Mask duty in Offenbach: It is everywhere, and the rule applies for months

Each of the S-Bahn that stops at the marketplace in Offenbach, makes the cash register ring. Hardly the train has held since dashes Felix in front of Schwenke and out fished the guys that joined without the correct mouth-nose protection on the platform. 50 Euro is the cost. Schwenke, mayor of the SPD, accompanied on this day, the city police during their inspections of the Corona-regulations.

Theresa White

editor in the Rhein-Main-Zeitung.

His city is on the Brink – last week, the number of Coronavirus-Infected rose by holiday returnees by leaps and bounds, at the weekend, cracked Offenbach, the incidence of mark of the 35 positive cases, per 100,000 inhabitants. At a value of 50, the city is in Lockdown must. All public places would have to close Restaurants and cafes close, the life came to a Standstill. At the end of the all would probably be even more expensive than the fine, because the economic losses due to the lock downs in the spring are considerable.

Meanwhile, the number for the past seven days in Offenbach, Germany is again at 28. But, as long as the value does not permanently drops below 20, you must remain alert. Schwenke is convinced that the infection can be reduced, with consequent wear a Mask.

"The Moral is careless"

Since Thursday, the city police are controlled in the S-Bahn stations, at bus stops, in cafes, and small shops in the pedestrian zone. The balance sheet: In one hour the 60 violations come together. People who wear no mask; the kind that you hang on the chin. The officials concede. "We control massive, because we have an Infection we can't tolerate," says Lothar Haack, the head of the city police. "The morale is careless."

On the platform in the center of the city can each watch: Haack holds a young man with a Bicycle, wearing no mouth-nose cover. He says that he had worn in the train, you threw away after that, but. However, Haack knows no Mercy: "Also on the platform mask are compulsory. The is available everywhere, and the rule for months.“ The young man must pay. While the officer receives the person's alien, comes into a woman without a mask. You will not be stopped. There are too few police officers are on duty, to punish all violations, and far too many people who don't follow the rules.

Those who caught it, trying to get out of coaxing. The mask was broken, just wanted to put it – the inspectors have heard it all before. Some rule-breakers are also aggressive. But especially older passers-by think it is a good thing, to control focus. Schwenke is here with great enthusiasm. "This is not a big political Occur, but it is about the thing," he says. "We have not seen that drastic measures are permanently needed, this is a finding from the first wave." He says the Lockdown that led to bankruptcies, short-time working and unemployment.

to find fault with Almost always something

After about an hour, the convoy leaves the S-Bahn Station. Now it's in the city centre. In a supermarket, the officers can only determine a violation. But as you step back on the road and on the other hand, a man without a mask in the Shawarma snack flatbreads see fill, over sends Schwenke immediately two city police officers. "Looking directly into the food, there must be one." Since the case numbers in Offenbach's rose, was introduced in the mask of duty in the gastronomy; it applies first of all to 19. August. Schwenke suggests a couple of places that should go to the city police. He observed as violations every day. "This is Bullshit of the state."