Corona News: Mask rules in practices and clinics can remain voluntary

News about Corona from April 06, 2023

From Saturday no more corona measures in Bavaria

06:39: According to the state rules, the last nationwide corona measures will also expire on Friday at midnight. “For the first time in more than three years, there will no longer be any generally mandatory protective measures, neither under state law nor under federal law,” explained Bavaria’s Health Minister Klaus Holetschek on Thursday in Munich.

“In Bavaria, we’ve done well for a long time by putting personal responsibility in place of state orders,” added the CSU politician. He also emphasized that all in all, people in this country had come through the pandemic well. “We shouldn’t downplay the success that many lives were saved in a real effort of solidarity and the biggest health crisis in 100 years was overcome.”

The memory of complete lockdowns and strict contact restrictions will certainly last for a long time. The once numerous mask requirements, for example in shops, buses and trains, have now been lifted for some time. At the beginning of March, all the remaining test obligations that still applied to visits to clinics or nursing homes were eliminated. Finally, according to the Infection Protection Act, a mask requirement for visitors to practices, clinics and care facilities applies until the end of Good Friday, April 7th. On Holy Saturday, April 8th, that too will be over.

Mask rules in practices and clinics can remain voluntary

Thursday, April 6th, 1:05 am: In practices and clinics, mask rules can remain in place even after the end of the state corona requirements is approaching – but depending on the decision of the local facilities. The head of the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KBV), Andreas Gassen, told the German Press Agency: “Of course, practices can specify an additional obligation to wear a mask within the meaning of their house rules, and everyone can continue to wear a mask voluntarily.” But it is good, that soon there will no longer be an automatic obligation and that the principle of personal responsibility will apply again.

The head of the German Hospital Society (DKG), Gerald Gaß, told the dpa: “Clinics are used to defining hygiene measures to protect their patients, even independently of Corona.” dealing with this disease. “Hospitals will then decide individually, depending on the situation, which measures to take.” This will depend, for example, on the patient clientele and certainly also depending on the area of ​​the hospital.

After three years in the pandemic, the last nationwide corona requirements in the Infection Protection Act also end at Easter. Masks are still compulsory for visitors to practices, clinics and nursing homes until this Friday. It’s over on Saturday too.

KBV boss Gassen said that Corona had not been in a threatening situation for many months. “Against this background, it is logical that the mask requirement for patients in practices ends.” Gaß told the newspapers of the Funke media group (Thursday) that a mask requirement everywhere in the clinics made no sense for employees. “You can’t expect that from the visitors either.”

The last Corona rules end at Easter – the mask requirement is finally over

6:11 p.m.: More than three years after the beginning of the pandemic, the last Corona rules expire at Easter. April 7th is the last day of validity of the Corona regulations in the nationwide Infection Protection Act. The current situation, in which Corona has developed into an endemic virus, gives cause for optimism, said Hesse’s Social Affairs Minister Kai Klose (Greens) on Wednesday in Wiesbaden. Corona is now a manageable risk.

From Saturday, the remaining corona regulations, such as the obligation to wear a mask in medical facilities, will no longer apply. The ministry announced that there were exceptions in individual institutions that enforce regulations via domiciliary rights.

In a letter to schoolchildren and parents, Minister of Education Alexander Lorz (CDU) had already pointed out the end of the remaining corona regulations in schools at the end of March. These were hardly noticeable in everyday school life anyway.

With a view to future pandemics, Prime Minister Boris Rhein (CDU) called for the Infection Protection Act to be revised. The experience of the pandemic would have to be taken into account and legal certainty created for further pandemics.

Rhein said that practicable regulations that apply to a wide variety of pandemics and all pathogens are needed. The expert committee made up of the Bundestag and the federal government had already identified a considerable need for reform last year. The necessary revision should be carried out together with the federal states, demanded Rhein.

Woman is said to have traded hundreds of fake vaccination cards

16.30 o’clock: In Swabia, a woman is said to have forged and sold several hundred vaccination cards. The 31-year-old was already targeted by the investigators in autumn 2021. At that time, during the pandemic, the woman was said to have sold the health cards with false labels for corona vaccinations on a larger scale via the Internet.

The investigations against the woman led to further searches in Memmingen and in the Unterallgäu district almost two weeks ago. Seven other people between the ages of 23 and 49 are suspected of having bought fake vaccination documents on a large scale in order to resell them for a profit. As a police spokeswoman reported on Wednesday, the number of vaccination cards is in the middle three-digit range.

The Kripo in Memmingen had set up an investigation group a year and a half ago. In December 2021, the 31-year-old’s apartment was searched and evidence was secured.

“During the subsequent evaluation of the accused’s electronic storage media, the investigators found evidence of an extensive distribution network,” the police reported. A large number of chat histories were evaluated. Ultimately, the review of the confiscated material led to investigations against buyers of the fake vaccination cards. The evidence seized from the seven other suspects in March should now be evaluated.

Lauterbach sees the corona pandemic as “successfully managed”

Wednesday, April 05, 2023, 3:00 p.m.: Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) sees the corona pandemic in Germany as over. If you look at the status of the virus variants, vaccinations and the clinical cases that are still occurring, you can say that the pandemic in Germany has come to an end, Lauterbach said on Wednesday in Berlin. “That is the case,” said the minister. “We have successfully overcome the pandemic in Germany and also with a good balance sheet.”

He can understand that there is an interest in asking what went wrong. But the overall coping strategy worked. “And it only worked out because the sensible ones and those who were helpful in Germany mastered the challenges.” However, there are a few things that, in retrospect, one would do differently, according to Lauterbach. “I think that the long school closures were not necessary.” The lockdown steps to prevent the virus from spreading included the nationwide closure of schools and daycare centers.

The Federal Government’s Corona Expert Council met for the last time in the Chancellery on Tuesday. At Easter, the state protection requirements in the fight against the pandemic will end. This Friday (April 7th), after several relaxation steps, the last nationwide mask requirements in the healthcare sector will also expire.

It is still unclear how the financing of vaccinations will continue after the previous Corona vaccination ordinance has expired at the same time. The background is that the corona vaccinations are to be included in regular care. Lauterbach was disappointed that the self-administration of health insurance companies and doctors had not initially agreed on the future price for reimbursement. That’s why he invited those involved to an interview with him. He wanted to prevent a vaccination gap.

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