Berlin – The incidences are increasing and the calls for a nationwide lockdown or nationwide 2G are louder: If on Thursday from 9:30 a.m. in the Bundestag the draft of a law to amend the Infection Protection Act and other laws on the occasion of the repeal of the determination of the epidemic situation is being discussed with a national scope, there are likely to be dissenting votes. For many, the draft does not go far enough.
75 minutes are scheduled for the first reading on Thursday, but this is also when the CDU / CSU draft law to improve protection against falsified vaccination records falls. If the SPD, Greens and FDP have their way, corona tests should be offered free of charge again, and the “traffic light” is aiming for a 3G obligation for the workplace – although details have yet to be worked out here. Social policy measures such as easier access to Hartz IV are also to be extended.
The core of the bill is a “new nationwide uniform catalog of measures”, as it says in the text. It should enable the countries to order corona measures on a secure legal basis – even after the epidemic situation of national scope expires on November 25. The new rules should apply until March 19, 2022.
A lockdown with extensive closings is no longer provided for in the traffic light plans. The draft also dispenses with a nationwide 2G regulation. This means that vaccinated, convalescent and tested people should be given access to restaurants, cultural and sports facilities and other areas open to the public. The type of test evidence – rapid test or PCR test – is not specified by federal law.
Chancellor is pushing for a conference of prime ministers
In view of the corona situation, there are already demands for nationwide solutions. The SPD health expert Karl Lauterbach now considers a nationwide 2G rule to be the only alternative to a new lockdown. The virologist Christian Drosten wants to proceed even more severely – 2G is not enough in this “emergency situation”, new shutdown measures are needed.
The calls for a Prime Minister’s Conference (MPK) are also getting louder. Government spokesman Steffen Seibert confirmed on Wednesday that this is a sign of how serious the situation is. A date has not yet been set. According to Seibert, however, efforts are being made to find one “as soon as possible”. That was not the week after next, but before, he said. It is now important to adopt clear lines. That is also in the interests of Chancellor Angela Merkel.