Coronavirus: These federal states are now compulsory for masks

NSaxony, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Bavaria now also lead Baden-Wuerttemberg and Schleswig-Holstein wearing masks in public. From April 27, the duty to cover the mouth and nose when shopping and in local transport will apply, said Prime Minister Winfried Kretschmann (Greens) in Stuttgart on Tuesday. If necessary, a scarf would do it, too.

Also Saxony-Anhalt State government decided on Tuesday to wear a mouthguard for shopping and public transport. It should apply from 0.00 a.m. on Thursday, the German press agency learned from government circles. The “Mitteldeutsche Zeitung” had previously reported on the introduction.

A little later, Schleswig-Holstein also followed suit, with Prime Minister Daniel Günther (CDU) announcing that his cabinet will decide on Wednesday that wearing a mouth-and-nose cover when shopping and on public transport is mandatory on April 29.

The police union has meanwhile called for nationwide uniform regulations on the requirement for masks. “It cannot be the job of the police to explain the differences in the regulations of the federal states to the citizens,” said the state chairman of the union, Christian Schumacher, on Tuesday. “There shouldn’t be a solo attempt or outbidding competition in the federal territory.”

The states in the mask check

The regulations on the mask requirement have so far been quite different. Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) and the prime ministers had only agreed last week to strongly recommend wearing so-called everyday masks on buses and trains and in retail.

WELT documents the individual federal states and their current regulations.

In Schleswig-Holstein From April 29th, a mask requirement for shopping and public transport will apply.

In Saxony Masks have been mandatory in shops and local transport since Monday.

Thuringia wants to follow suit with an identical arrangement from Friday.

In Bavaria As of next week, citizens will be required to cover their mouths and noses in local public transport and in shops.

In Lower Saxony there is still no uniform regulation. In Wolfsburg, given the careful opening of shops, it has been mandatory to wear a face covering since Monday. Braunschweig will implement such a regulation next Saturday, it will apply to local public transport and business.

Also North Rhine-Westphalia initially relies on voluntariness. Minister of Health Karl-Josef Laumann also rejected an obligation on the part of the citizens to wear masks because retailers are currently unable to offer so-called everyday masks sufficiently, he said to the “Rheinische Post”.

In Hesse For the time being, mask requirements will only apply in individual cities. Frankfurt Mayor Peter Feldmann (SPD) has spoken out in favor of mandatory nose and mouth protection on public transport and when shopping. Hanau had previously introduced a mandatory mask since Monday.

The state Brandenburg however, according to the State Minister for Health Ursula Nonnemacher (Greens), has not yet been obliged to wear a face mask in public spaces. The local outlier is the city of Potsdam. Corona cases had piled up in the local Bergmann Clinic, so that mouth protection must be worn in the state capital from next week when shopping and in public transport, report local media.

In the nearby Berlin the Senate is advising today on a mask requirement. The governing mayor Michael Müller (SPD) is in favor, local media report. The Greens protested.

In Mecklenburg-West Pomerania As of next Monday, masks will also be mandatory in local public transport, but not in shops.

The state Bremen currently refrains from any obligation on the part of its citizens, but strongly recommends that they wear a face mask in public.

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