This coming weekend, the Corona rules currently in effect will expire. Although the infection numbers are still very high, most restrictions fall away. Only so-called basic protection measures will then be possible; from that moment on, there will be no legal basis for more far-reaching measures. Hesse's Minister President Volker Bouffier is now hoping that people will take responsibility for themselves: "The pandemic is not over yet. The coronavirus will continue to occupy us. It is therefore all the more important that each and every individual now takes care to avoid unnecessary risks of infection and to protect themselves and others as best they can. The new rules mean more freedoms, but thus also more personal responsibility in the hands of our citizens," explained Minister President Volker Bouffier.
Mask obligation in narrowly defined areas
<x>.N</x>Basic protections now include mandatory masking and testing requirements only in narrowly defined areas. "We are making the best use of the protections that federal law still allows. Masks remain the best way to reduce new infections: especially indoors, it continues to make sense to wear masks during encounters and to be tested beforehand. This is especially true when meeting older or previously ill people who can expect a severe course of infection," Klose said. Regular ventilation of indoor areas also remains a simple and effective measure to reduce the risk of infection, he added.
The hotspot regulations described in the federal law are not currently feasible to implement, according to the state government. "The specifications are so high or diffuse that they effectively run into the void. A legally secure regulation is not possible. We are therefore intensively monitoring the further course of the pandemic to make further regulations as far as possible and necessary," said the Prime Minister and the Minister of Health.
The following applies in Hesse from 2. April:
Mask obligation:
in doctors' offices and hospitals (not for hospital inpatients),
in nursing homes and homes for the elderly,
in nursing and emergency services,
in buses and trains (public transport and long-distance transport),
in collective accommodations such as e.g. Homeless and refugee shelters.
Testing Duties:
for employers, employees, and visitors in hospitals, nursing homes, and group homes.
Exceptions by facility management for vaccinated, convalescent, and for socio-ethical reasons possible.
Resident testing (esp. in nursing homes) can be ordered by the responsible health department in the event of an outbreak, if necessary
In schools, teachers and students continue to be tested three times a week.
Correctional and deportation detention facilities, etc., can decide for themselves whether to impose testing requirements.
The previous obligations for isolation or quarantine remain in place based on the RKI recommendations.
Effective date April 2, 2022 (Saturday). Expires on April 29, 2022.
