The nationwide seven-day incidence of new corona infections has reached another high.

According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), the value was 1585.4 on Tuesday morning.

It was 1543.0 the day before and 1293.6 on Tuesday last week.

The value quantifies the number of new infections per 100,000 inhabitants over a period of seven days.

As the RKI further reported, citing data from the health authorities, the number of new infections reported within 24 hours was 198,888.

Around 92,378 new infections had been reported the day before, compared to 156,799 a week ago.

The total number of registered cases of infection in Germany since the beginning of the corona pandemic has increased to 17,432,617.

According to the RKI, 283 further deaths related to the corona virus were registered within 24 hours.

The total number of recorded corona deaths in Germany rose to 125,873.

Contradictory attitude to the easing

Despite the high corona numbers, the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KBV) warns against refraining from the relaxation planned for March 20th.

"Citizens must be able to rely on the promises made by politicians," said KBV boss Andreas Gassen of the newspaper "Rheinische Post".

In addition, the planned hotspot regulation could represent a viable compromise.

"In this way, most of the corona rules can be dropped nationwide, but at the same time there is the possibility that the federal states, for example in the event of a sharp increase in the number of infections, will reintroduce necessary measures such as wearing a mask or testing to a limited extent."

According to a federal and state decision, all more far-reaching measures are to be dropped by March 20, but “basic protection” should remain.

The draft still provides for a mask requirement in nursing homes, clinics and in local transport - and a test requirement in homes and schools.

The mask requirement on long-distance trains and planes should also remain nationwide.

A hotspot regulation should give the federal states the opportunity to intervene.

On Wednesday, the Bundestag is to discuss a draft submitted by Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) and Justice Minister Marco Buschmann (FDP) for the first time.

This involves a new legal basis for restrictions when the current one expires.

Gassen considers the high number of corona infections to be manageable.

“Clearly there is no risk of overburdening the healthcare system.

As a society, we must finally learn to live with Corona without politicians repeatedly shutting down public life every few months.” Our European neighbors have shown that this works.

"The virus will not disappear from our lives."

Minister of Education: Masks are compulsory in schools if necessary

The Conference of Ministers of Education (KMK), on the other hand, calls for improvements for schools in the debate on future corona protection measures.

The federal states should also be able to order a mask requirement in the classroom beyond March 20 if necessary, said Schleswig-Holstein Minister of Education Karin Prien (CDU) to the newspapers of the Funke media group (Tuesday).

According to the will of the federal states, all restrictions in schools should be lifted by May at the latest, in particular the obligation to wear masks and carry out tests without cause.

Currently, however, a nationwide regulation for basic protection is necessary, "which also makes it possible to have masks and tests as tools available if necessary," says Prien.

Pupils, parents and teachers expect the gentle transition to normality, a step-by-step approach is now necessary.