Courtesy Translation: Federal standardized emergency brake in case of high infection rates

Courtesy Photo | Icon to accompany courtesy translations of federal press releases  

WIESBADEN, HE, GERMANY

04.13.2021

Courtesy Story

U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden   

Publication from the German Federal Government from 13 APR 2021

Courtesy Translation: Alper Koemuer, Public Affairs USAG Wiesbaden
If a district or a district-free city exceeds an incidence of 100, additional standardized measures will be implemented to slow down the incidence of infection. The Federal Cabinet achieved an agreement on this. The Bundestag (federal parliament) will now discuss this proposed supplement to the Infection Protection Act.

In the current phase of pandemic management, it is important to be able to react quickly with protective measures in a federal standardized manner. "The federal emergency brake is overdue," German Chancellor Angela Merkel said after the cabinet meeting, "because the situation is serious. We all have to take it serious."

The occurrence of the new virus mutations has changed the epidemiological situation. "The third wave of the pandemic has our country firmly under control," the chancellor said. The number of new infections is constantly increasing, and more and more people need intensive medical care. "If we were to wait for all the intensive care beds to be occupied, it would be too late. We must not allow this to happen. And we must not ignore the cries for help from intensive care takers."

Therefore, on Tuesday, the cabinet decided to amend the Infection Protection Act, as a formulation aid for the CDU/CSU and SPD parliament groups in the German Bundestag.

So far, it is mainly the states that have taken responsibility for the nature and scope of appropriate measures to contain the COVID-19 virus, mostly on a jointly agreed basis of the consultations of the heads of states and the Federal Chancellor. These measures will continue to apply in the event of an incidence of less than 100.



Federal Standardized Emergency Brake
If, on three consecutive days, the number of new infections with the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus per 100,000 inhabitants exceeds the threshold of 100 in a district or district-free city, additional measures shall apply from the following day onwards. These are a plurality of measures aimed at significantly reducing contacts. These measures can be found in the newly inserted Section 28b of the Infection Protection Act. These are primarily the measures already agreed between the states and the federal government on the emergency brake.

• Contact restrictions for private gatherings indoors and outdoors: Reducing contacts - including private contacts - is the most effective way to curb the number of new infections. Still, no one should remain lonely. Therefore, gatherings of a household with another person are still possible even in an incidence of more than 100 - gatherings with more people, on the other hand, are not.

• Opening shops: The basic idea is to ensure the reliable supply of food, everyday necessities and existential services to the population. As a result, food retailers, including direct marketing, can remain open, as well as beverage markets, health stores, baby markets, pharmacies, medical centers, drugstores, opticians, hearing aid care professionals, petrol stations, newspaper sales outlets, bookshops, flower shops, animal supplies markets, feed markets and garden markets. Of course, the observance of appropriate hygiene concepts and the obligation to wear masks remain a prerequisite. In the service sector, everything that is not expressly prohibited remains open, such as bicycle and car repair shops, banks and savings banks, post offices and the like.

• Close contact services – only in exceptional cases: Close contact services should only be used for medical, therapeutic, nursing or pastoral purposes. Exception: the hairdresser's visit, but only if the customers can present a daily negative corona test – and of course only with a mask. Other close contact services should no longer be possible.

• Restricted leisure and sports facilities: Gastronomy and the hotel industry, leisure and cultural facilities are to close at an incidence of more than 100. Professional athletes as well as the competitive athletes of the federal and state squads can continue to train and also compete in competitions, as usual without spectators and with respect for protection and hygiene concepts. For everyone else: sport yes, but alone, in pairs or only with members of their own household.

• Curfews: In the period between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m., only those who have a good reason, for example, work, need medical help or have to walk the dog should leave the house. Curfews are one instrument among many others. They help to limit mobility. And restrictions on mobility help to reduce the number of new infections.

• No classroom education in an incidence of more than 200: The infection does not stop at the school door. Because of the dynamic infection situation, it is therefore right to come up with standardized federal regulations here too, if the epidemiological situation so requires. In the case of an incidence of more than 200, classroom teaching in schools and regular care in daycare centers will be prohibited. Possible exceptions: graduation classes and support schools.



Common goal: To reduce infection numbers

"I am fully aware that these are hard restrictions that the new Infection Protection Act imposes, especially for districts above the incidence of 100: contact restrictions, closures of shops, cultural and sports facilities, curfews," the Chancellor said.

All measures have one goal: to lead Germany out of this phase of the ever-increasing number of infections, the filling intensive care units and the shatteringly high daily number of COVID-19 deaths.

"We have already managed to reduce the number of infections to a controllable level by acting consistently. And we can and will succeed in this again." The Chancellor also referred to the increasing number of vaccinations. She is sure: "We are approaching the light at the end of this tunnel with ever greater steps."



The draft of the fourth law for the protection of the population in the event of an epidemic situation of national significance will be discussed in the Bundestag in the coming days. The Bundesrat (Federal Council) is then involved. The draft is not subject to approval by the Bundesrat.




Source: https://www.bundesregierung.de/breg-de/aktuelles/bundesweite-notbremse-1888982

• Date Taken: 04.13.2021
• Date Posted: 04.15.2021 04:38
• Story ID: 393886
• Location: WIESBADEN, HE, DE