The draft for the revised infection protection law by Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) and Justice Minister Marco Buschmann (FDP) contains a remarkable redefinition. In the case of admission controls, which the federal states can optionally impose in the event of an imminent overload of the health system, the following applies from October 1st: Only those whose most recent vaccination was no more than three months ago will be considered “freshly” vaccinated. Because, as Lauterbach explained on the WELT news channel: Three months is a time window in which one is “probably well protected”.
The minister does not rule out that the period could be extended as a result of the development of variant-specific vaccines. But as of now, the new regulation, if it is put into effect by the federal states, means: Anyone who wants to go to the restaurant or to sports, to a concert or to the cinema in the future without an FFP2 mask, frequent and usually chargeable corona tests or recovered status will grow the pressure to get vaccinated every quarter.
This is irritating because the Standing Vaccination Commission (Stiko) has not even given a recommendation for the fourth vaccination for under 70-year-olds. And for those who - like the author of this text - have experienced unusual side effects after a corona vaccination, the second booster is by no means a matter of course. Let alone further vaccinations.
It is also foreseeable that those who do not have a test or (refresher) vaccination for reasons of cost or health concerns will by no means always have the freedom of choice to use a mask to gain access to indoor public spaces - even if this is the impression you may get at first.
The Ministry of Justice already says: As soon as the tightened admission rules apply in a federal state, each institution can decide for itself whether it allows the mask option.
Or just 3G puts into effect: access only for vaccinated, tested, recovered. Buschmann himself had repeatedly spoken out against general 3G rules; Now he looks like the clear loser in the struggle with Corona chief apocalypticist Lauterbach.
Based on experiences with the previous pandemic management, Germans should expect to be confronted with constant corona controls everywhere again in autumn. Irrespective of the fact that the course of the disease in Omicron is generally considered to be significantly milder than that in Delta. Even Lauterbach thinks it is "relatively likely" that an omicron variant will dominate in the fall - not the "killer variant" that he has repeatedly put forward.
In any case, great doubts are justified that the new set of rules corresponds to the slogan “maintain proportionality” communicated by Buschmann.
The currently possible corona restrictions will expire on September 23. Minister of Health Lauterbach and Minister of Justice Buschmann have now agreed on a new corona protection concept.
Source: WELT / Sebastian Plantholt
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