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COVID-19 RULES
Have your say: What do you think about Germany’s 2G-plus rules?
Germany expanded the 2G-plus rule making it tougher to enter restaurants, bars and cafes, as well as other public venues in some states. But there has been confusion over the documents people need to have. We want to hear what you think.
Published: 19 January 2022 16:35 CET
A sign for 2G-plus rules at a restaurant in Dresden. Photo: picture alliance/dpa/dpa-Zentralbild | Robert Michael
COVID-19 RULES
Germany to repeal last protective measures against Covid-19
Three years after Germany introduced a series of protective measures against the coronavirus, the last are set to be repealed on Friday.
Published: 6 April 2023 10:42 CEST
The remaining restrictions – or the requirement to wear a mask in surgeries, clinics and nursing homes – are falling away a couple of days after German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) made an announcement that the Covid-19 pandemic is “over.”
“We have successfully managed the pandemic in Germany,” said Lauterbach at a press conference on Wednesday.
In light of low infection numbers and virus variants deemed to be less dangerous, Germany has been steadily peeling away the last of its longstanding measures.
READ ALSO: Germany monitoring new Covid variant closely, says Health Minister
The obligation to wear a mask on public transport was lifted on February 2nd.
During the height of the pandemic between 2020 and 2021, Germany introduced its strictest measures, which saw the closure of public institutions including schools and daycare centres (Kitas).
“The strategy of coping with the crisis had been successful overall,” said Lauterbach, while also admitting: “I don’t believe that the long school closures were entirely necessary.”
Since the first coronavirus cases in Germany were detected in January 2020, there have been over 38 million reported cases of the virus, and 171,272 people who died from or with the virus, according to the Robert Koch Institute.
Voluntary measures
In surgeries and clinics, mask rules can remain in place on a voluntary basis – which some facilities said they would consider based on their individual situations.
“Of course, practices can stipulate a further obligation to wear masks as part of their house rules, and likewise everyone can continue to wear a mask voluntarily,” the head of the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KBV), Andreas Gassen, told DPA.
But Gassen said it was good there would no longer be an “automatic obligation”, and that individuals could take the responsibility of protecting themselves and others into their own hands.
READ ALSO: Is the pandemic over in Germany?
“Hospitals are used to establishing hygiene measures to protect their patients, even independently of the coronavirus,” the head of the German Hospital Association (DKG), Gerald Gaß, told DPA.
With the end of the last statutory Covid measures, he said, we are entering “a new phase” in dealing with this illness.
“Hospitals will then decide individually according to the respective situation which measures they will take,” he said, for example based on the ages and illnesses of the patients being treated.
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It is easy to see that there will be no end to the number of vaccines and frequency they will be required. Most of us didn’t begin thinking the government was incompetent, but these days it is hard not to wonder why they are now reducing the time of immunity, demanding boosters, and discussing more boosters. And if the numbers are worse now, with so many vaccinated, than it was a year ago, how can more vaccine mandates be expected to help? Will we be required to get a specific brand of booster every month at some point?
The numbers are not worse than last year: there were 5 times more deaths in Germany last year around this time than now (165 7 days average, vs 845 last year on 20 Jan).
And let’s not forget that last winter we were in lockdown. This winter I have been in bars, restaurants, clubs, at indoor concerts, at the gym, skiing in Austria etc etc. And in many places I have seen social mixing comparable to pre pandemic levels.
Vaccines work and you have to twist reality (and not understand statistics) pretty badly to think they don’t. I hope that Flynn guy will show up with some Rand Paul quotes to prove me wrong.