Status: 03/16/2022 05:00 a.m
The corona numbers are increasing – but the federal and state governments have announced relaxation for Sunday. Only the quarantine and isolation rules in Schleswig-Holstein remain in place. How does that fit together?
Corona is still moving at high speed in Schleswig-Holstein – the incidence has continued to rise and is over 1,400. But despite the increasing numbers, the federal and state governments have announced easing for Sunday. For example, access restrictions such as 3G should fall. What has not been said so far are the quarantine and isolation rules in the northernmost state. So far, anyone infected with the corona virus has had to stay at home for ten days. A free test can be carried out after a week at the earliest – for children and young people this is already possible after five days. That’s what it says in the Quarantine Ordinance of Schleswig-Holstein, which is valid until the end of the month.
Infectiologist: recommendation is enough
Professor Stephan Ott, infectiologist and head of the health department in the Rendsburg-Eckernförde district, considers these rules to be exaggerated: “In view of the mild courses and the high vaccination rates, as with flu, it would be completely sufficient to recommend to people: stay at home, if you are sick, do not go to work or school.”
Companies want to keep rules
The quarantine rules also ensure that in some companies several employees are temporarily absent at the same time. Nevertheless, Ingo Scheuse from the Kiel Business Association sees no need to change the rules in advance: “The companies are all very careful, they want to protect their workforce and also the operational processes. And so far we have done well. I think nobody wants what has been achieved so far endanger it.”
The virologist at the Kiel University Clinic, Professor Helmut Fickenscher, had warned about abolishing quarantine and isolation around two weeks ago. He pointed out that the number of people who get infected again with the omicron variant has increased. Therefore, he recommended maintaining the quarantine rules for infected people.
Mask requirement conceivable longer
The infectiologist Ott sees it differently. He considers it a “statistical numbers game” and adds: “We now have such high numbers with so many contact options that the quarantine measures are actually no longer of any use. But that does not mean that the pandemic is over and that all measures can be dispensed with. ” Ott could well imagine having a mask requirement in certain areas such as public transport for a longer period of time.
Abolish quarantine rules early – yes or no? At the request of NDR Schleswig-Holstein, the Ministry of Health said: “Alongside the withdrawal of corona measures on March 20th, existing quarantine regulations will continue to be checked and, if necessary, adapted to the situation.” The basis for this are regulations at federal level in the Infection Protection Act as well as specifications and recommendations of the RKI. Corresponding talks are ongoing this week.
Further information
