According to plans by the federal and state governments, further nationwide corona protection regulations are to expire early on March 1st. On Tuesday, the health ministers agreed on an earlier end to the mask and test requirements for employees and residents in health and care facilities, which were actually set until April 7th. This was announced by the Federal Ministry of Health. For visits to doctor's offices, clinics and nursing homes, however, masks should continue to apply.

Federal Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach (SPD) said that the bottom line was that the infection situation had been stable for weeks. The hospitals could take good care of corona patients. It is still important to be careful when visiting medical facilities. Anyone who visits patients or residents and makes doctor's appointments must continue to wear a mask. "The protection of vulnerable groups should be worth it to us." Lauterbach emphasized: "The pandemic is not over yet. But the pandemic has lost its horror. The virus can be controlled in everyday life. And we are drawing the consequences from that."

In preparation for a potentially more critical pandemic situation this winter, several nationwide corona regulations were laid down in the Infection Protection Act. Most recently, the mask requirement on long-distance trains and long-distance buses was prematurely suspended at the beginning of February. According to the corresponding regulations of the federal states, there are no longer any mask requirements in local transport either. Gradually, the federal states had also phased out the obligation to isolate people infected with the corona virus.