Anyone infected with the corona virus no longer has to be isolated everywhere in Germany. Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg lifted the isolation requirement on Wednesday, Schleswig-Holstein on Thursday. Hesse also announced that it would end the isolation obligation. However, the exact time is not yet known. In the future, people over the age of 6 with a positive corona test in the regions concerned will instead have to wear a five-day face mask outdoors.
The CDU chairman Friedrich Merz (67) seems responsible for this decision. “The time when there was a high risk of infection with a serious course of the disease is over,” Merz says to the newspapers of the media group Funke. Corona rules are only necessary to a “very limited extent”. “We should also try to return to a largely normal life as soon as possible – even with Corona.”
DGB criticizes the lifting of the insulation obligation
The German Trade Union Confederation (DGB) apparently does not share this view: it criticized the lifting of the insulation requirement in Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Hesse and Schleswig-Holstein. “People with acute infectious diseases do not belong in the workplace. The top priority must be to protect others from contamination and to prevent further waves of corona infections,” said Anja Piel, DGB board member, to the Funke newspapers.
It is very doubtful whether now is the right time to lift the isolation and quarantine obligation. “Where there is already a staff shortage, employees are under even more pressure to work despite contamination and symptoms of illness.” According to Piel, employees who are sick at work are an increasing problem for health protection.
Lauterbach calls the decision of the federal states a mistake
Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (59) is also critical of the state decision and described it as a mistake. According to the SPD politician, this move towards relaxation comes “at the wrong time”. Among other things, he referred to a “probably severe winter wave”.
Friedrich Merz does not share the “almost siren-like alarmism” of Federal Health Minister Lauterbach, he told the Funke media. “We must return to normalcy and officially declare Corona over by spring of next year.” (Hi)