State government meeting: NRW revises corona rules

State government meeting NRW revises corona rules

Düsseldorf/Isselburg · The NRW state government considers the current protection regulations to be too complicated. Minister President Laschet announces a zero tolerance strategy at the start of a two-day cabinet meeting.

23.09.2020 , 08:26 Uhr

Corona managers: Armin Laschet and Joachim Stamp (r.) at the state meeting.
Foto: dpa/Federico Gambarini

The sharp rise in new corona infections after a wedding ceremony in Hamm is a matter of concern to the NRW state government. Minister President Armin Laschet (CDU) said at the start of a two-day cabinet meeting in Isselburg in the Münsterland region that there were no lists for proper follow-up of participants at the ceremony. He announced that in this case the regulatory authorities would pursue a zero tolerance strategy and impose fines.

"We no longer want a blanket lockdown. Instead we want to make our measures work very quickly and effectively where numbers are rising,” said Laschet. He added that the chains of infection in NRW could still be traced.

SCHOOLS IN BONN REACH THEIR LIMITs Corona requirements are difficult to implement

Bonn schools and day-care centres see themselves on the verge of organisational resilience when it comes to implementing the Corona rules. Since September 10 the Bonn health authority has tightened the regulations even more. This is based on a recommendation by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI). If a positive case occurs, the entire school class, including teachers, must be quarantined for 14 days. According to the city, 15 schools and one day-care centre are affected. The Tannenbusch Gymnasium, for example, has released 57 pupils and seven teachers into quarantine.

Eike Schultz, head of the school and spokesperson for the directors of the Bonn grammar schools, sounds the alarm. At his school, the quarantine affects two thirds of grade 7 pupils and seven teachers. "Of course, we are all adhering to the specifications of the health authorities," says Schultz, "but we will eventually reach our organisational limits with these radical regulations.”

In several cities and districts of the state, the so-called incidence value currently exceeds the critical mark of 35. Remscheid and Gelsenkirchen are affected, closely followed by Cologne. The incidence value indicates how many new infections per 100,000 citizens have been recorded within the past seven days. If the figure rises above 35, the state and local authorities must agree on stricter protective measures.

The increase was particularly drastic in Hamm, where the value on Tuesday was 87.1 according to the administration. The city tightened contact restrictions and ordered the wearing of masks in class.

Stamp announces "reformulation" of the protection ordinance

The cabinet meeting in Isselburg will focus on the Corona Protection Ordinance in addition to the state budget for 2021. Deputy Prime Minister Joachim Stamp (FDP) announced a "reformulation". He said it was important for lasting acceptance that citizens understood and internalised the content.

Laschet said that the regulation was now very complex. His government wants to make it simpler, more readable and easier to understand. "But this is legally complicated and will take some time.” Opposition leader Thomas Kutschaty (SPD) said in Düsseldorf that the second wave was already there. "We must do everything possible to ensure that the second wave does not become the second blanket lockdown.“

(Original text: Maximilian Plück, Translation: Mareike Graepel)

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