This Thursday (2 February), the next step will be the nationwide compulsory wearing of masks on long-distance trains, and other crisis rules are also crumbling in many places. However, Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) is convinced that certain regulations, especially for the safety of vulnerable groups, should remain in place - even if the co-governing FDP and some industry representatives are shaking up the remaining regulations. Patient representatives urge further important consideration.

The president of the social association VdK, Verena Bentele, told the Deutsche Presse-Agentur that people with pre-existing conditions, disabilities or old age are affected and particularly at risk in health and care facilities. Therefore, masks should continue to be worn there. "Some employees or residents may find this a burden, but our balance is clearly in favour of a mask requirement."

In trains, "customised solutions" should be considered. "For example, separate areas reserved for people who want to wear masks would be conceivable," Bentele said. "In the ICE, there are already comparable divisions through rest areas or mobile phone areas." Then everyone could decide for themselves whether to wear a mask and go to the designated area.

The fact that there are now earlier relaxations is due to the more relaxed situation. A threatening winter wave has not materialised, and experts do not see one on the horizon for the time being. Lauterbach pointed out that the decline in the number of reported cases "did not happen on its own". The containment measures had worked. The cabinet therefore now passed a "protective measure suspension ordinance", which seals the early end of the mask obligation in long-distance trains. The possibility to do so was built into the Infection Protection Act, while the general expiry date of the Corona regulations is Good Friday, 7 April.

Masks: In aeroplanes, the mask requirement has been passé since the autumn. Now it is also compulsory in ICE and Intercity trains as well as in local buses and trains, which are regulated by the respective federal states. Some of them had already moved ahead a few weeks. However, masks are still required by law in clinics, surgeries and nursing homes.

Tests: A reduced offer of free citizen tests is still available until 28 February. Quick tests from test centres, even without symptoms, remain free of charge before visits to clinics and nursing homes, among other things. The entitlement to "free testing" after an infection was dropped in mid-January. However, it still exists for medical staff who must be tested before returning to work.

Protection rules: In many supermarkets, plexiglass panels are still mounted at the checkouts. However, a regulation with nationwide requirements for infection protection in workplaces is being repealed at the same time as the mandatory masks in the ICE. More and more Länder are enacting the recommended compulsory isolation for infected persons, although Lauterbach promotes it because of workplace safety. Stricter everyday requirements ready in the law would remain unused anyway.

Vaccinations: Actually, over the winter, vaccinations were supposed to pick up again - especially to refresh longstanding basic immunisations with advanced preparations that are adapted to current virus variants. But the vaccination campaign, which is now underway in practices, continues to languish for the time being. The federal government is already making efforts to cancel or reduce foreseeable surplus supplies for Germany.

Entry: For holidaymakers returning home, the relaxed Corona rules continue to apply without special proof when entering Germany - at least as long as no new, more dangerous virus variant is circulating. However, countries in which such a variant "threatens to emerge" have now been added as a new category. For the time being, travellers from China must therefore present a negative Corona test before departing for Germany.

Warning app: The federal Corona app has been downloaded more than 48 million times since 2020 - but it is unclear on how many smartphones it is active. The warning function now also works with self-made quick tests without further official confirmation.

(Original text: Sascha Meyer, dpa; Translation: Mareike Graepel)