Dresden (dpa/sn) - Saxony wants to make the continuation of the mask requirement in local public transport dependent on the corona infection situation. Another corona wave must be expected in winter, possibly as early as December, the Ministry of Social Affairs announced on Thursday on request. "We speak regularly to our infectious disease specialists and will discuss and decide with them again in January on the need for masks to be compulsory in public transport." A nationwide uniform approach is desirable. The "image" had previously reported.
The newspaper quoted Social Affairs Minister Petra Köpping as saying: "Our experts, including Prof. Markus Löffler from the University of Leipzig, expect the numbers to increase again in December. We should keep the masks on public transport for that long." In January, the situation will be reassessed and a decision will be made as to whether the mask requirement in public transport will no longer apply, said the SPD politician, according to "Bild".
The chairwoman of the transport ministers, Bremen's Senator Maike Schaefer (Greens), said on Thursday at the request of the German Press Agency on a possible end to the mask requirement in public transport: "My goal is for the federal states to agree on a uniform approach here ."
Federal Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach (SPD), on the other hand, warned on Bavarian Radio against hasty easing and criticized Bavaria's and Schleswig-Holstein's consideration of abolishing the obligation to wear masks in local transport in a few weeks. Such a "reckless" decision will not be followed.
