The number of infections is rising, critics are afraid of an impenetrable set of rules, but the Federal Minister of Health is sticking to the end of the epidemic situation.
Despite great criticism of this stance, Jens Spahn (CDU) believes that an end to the so-called epidemic situation of national importance in the corona pandemic is still appropriate.
In the ZDF “heute-journal” he said on Sunday: “The state of emergency, established by the Bundestag, can, in my opinion, be ended because four out of five adults are vaccinated.”
This topic has been controversial for days, also in view of the currently increasing number of infections in Germany. Critics fear a “patchwork quilt” of measures and regulations if the “epidemic situation of national scope” expires.
Spahn said that this would not declare the pandemic over. “Like many others, I keep saying that we still need precautionary measures in autumn and winter, especially 3G – vaccinated, recovered, tested – indoors, especially medical protective masks, AHA rules, on buses and trains, in retail. “
A change in the law would make it possible for the federal states and the local authorities to take these measures independently of the state of emergency. “I also expressly support that.” He also strongly advocates the fact that there are special protective measures in schools and care facilities, for example. Not everything is as it was before Corona. “We are now in a state of particular caution where certain protective measures continue to apply.”
The Bundestag extended the “epidemic situation of national importance” for a further three months at the end of August. It expires automatically if it is not renewed by Parliament. The “epidemic situation” gives federal and state governments the authority to issue ordinances on corona measures such as mask requirements, distance and contact restrictions or the procurement of vaccines.