Several German states to drop Covid masks on public transport in February

Berlin, Brandenburg, Thuringia, Saxony and Mecklenburg Western-Pomerania will end the obligation to wear a medical mask on public transport in the coming weeks. 

Wearing an FFP2 mask on public transport is one of the few remaining Covid-19 rules that Germany has kept in place, though the liberal Free Democrats (FDP) and right-wing CDU/CSU parties have in recent weeks been pushing for an end to the measure.

With many experts declaring an end to the pandemic, states have also been moving in their own direction, with Bavaria, Saxony-Anhalt and Schleswig-Holstein all removing the mask-wearing rule and another group of states - including Baden-Württemberg and Lower Saxony - opting to amend their self-isolation guidelines. 

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In addition to scrapping compulsory masks on public transport, Thuringia is set to follow this group of five states in ending compulsory self-isolation for people who test positive for Covid. Both isolation and mask-wearing on local buses and trains will end in the eastern state on February 3rd. 

In Mecklenburg Western-Pomerania, the federal cabinet decided on Tuesday to end the obligation to wear masks in public transport. The rule will be dropped on February 2nd - the same time that Berlin and Brandenburg are planning to drop masks on local buses, trams and trains. 

Following consultations with experts, Saxony's cabinet also agreed on an end to the compulsory wearing of masks in local public transport, which will come into force on Monday. Instead, the wearing of a mask in buses and trains will be "strongly recommended".

"Covid protection measures may only be justified with corona-related overloads of the health system," said Saxony's Health Minister Petra Köpping (SPD). "Many pandemic indicators are currently painting a positive picture."

READ ALSO: When will German states drop compulsory masks on public transport?

Masks could end 'sooner than expected'

Under the current version of the Infection Protection Act, masks will be compulsory on long-distance public transport like coaches and ICE trains until at least April 7th, though states can decide for themselves whether to keep them on local or regional transport. 

However, Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) told Stern on Wednesday that an early end to compulsory masks in long-distance transport and in health care facilities could be possible.

"It is possible that we will abolish the mask requirement earlier," he explained. "But I don't want to commit myself to a date." Lauterbach said it was important to observe the situation very closely and then evaluate it.

READ ALSO: Calls to end Covid measures as top German virologist declares pandemic 'over'

"It is still too early," he added. "We still have full clinics and staff shortages."

Though the current version of the Infection Protection Act doesn't expire until April, the federal government could still change the rules by decree.

Justice Minister Marco Buschmann (FDP) urged Lauterbach to use this mechanism to end the current Covid measures in a letter sent to his office at the end of December.