Starting today, the quarantine obligation is dropped

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Instead of the quarantine obligation, so-called restrictions are now introduced. Infected persons are allowed to do almost everything with a mask.

Starting today, August 1, the quarantine obligation for Covid-infected people falls. With the decree on the so-called “Segregation New,” Health Minister Johannes Rauch (Greens) introduces traffic restrictions instead of isolation. This means infected persons who feel healthy enough may leave their homes or receive visitors. The only condition: The infected must wear a mask practically everywhere. Only outdoors, when a safe distance of two meters can be maintained, is the mask requirement waived, even for infected persons.

In principle, Corona-positive persons wearing masks will therefore be allowed to go to work starting today. But beware: companies can set stricter rules based on house rules and prohibit infected persons from coming to work. Incidentally, this also applies to restaurateurs, even though it is generally permitted to enter pubs. Consumption is usually not possible for infected persons, however, as this would require removing the mask.

So-called vulnerable settings (hospitals, nursing homes, elementary schools, kindergartens, etc.) may not be entered by persons with Covid infection, even with masks. Children who test positive are also not allowed into kindergartens or elementary schools; employees of the facilities, however, are.

To make all this possible, other regulations must (re)enter into force. For example, parents whose children are positive and cannot find other care options can be released from work for up to a week.

Telephone sick leave will also be reactivated. This has a logical background: the new regulation also means that a positive test is no longer automatically considered a reason to be absent from work. So anyone who is not only infected but also sick will need a sick note from a doctor.

The so-called “risk group regulation” is also returning. It allows people who belong to a risk group not to show up for work if they are afraid of being infected by positive colleagues.

Incidentally, the traffic restrictions apply for a maximum of ten days after a positive antigen test. It does not use if a subsequent PCR test is negative. Free testing is possible after five days.