Germany likely to impose mask mandate if Covid-19 spreads in winter
August 10, 2022, 7:58 am

Germany likely to impose mask mandate if Covid-19 spreads in winter

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Germany is likely to introduce a mask mandate indoors if there is a significant increase in the number of cases of Covid-19 in autumn and winter, health ministers said at a meeting on Tuesday, though they differed over possible exemptions, the Anews reported, citing the DPA.

The federal and state health ministers discussed draft legislation aiming to update regulations for dealing with the coronavirus pandemic.

German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach said: "It is clear that mandatory masks indoors should be the rule in the event of a tense pandemic situation.”

Last week, Lauterbach and Justice Minister Marco Buschmann presented new coronavirus measures that would go into effect in the autumn.

Among other things, their draft calls for masks to remain compulsory on long-distance trains and aeroplanes nationwide, along with rules requiring masks to be worn in hospitals and care facilities.

Germany likely to impose mask mandate if Covid-19 spreads in winter - Photo. Shutterstock

State governments are to decide for themselves whether they will also require masks in publicly accessible indoor areas.

Some state ministers had criticized plans to make people exempt from the regulation if they had had a vaccination against Covid-19 within the past three months, for example, saying this is difficult to implement.

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Bavarian health minister Klaus Holetschek said, the ministers also identified areas where further clarity is needed, for example on "who can be vaccinated, with which vaccine this is possible, and how long the protection lasts.”

It is worthy to noted that the meeting came as Germany's Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for disease control and prevention said the nation's seven-day incidence rate of cases per 100,000 was 381.5, although the number is thought to be higher. The RKI said 170 people had died of Covid-19 in the past day.

Source: anews

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”