Federal Minister of Labor Hubertus Heil (SPD) wants to end the requirements for protection against corona infection in the workplace on February 2nd, two months earlier than planned. This emerges from a draft of the Ministry for a regulation, which was announced on Thursday in Berlin.

The step is justified "with the steady decrease in the frequency and severity of infections with the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus" and the "generally favorable forecasts with regard to the medium and long-term course of infection". Therefore, "general measures of operational infection protection to minimize work-related infection risks are no longer necessary nationwide". The SARS-CoV-2 Occupational Health and Safety Ordinance will be repealed.

Regulations limited

The Corona Occupational Health and Safety Ordinance was updated at the beginning of October 2022 and was limited up to and including April 7 of this year. According to this, employers have so far had to examine home office and test offers for employees as part of a hygiene concept. Obligations for companies to offer tests and work from home expired in March last year.

Also on February 2 of this year, the mask requirement in long-distance public transport is to fall. Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) announced this last week and pointed out that the pandemic situation had stabilized. The Federal Government can suspend the measure in whole or in part by statutory order.

Regarding the repeal of the Corona Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance, it says: "Instead of binding requirements for operational infection protection, non-binding recommendations will be given that will enable companies and administrations to implement practical and effective operational measures in the event of renewed local or industry-specific outbreaks of infection".