With a view to the high incidence of corona in Germany, the medical officers have called for a return to the obligation to wear masks indoors.
“We now need a mask requirement indoors such as supermarkets, shops and public buildings,” said the chairman of the Federal Association of Physicians in the Public Health Service, Johannes Nießen, the editorial network Germany (RND). “It is the turn of the federal states to implement the mask requirement immediately. Otherwise there is a risk of the health system being overloaded and areas with patient-related contact such as clinics being overburdened.”
If the incidence continues to rise, according to Nießen, such a mask requirement should also be extended to other areas. “As soon as the incidence climbs above 1000, we must also consider making masks compulsory for bars, gastronomy and restaurants. Then we actually have an incidence of 3000,” said the head of the association.
A nationwide mask requirement is currently only in long-distance trains and buses, clinics, medical practices and care facilities. In addition, countries can introduce them indoors if needed. In view of the increasing incidences, there are repeated calls for a return to wearing masks indoors.
The incidences indicate the value of new corona infections per 100,000 inhabitants and week. Nießen assumes that there is a high number of unreported infections with the corona virus, since many people no longer do a PCR test if they suspect corona, but only a rapid test. However, these are not included in the statistics.