Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) lifted the mask requirement in long-distance transport from February 2nd. Now the federal states are following, which can decide for themselves whether a mask is compulsory in local transport.
Note: This article was updated on January 13th.
In view of the continued low number of corona infections, the mask requirement in nationwide long-distance transport is to fall on February 2nd. This was announced by Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) on Friday after consultations with the federal states. At the same time, Lauterbach called on vulnerable people in particular to continue to wear masks on long-distance transport “on the basis of personal responsibility and voluntariness”.
After Lauterbach’s announcement, the federal states also reacted. On Friday, the last ones, including North Rhine-Westphalia and Hamburg, announced the end of the obligation to wear a corona protective mask in public transport.
Afterwards, the mask requirement still applies in clinics, nursing homes, medical practices and other health facilities. In earlier times of the pandemic, masks were mandatory in many more areas, such as in shops or at events.
