The health ministers of the individual German states have decided to lift another covid restriction: as of May 1, people infected with coronavirus will no longer have to stay in home isolation. The contact quarantine will also cease to apply. However, five-day isolation will still be recommended on a voluntary basis. Medical professionals will not be affected by the new rules. Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) announced the planned changes in Berlin.
“While the current rules work, they are not necessary in the long run,” Lauterbach said. Therefore, a procedure “that is largely voluntary” is to take effect on May 1. The new regulations are to apply to both symptomatic and asymptomatic infected persons. Implementation of the regulations is at the discretion of the states.
Lauterbach is cautiously optimistic in his assessment of the current pandemic situation
Existing quarantine and isolation rules are to remain in place for infected medical workers: they can be released from isolation after five days provided they test negative. Lauterbach is cautiously optimistic in his assessment of the current pandemic situation. “A tipping point seems to have been reached,” he said. “The numbers of new infections are falling,” but it is not yet time to “call off the alarm,” – the federal health minister added.
The relaxation of quarantine regulations is also aimed at avoiding mass staff absences during periods of high infection rates. It is based on a proposal by the Federal Ministry of Health and the Robert Koch Institute (RKI). Currently, isolation generally lasts ten days and can be terminated after seven days following a negative test result for coronavirus.
Source: www.n-tv.de