So that the mask requirement in local public transport (ÖPNV) can end uniformly at the beginning of March, the federal states and the federal government should adapt corona protection regulations accordingly. This emerges from a resolution proposed by the country chairing the Conference of Transport Ministers (VMK), Bremen, which was presented to the German Press Agency on Friday. On Tuesday, the transport ministers of the federal states will meet with the Federal Transport Minister, Volker Wissing (FDP), for a special meeting.

On Thursday it became known that the chairwoman of the VMK, Bremen's Senator Maike Schaefer (Greens), is in favor of a uniform end to the mask requirement in public transport on March 1, 2023, should the pandemic situation allow it. "My goal is for the federal states to agree on a uniform approach here," said Schaefer when asked.

To justify the initiative, the proposed resolution states: After the abolition of the mask requirement in air traffic, long-distance traffic by Deutsche Bahn and public transport are the last areas in which wearing a mask is mandatory. The risk of infection when using public transport is no higher than when not using it. An expert report by the federal states and the Association of German Transport Companies has already proven this last year. As the paper states, monitoring compliance with the mask requirement leads to additional work for companies.