The German authorities are considering the possibility of introducing the mandatory wearing of professional respiratory masks of the FFP2 class, according to the newspaper Bild.
Now the residents of Bavaria, the largest federal state of Germany, have already been obliged to wear FFP2 respirators. Respirators must be worn when traveling on public transport and when shopping.
On Tuesday, January 19, German Chancellor Angela Merkel will meet with the heads of all 16 federal states of the country. The meeting will discuss a proposal to oblige all residents of the country to wear FFP2 respirators, according to Bild. The newspaper calls the introduction of this measure likely. Also at the meeting, the parties will discuss the closure of schools, the extension of distance requirements and restrictions on meetings.
The FFP2 respirator requirement has been in effect in Bavaria since 18 January. This decision of the authorities in the country was perceived ambiguously due to the relative high cost of such respirators. Their retail price ranges from two to five euros per piece, the respirator should be changed after eight hours of use.
Virologists interviewed by the Spiegel newspaper agreed that respirators provide better protection, but said that if they are required to be worn, the authorities should provide them with free access. The Green Party indicated that the new rule should be backed up by a program offering free FFP2 masks, at least for those who cannot afford them.
Tough quarantine measures have been in effect in Germany since December 16. All retail outlets in the country are closed, except for food, household and some other stores selling vital goods. Also, work was suspended by hairdressers, museums, theaters, beauty salons, schoolchildren study remotely. In Berlin and Brandenburg, there is a duty to wear protective equipment on public transport and in shops, but there are currently no requirements for a protection category.
From January 25, the requirement to wear respirators in public places will also come into force in Austria. Chancellor Sebastian Kurz announced this decision on 17 January. The country's government has promised that citizens with low incomes will be guaranteed the right to free masks.
According to the Robert Koch Institute, more than 2 million cases of COVID-19 infection have been registered in Germany during the coronavirus pandemic, 47.7 thousand people have died. In Austria, according to the Ministry of Health, 394.9 thousand cases were detected, 7.1 thousand died.
