In view of the increasing corona numbers, possible stricter mask regulations, for example in professional life and in schools, are coming to the fore. CDU boss Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer told the “Welt am Sonntag”: Many companies have already introduced the mask requirement at work.
“That could definitely be a step that will also become mandatory nationwide, at least if it could prevent entire industries from being closed.” This also applies to schools.
Bavaria’s Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) said on Deutschlandfunk that he would campaign for a uniform mask requirement. “We even have to consider whether we can increase the mask requirement in some places in the next one or two months.” If the compulsory wearing of masks in class leads to bypassing the closure of schools, one should think about it, said Kramp-Karrenbauer. “The experience in North Rhine-Westphalia doesn’t seem too bad.”
So far, NRW is the only federal state that has introduced a mask requirement in school lessons. For the time being, until the end of the month, pupils from the fifth grade must also wear mouth and nose protection in the classroom. Offenbach in Hesse had recently issued such an order due to the increased number of infections. Otherwise, the mask requirement at schools in Germany has so far been mainly limited to areas outside the classroom.
The Federal Ministry of Labor already has guidelines for wearing masks at work. It says: “In the event of unavoidable contact with other people or non-observable protective distances, mouth-nose covers (…) should be provided and worn.” If technical and organizational protective measures cannot minimize the risk of infection at work, individual protective measures should be implemented, which could also include the use of mouth and nose covers.
On Thursday, Chancellor Angela Merkel and the Prime Ministers of the federal states want to discuss how to proceed in the corona pandemic in a video conference. In addition to the masks topic, the influence of vacation trips, private celebrations and public events on the recent increase in the corona numbers is also likely to be at stake. The Federal Government assumes that these are largely responsible for the current development. Recently there were again calls for more uniformity. For celebrations and events, for example, the countries have very different rules for the number of participants allowed.
Meanwhile, the head of the Left Party, Katja Kipping, demanded the provision of suitable ventilation systems. “Schools, offices and restaurants must have air filters available before winter that can safely filter aerosols with coronaviruses from the air,” she told the editorial network Germany. The federal government urgently needs to ensure the sufficient availability of such filter systems.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 200823-99-274036 / 2
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dpa
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Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer
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Bavarian Prime Minister
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job and career
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Federal Chancellor of the FRG
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Chancellor Angela Merkel
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Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs
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CSU
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Deutschlandfunk
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Katja Kipping
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Markus Söder
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Prime Minister
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Government institutions of the Federal Republic of Germany
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School lessons
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Pupils
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