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dpa
Berlin
Calls for looser restrictions for people in Germany who have been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus grew on Sunday, ahead of a summit on the topic by federal and state leaders.
Armin Laschet, the conservative bloc’s candidate for chancellor in upcoming elections, told the Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper that in light of health authority guidelines, it’s “legally required that vaccinated people have the same rights as those who are tested.”
The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) disease body has stated that people who are vaccinated against or who have recovered from COVID-19 are less infectious than people who have tested negative for the disease.
Many districts in Germany are currently under lockdown measures following the passing of a new law to put an “emergency brake” on coronavirus infections.
The question of which restrictions could be removed for vaccinated people will be the focus of a planned meeting between federal and state leaders on Monday.
A draft government document to be discussed has been seen by dpa.
It says that as far as entry regulations to Germany are concerned, as well as access to shops and certain services, people who have been vaccinated and those who have recovered from Covid-19 should be granted the same exemptions that apply to those who tested negative.
Laschet’s call echoes those from local leaders.
“People who have received both shots of their vaccine, and those who have already been through a coronavirus-related illness and are proven to not be infectious, should be freed from certain parts of the anti-infection law,” said Gerd Landsberg, the leader of the association of local authorities (DStGB), to the Funke media group.
“We now need a clear requirement that people who have received both vaccinations, but also citizens who have had the coronavirus disease and are demonstrably not contagious, are exempt,” he added.
The anti-infection law, which gives the national government in Berlin the power to enforce lockdown rules in any part of the country where the infection rate rises above a given level, has been highly controversial in Germany. It passed through parliament last week. It imposes 10 pm to 5 am night-time curfews, curtails shopping, and restricts social contact to one household and just one other person above 14 years old, among many other measures.
The summit is also likely to focus on vaccination priority. In view of the growing number of vaccine doses available, Laschet urged the system to be opened up to everybody, with prioritization of certain groups lifted by June at the latest.
The Health Ministry also says June is feasible for lifting priority.
As Germany tries to stem a third wave of the coronavirus pandemic, it registered 18,773 new infections on Sunday. This was about 350 less than were registered on the same day a week ago.
The number of deaths recorded on Sunday was 120 over the past 24 hours, according to the RKI disease control body. About 23 percent of Germans have received their first jab, while just 7 percent are fully vaccinated, according to the RKI.
Finance Minister Olaf Scholz, the Social Democrats’ candidate for chancellor in upcoming elections, told the Sunday edition of the Bild tabloid that there needs to be a “roadmap back to normal life.”
Berlin
Calls for looser restrictions for people in Germany who have been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus grew on Sunday, ahead of a summit on the topic by federal and state leaders.
Armin Laschet, the conservative bloc’s candidate for chancellor in upcoming elections, told the Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper that in light of health authority guidelines, it’s “legally required that vaccinated people have the same rights as those who are tested.”
The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) disease body has stated that people who are vaccinated against or who have recovered from COVID-19 are less infectious than people who have tested negative for the disease.
Many districts in Germany are currently under lockdown measures following the passing of a new law to put an “emergency brake” on coronavirus infections.
The question of which restrictions could be removed for vaccinated people will be the focus of a planned meeting between federal and state leaders on Monday.
A draft government document to be discussed has been seen by dpa.
It says that as far as entry regulations to Germany are concerned, as well as access to shops and certain services, people who have been vaccinated and those who have recovered from Covid-19 should be granted the same exemptions that apply to those who tested negative.
Laschet’s call echoes those from local leaders.
“People who have received both shots of their vaccine, and those who have already been through a coronavirus-related illness and are proven to not be infectious, should be freed from certain parts of the anti-infection law,” said Gerd Landsberg, the leader of the association of local authorities (DStGB), to the Funke media group.
“We now need a clear requirement that people who have received both vaccinations, but also citizens who have had the coronavirus disease and are demonstrably not contagious, are exempt,” he added.
The anti-infection law, which gives the national government in Berlin the power to enforce lockdown rules in any part of the country where the infection rate rises above a given level, has been highly controversial in Germany. It passed through parliament last week. It imposes 10 pm to 5 am night-time curfews, curtails shopping, and restricts social contact to one household and just one other person above 14 years old, among many other measures.
The summit is also likely to focus on vaccination priority. In view of the growing number of vaccine doses available, Laschet urged the system to be opened up to everybody, with prioritization of certain groups lifted by June at the latest.
The Health Ministry also says June is feasible for lifting priority.
As Germany tries to stem a third wave of the coronavirus pandemic, it registered 18,773 new infections on Sunday. This was about 350 less than were registered on the same day a week ago.
The number of deaths recorded on Sunday was 120 over the past 24 hours, according to the RKI disease control body. About 23 percent of Germans have received their first jab, while just 7 percent are fully vaccinated, according to the RKI.
Finance Minister Olaf Scholz, the Social Democrats’ candidate for chancellor in upcoming elections, told the Sunday edition of the Bild tabloid that there needs to be a “roadmap back to normal life.”
