann and presenter Anne Will encouraging donning a face covering.

Several online resources around Germany are also devoted to helping people stitch together their own masks.

Yet as Chancellor Angela Merkel said in her weekly podcast: “Even if you decide to wear a simple face mask, please remember that it can never replace keeping your distance.

“As long as there is no vaccine or medication against the virus, maintaining a distance is the most effective protection.”

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HEALTH

Could there be a new wave of Covid-19 in Germany this autumn?

It’s back again: amid sinking temperatures, the incidence of Covid-19 has been slowly rising in Germany. But is this enough to merit worrying about the virus?

Published: 20 September 2023 12:05 CEST
Updated: 20 September 2023 22:22 CEST
Could there be a new wave of Covid-19 in Germany this autumn?

More people donning face masks in supermarkets, friends cancelling plans last minute due to getting sick with Covid-19. We might have seen some of those familiar reminders recently that the coronavirus is still around, but could there really be a resurgence of the virus like we experienced during the pandemic years?

According to virologists, the answer seems to be ‘maybe’: since July, the number of people newly infected with Covid-19 has been slowly rising from a very low level.

According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), nine people per 100,000 inhabitants became newly infected in Germany last week. A year ago, there were only around 270 reported cases.

Various Corona variants are currently on the loose in the country. According to the RKI,  the EG.5 (also called Eris) and XBB.1.16 lines were each detected in the week ending September 3rd with a share of just under 23 percent. 

The highly mutated variant BA.2.86 (Pirola), which is currently under observation by the World Health Organisation (WHO), also arrived in the country this week, according to RKI. 

High number of unreported case

The RKI epidemiologists also warned about a high number of unreported cases since hardly any testing is done. They pointed out that almost half of all registered sewage treatment plants report an increasing viral load in wastewater tests.

The number of hospital admissions has also increased slightly, but are still a far cry from the occupation rate amid the pandemic. Last week it was two per 100,000 inhabitants. In the intensive care units, only 1.2 percent of all beds are occupied by Covid-19 patients.

Still, a good three-quarters (76.4 percent) of people in Germany have been vaccinated at least twice and thus have basic immunity, reported RKI. 

Since Monday, doctors’ offices have been vaccinating with the adapted vaccine from Biontech/Pfizer, available to anyone over 12 years old, with a vaccine for small children set to be released the following week and one for those between 5 and 11 to come out October 2nd.

But Health Minister Karl Lauterbach has so far only recommended that people over 60 and those with pre-existing conditions get vaccinated.

READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: Who should get a Covid jab this autumn in Germany?

“The pandemic is over, the virus remains,” he said. “We cannot predict the course of coming waves of corona, but it is clear that older people and people with pre-existing conditions remain at higher risk of becoming severely ill from Covid-19”

The RKI also recommended that people with a cold voluntarily wear a mask. Anyone exhibiting cough, cold, sore throat or other symptoms of a respiratory illness should voluntarily stay at home for three to five days and take regular corona self-tests. 

However, further measures such as contact restrictions are not necessary, he said.

One of many diseases

As of this autumn, Covid-19 could be one of many respiratory diseases. As with influenza, there are no longer absolute infection figures for coronavirus.

Saarbrücken pharmacist Thorsten Lehr told German broadcaster ZDF that self-protection through vaccinations, wearing a mask and getting tested when symptoms appear are prerequisites for surviving the Covid autumn well. 

Only a new, more aggressive mutation could completely turn the game around, he added.

On April 7th of this year, Germany removed the last of its over two-year long coronavirus restrictions, including mask-wearing in some public places.

READ ALSO: German doctors recommend Covid-19 self-tests amid new variant

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