New corona regulation: Söder relies on "hospital traffic lights"

Due to the growing number of people completely vaccinated against Corona, there will be a completely new Corona regulation in Bavaria from next week.

Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) announced on Thursday in Munich that the incidence, i.e. the number of new infections within seven days, was no longer decisive and that the FFP-2 mask requirement would also fall.

A new strategy is possible because the vaccinations both protect life and prevent the health system from being overloaded, said the CSU boss on Thursday in Munich.

Söder announces "more understandable regulation"

"We will issue a simpler and more understandable regulation," emphasized Söder.

The basis for this is the 3G principle, which has been in force since this week, with freedom for vaccinated, convalescent and tested people.

In addition, there will be warning levels that take into account the hospital burden.

"We will define the corresponding number of beds," said Söder.

Depending on the utilization of the clinics and the number of corona diseases with long-term consequences, there will be a yellow and red warning level, which would then have stricter requirements, said Söder.

The occupancy of the intensive care beds is relevant for the red warning level.

"If something arrives in the hospitals, we have to react."

In schools, face-to-face lessons should be secured after the holidays with more tests and a temporary mask requirement, even at the seat.

In secondary schools, three tests per week are planned, in elementary and special schools the so-called Lolli tests are to be introduced, which provide more precise results.

In the case of the latter, it will also be examined to what extent they could also be used for day-care centers.

The quarantine regulations in schools are also to be simplified. If, for example, a student tests positive for Corona, the whole class no longer automatically has to go into quarantine, says Söder. Instead, the classmates should then be tested daily for a week. "A second school year like the last one would not be good," said Söder, referring to psychosocial problems and particular disadvantages of children from educationally disadvantaged backgrounds.

Söder also announced that the vaccination campaign would have to be further intensified, especially on the Internet and in social networks.

The point here must be to make new offers to those who are insecure and to react in a targeted manner to incorrect information.

Söder emphasized that he assumed that there was a realistic chance that 80 to 85 percent of the population would be vaccinated in the end.

The fact that the corona tests (except in schools) will be chargeable from October will also help.

Söder emphasized that there should be no further lockdown as in the first three corona waves.

This is no longer legally possible when dealing with vaccinated and convalescent people.

In general, the possibility of vaccination has resulted in "the level of danger to the population being significantly reduced".

Medical masks will suffice in the future

In addition, Söder said, the obligation to wear FFP-2 masks will drop in Bavaria, and so-called medical masks will be treated equally in the future. The mask requirement will also be eliminated for open-air events, as will the different requirements for seating and standing. In indoor areas, however, the mask requirement still applies to the seat, if there is not enough safety distance possible. If the start of school in September works well, loosening of discos and clubs is also possible from October. Söder emphasized, however, that special conditions would then come into play, such as the obligation to submit a PCR test.

The simplification of the rules will run through all areas of life, said Söder.

As an example, he cited that for events in the catering trade, for example, there would still be restrictions on the number of people and the 3G rule, but they would all be eliminated in your own four walls.

The next cabinet meeting in Bavaria will take place next Tuesday.

Söder emphasized that the details of the innovations would be worked out in the coming days and then discussed in the cabinet.