The German government is mulling proposals to enforce compulsory mask-wearing from October to March, it was reported on Saturday (June 18).
The plans would encompass mask wearing in all public spaces during the colder half of the year in a bid to battle the spread of COVID-19, in a so-called ‘O-bis-O’ (Oktober bis Ostern) scheme. It is unclear whether the rules would apply to schools and kindergartens. Currently in Germany mask wearing is only obligatory on public transport and medical centres.
The German government is likely to wait on the findings of a scientific commission before it decides which rules to put into the next version of the Infection Protection Act, which is set to expire in September.
On Friday (June 17), Germany Health Minister Karl Lauterbach presented his seven-point plan for the autumn when COVID-19 cases are expected to rise, and urged residents and visitors to wear face masks indoors to protect themselves and others, but he acknowledged that current data doesn’t justify making mask use a legal requirement.
The dominant variant circulating in Germany is comparatively mild, and many residents are vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19, meaning they are less at risk of serious illness, the health minister said.
“There is no need to to panic,” he said.