It was not only the developments in neighboring European countries, but also the clear indications of the Expert Council that heralded an end to the corona restrictions in Germany.

Now the federal government is apparently planning extensive openings by the end of March.

This emerges from the draft resolution for the video conference of the federal and state governments on Wednesday, which is available to the FAZ.

Heike Schmoll

Political correspondent in Berlin, responsible for “Bildungswelten”.

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In a three-step process, the restrictions in social, cultural and economic life are to be lifted by March 20th.

In a first step, "private meetings for vaccinated and recovered people with more participants" should be possible, the restriction to ten people who are vaccinated and recovered will no longer apply.

The often criticized restrictions on access to retail, which have already been withdrawn in some countries, are also to be lifted.

This saves retailers the tedious task of checking vaccination or recovery status at the entrance.

In order to take into account the still high risk of infection indoors, it is still mandatory to wear medical masks.

FFP2 masks are expressly recommended unless required by national law.

The Expert Council also pointed this out in its sixth statement published on Sunday evening and advocated accepting the comparatively small individual restriction when wearing a mask in order to prevent an extension of the omicron wave, which was already ebbing in some cases.

End of the home office obligation?

From March 4th, the 3-G regulation will apply to the catering industry again, allowing those who have been tested to access cafés and restaurants.

For the time being, the 2-G-Plus rule should apply to clubs, including at national events.

For indoor events, a maximum occupancy of 40 percent (up to 4,000) spectators should be achieved.

Whether it stays with this information is questionable, the numbers are expressly placed in square brackets.

In a third step, from March 20th, all far-reaching protective measures such as the obligation to work from home will no longer apply.

According to the draft resolution, the Bundestag should be asked to create the basis for the states to be able to take “low-threshold basic protection measures” beyond March 19, 2022.

This means, for example, the obligation to wear a mask on buses and trains as well as indoors.

"Should the infection rate deteriorate significantly after March 20, 2022 and further protective measures to contain the virus are necessary, the federal government will quickly initiate the necessary legislative procedures in order to create the necessary legal basis for this."

Special fund for cultural events is to be extended

In its statement, the Expert Council warned against withdrawing protective measures too early and thus risking an increase in the incidence of hospitalization and the number of intensive care patients.

The experts warn that the effects of the even more contagious subvariant of the omicron variant BA.2 cannot yet be said with certainty.

They advocate basing the infection control measures on the 7-day incidence as an early warning indicator, but then primarily on the number of hospitalizations and intensive care occupancy.

In order to avoid another wave of illness in autumn, the vaccination rate must be increased.

"We will only be able to defeat the virus if significantly more people get vaccinated in Germany," says the draft resolution.

Only a high vaccination rate can prevent a large number of severe cases and the associated burden on the health system.

"Against this background, the Federal Chancellor and the heads of government of the federal states reaffirm the need to introduce general vaccination requirements," the decision paper continues.

The bridging aid IV is to be extended until June 30th, and it should also be possible to claim short-time work benefits after March 31st.

In addition, the special fund for cultural events will be extended.