An employee of the Zugspitzbahn sticks a 2G notice on the entrance door of the valley station. Only those who have been vaccinated and those who have recovered have access.
(Photo: dpa)
Not everything that our neighbor Austria does in corona policy has to be a role model for Germany. Just because 2G will apply in the Alpine republic from this Monday, i.e. people without a vaccination will then no longer be allowed to visit bars, hairdressers or events, the imitation reflex should not start immediately in this country.
Sure, the number of infections in Germany is at a record high. The fourth corona wave is rolling. The number of intensive care patients is increasing.
That it has come to this is unfortunate enough. Politicians must therefore urgently decide on measures how the infection rate can be contained again. Above all, it is necessary to react quickly to the dangerous situation in nursing homes and the unsafe situation for children in schools and daycare centers.
But 2G and thus access only for vaccinated and convalescent people is not a savior. Especially not when it comes to a nationwide regulation.
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Of course, it makes sense to enact drastic regulations in corona hotspots such as Saxony with an incidence of over 400. Here, too, the 2G rule will apply in large parts of public life from this Monday. And private organizers or restaurateurs are free to admit only those who have been vaccinated and those who have recovered.
But that alone won’t be a recipe for getting through the corona winter. There are several reasons for this.
The most obvious: where regulations are introduced, they must also be enforced and controlled. But even 3G with consideration of the tested is sometimes handled laxly.
In addition, people who have been vaccinated can become infected and transmit the coronavirus. A 2G rule does not offer comprehensive protection here either. What is more, virologists even warn against “sham security”.
And what about the unvaccinated? Should they be completely excluded from parts of public life, the spread of the virus in the private sector should be boosted.
The fact that the tests have taken a back seat in this country is a dangerous development. What speaks against more 1G? Tests for vaccinated, convalescent and unvaccinated people should become a matter of course – at least in nursing homes and educational institutions. Everything else should be regulated by the federal states with a view to the current infection rate.
Arguing about general 2G or 3G at Christmas markets is a waste of time.
More: The majority of Germans want general corona vaccination