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LATEST: Bavaria makes face masks compulsory in bid to control coronavirus spread

Protective face masks in some public places will be mandatory in Bavaria from Monday April 27th, state premier Markus Söder has announced.

LATEST: Bavaria makes face masks compulsory in bid to control coronavirus spread
Bavarian state premier Markus Söder wearing a protective face mask on April 8th. Photo: DPA

As the lockdown measures begin to ease in Germany and some shops reopen, the country's 16 states have been debating how they will move forward in the next phase of the coronavirus crisis. 

In Bavaria – the region with the most Covid-19 cases in Germany – state leader Söder, of Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats' sister party, the CSU, said Monday that masks covering the nose and mouth will be made mandatory in shops and on public transport in a bid to control the spread of coronavirus.

All types of masks are allowed in the southern state, including homemade ones. Other types of face coverings such as scarves are also acceptable as long as they cover the nose and mouth.

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The masks need to be cleaned regularly.

As of Monday morning, Germany had over 145,700 confirmed coronavirus cases, according to data from Johns Hopkins university. Bavaria is the country's worst-hit state, with over 37,800 confirmed cases.

It follows the decisions of the two eastern German states of Saxony and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, which both announced last week that a mask obligation would be in force.

Residents in Saxony have to wear masks from Monday April 20th. In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, this obligation applies from April 27th.

The eastern city of Jena became the first city in Germany to introduce mandatory masks at the beginning of April. A handful of other individual cities, such as Hanau in Hesse, have followed suit.

On April 15th Chancellor Angela Merkel stopped short of a nationwide order and instead strongly recommended that people wear protective masks on public transport and when shopping.

READ ALSO: Germany recommends face masks in shops and public transport

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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?

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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