Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Hesse and North Rhine-Westphalia are urging the federal government to quickly create the legal requirements for stricter protective measures in view of the threat of a corona wave in autumn. The traffic light must present an amendment to the Infection Protection Act before the summer break, according to a draft decision by the four countries for the conference of health ministers this week.
This is necessary in order to be able to react to an increase in infections in autumn with suitable countermeasures. “These include, in particular, the obligation to wear masks indoors, 3G/2G access rules, test obligations, upper limits for persons and contact restrictions,” says the proposal from the four countries, which is available to the German Press Agency.
Self-government, telematics, Morbi-RSA: The briefing on health
The three Union-led states and the green-black government of Baden-Württemberg also insist that they be included in the deliberations on the law. The federal government must quickly create legal, financial and organizational planning security.
Meanwhile, Federal Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach emphasized that he was assuming that the traffic light coalition would quickly come to an agreement about the further course of corona protection measures.
With a view to the report by a council of experts on the previous arrangements expected at the end of June, the SPD politician said on Tuesday on ARD: “I think we will get a good commission report. We will then come to an agreement very quickly. The drama that everyone is waiting for will not happen.” Then he added: “And so we will be much better prepared for the winter than one or the other is now assuming.”
The current regulations in the Infection Protection Act expire on September 23. Free citizen tests are initially regulated up to and including June 29th. The report of the expert committee is expected by June 30th. According to the meeting calendar, the Bundestag will go on summer break on July 8th and will not meet again until the week beginning September 5th.
The health ministers from Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Hesse and North Rhine-Westphalia are now calling, among other things, for the Corona Test Ordinance to be “appropriately” extended beyond the end of June. “There is still a need for free and unbureaucratic test options, in particular to ensure protection in the vicinity of facilities for vulnerable people and groups,” says a draft resolution.
Before the ministerial conference in Magdeburg on Wednesday, the federal states are also pushing to clarify quickly whether there should be a general recommendation for a fourth vaccination. The Standing Vaccination Commission recommends a second booster vaccination only for people over 70 years of age.
The federal government should also plan together with the federal states how to vaccinate in autumn and winter. Berlin must ensure that enough vaccine is procured.
In addition, the federal government must again help the states to finance state vaccination structures such as vaccination centers. When preparing a new vaccination campaign, a possible wave of influenza must also be taken into account.
