Criticism of the planned reform of the Infection Protection Act continues.

At an expert hearing by the Bundestag on the subject, virologist Melanie Brinkmann warned on Monday that protective instruments such as the obligation to wear masks would no longer be required.

It is still "absolutely important" to avoid infections, said the scientist.

Therefore, instruments that prevent contagion must be retained.

An example is wearing masks wherever people come together indoors.

Many people are currently “of the wrong assumption that summer will be relaxed”.

Kim Bjorn Becker

Editor in Politics.

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The German Interdisciplinary Association for Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine advocated that the federal states should continue to have more instruments in the fight against the corona virus.

The law should “not reflect the measures that are currently necessary, but rather make the protective measures that may be necessary in the dynamic process available as tools to the individual state parliaments,” says a statement.

The German Hospital Society (DKG) pointed out the "danger of extremely short-term and diverse regulations by the governments in the individual federal states".

This is “not feasible for the hospitals”, wrote the DKG in a statement.

Streeck: another phase of the pandemic

The German Medical Association positioned itself somewhat more cautiously.

The committee emphasized that the planned elimination of a number of protective measures must be "continuously reviewed in good time and with a view to autumn 2022" and the regulations "adjusted again if necessary".

There are also supporters of the reform.

The Bonn virologist Hendrik Streeck said at the hearing in the health committee that the pandemic was in a different phase.

There are unprecedented numbers of infections, but the burden on the clinics has decoupled from this.

This is "a good time to scale back measures in a prudent manner" and to part with those whose effectiveness has not been proven.

Criticism of the draft came from the federal states on Monday.

The Minister of Health of Baden-Württemberg, Manfred Lucha (Greens), called it "absurd that in a phase in which not only the number of infections but also the occupancy in the hospitals is continuously increasing, with a view to the possible elimination of the mask requirement, we should of the most important instruments with which we can alleviate the infection pressure".

Meanwhile, Rhineland-Palatinate is reacting to the steadily increasing number of infections and wants to postpone the next round of the planned easing.

With a view to the infection dynamics, he will propose to the cabinet this Tuesday to essentially extend the current control ordinance until April 2nd, said Health Minister Clemens Hoch (SPD) in Mainz.

According to the federal government, most of the Corona rules should fall from March 20th.

However, a transition period of two weeks is possible, which Hoch would like to use.

The state government in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is also planning to temporarily retain as many rules as possible in view of the high number of new corona infections in the state.

"We are in a difficult situation, the corona situation is dynamic," said Health Minister Stefanie Drese (SPD) after a special cabinet meeting in Schwerin.

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

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

FDP leader Christian Lindner defended the planned new regulations on Monday.

"The pandemic has not been overcome, but it has changed its character, so the character of fighting the pandemic must also change," said Lindner in Berlin.