Last stringent Corona requirements end – reporting figures fluctuateOfficially reported figures do not currently give a clear picture of the Corona situation – just now the incidence climbed by almost 120 points in one day. Remaining legal daily living restrictions expire.
Pandemic
Berlin – After the end of most state Corona requirements in Germany, the last even stricter requirements in Hamburg and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania will also fall away.
The Senate of the Hanseatic city and the Cabinet in Schwerin decided on Tuesday to end more extensive protection rules such as additional mask obligations. For several weeks, both states were the only ones in Germany to use a controversial "hotspot" clause for regions with a critical pandemic situation. Official figures for new infections in Germany continue to fluctuate widely after the Easter holidays. With no testing in schools, experts say there's a threat of further fuzziness.
The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) reported a significant increase in the seven-day incidence to 909.1 – after 790.8 reported new infections per 100.000 inhabitants in seven days the day before. However, that doesn't necessarily indicate an aggravated infection situation. A week ago the value was 669.9, a month ago 1758.4.
Significant fluctuations after holidays
Presumably the strong increase is now among other things a consequence of the Easter days. Around holidays, significant fluctuations always occurred due to a complete change in reporting behavior, said Bremen epidemiologist Hajo Zeeb. Since fewer infections are transmitted to the RKI on public holidays, case numbers and incidence initially decline. Subsequent notifications and the omission of the days with weak notifications from the seven-day observation then lead to an increase in the number of cases.
In general, individual countries do not report data every day of the week, and experts have long amed that many cases are not recorded by the RKI – because of overburdened health offices and because not all infected persons take PCR tests. But only these count in the statistics. The interpretation of infection incidence is not likely to become easier in the future. According to epidemiologist Zeeb, we are dealing with an increasingly uncertain database. "Soon the tests in schools will fall away, and the number of unreported cases will remain substantial."
Lauterbach: Pandemic is not over
Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) affirmed that the pandemic is unfortunately not over. There will be several more waves. Since the introduction of a general obligation to vaccinate had not succeeded, a more difficult situation would again become apparent in the autumn. For the time being, masks are still compulsory on long-distance trains and airplanes throughout Germany. Irrespective of state regulations, protection rules with mandatory masks continue to apply in many places, for example in cultural institutions.
In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the last further restrictions under the hotspot rule – such as 2G plus in discotheques and the mask requirement in theaters, cinemas and museums – will cease to apply as of this Thursday. After a ruling by the Higher Administrative Court, the obligation to wear masks when shopping had already fallen. In the future, the basic protection provided by the Federal Infection Protection Act will also apply in the Northeast – for example, masks will be compulsory in buses, trains, clinics, medical practices and nursing homes. The state parliament had on 24. March all of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern declared hotspot. This allowed restrictions in force at the time to be retained.
For Hamburg, First Mayor Peter Tschentscher (SPD) said there was no longer any reason to extend the special situation. As a result, the number of days with leptospirosis is reduced to 1. May require masks indoors and in retail stores and 2G-plus access rule at dance events. There remains a FFP2 mask requirement in public transport and vulnerable groups. Tschentscher justified the step with the good development. The decline of corona patients in clinics.