Germany is set to abandon the mandatory wearing of face masks on long-distance trains and buses in early February. The requirement is among the last remaining coronavirus pandemic measures to be kept in place. German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach announced on Friday that, from February 2, travelers will no longer need to wear face masks on long-distance public transport in Germany. The minister said the government had taken the decision to scrap the mask mandate several months ahead of schedule because of a reduction in the risk posed by the coronavirus. Why is the rule being scrapped now? "The pandemic situation has stabilized,'' said Lauterbach, who has been under mounting pressure to drop the mandate. The number of known or suspected infections is evening out or even falling, and the number of people hospitalized continues to decline, he explained. "The population has built up high immunity, and the experts who advise us no longer believe there will be another big, serious winter wave." "At this point, we also don't foresee particularly dangerous variants reaching us in the coming weeks and months.'' Lauterbach, himself a trained epidemiologist, nevertheless appealed to people to voluntarily wear masks indoors and also on trains. "We just need to put more emphasis on personal responsibility and voluntariness."  Some rules still in place The requirement to wear FFP2 or medical face masks on long-distance public trains and buses was one of the last remaining measures in place as part of the Infection Protection Act. The law was due to expire on April 7, and the mask mandate with it. The legislation also includes a stipulation for masks to be worn in health care settings such as medical practices, with additional testing requirements for access to hospitals and care facilities. Lauterbach has faced mounting calls from inside and outside the governing coalition to do away with remaining rules, particularly from the neoliberal Free Democrats who form part of Germany's ruling coalition government. The calls grew even louder after famed German virologist Christian Drosten said he believed the pandemic could be considered to be over. Most European countries scrapped mask mandates in 2022, and Germany alongside Spain was one of the few states to keep the rule in place. The Spanish government has announced that the rule will apply until at least March 2023. Although the long-distance transport requirement was nationwide, states make their own decisions about public transport. Three states have already dropped the requirement on regional and local trains, trams and buses, while six more planning to do so by the beginning of next month.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday renewed her warning that the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic in the country is imminent and asked all to mask up. "I request you all to wear masks and follow other safety rules," she said mentioning the growing Covid-19 cases across the world. The Prime Minister said this while addressing a meeting of secretaries of the ruling Awami League. The meeting was held at the central office of AL at 23 Bangabandhu Avenue but the Prime Minister joined it virtually from her official residence Ganobhaban. Talking about the coronavirus vaccine, she said research works are going on in various parts of the world. "Bangladesh will get the vaccine once it is ready as the government is paying in advance," she said. Turning to graft, Sheikh Hasina said money and wealth earned through corruption will not help as the Covid-19 has taught us this lesson. “Covid-19 pandemic is a lesson for those too who used to go abroad for better treatment." Hasina said many countries in the world are struggling to face the situation caused by the corona pandemic and even their GDP growth rates of many developed countries have seen a negative trend. "But our government took quick, farsighted and planned measures to keep the wheels of the country’s economy moving after the detection of the first corona cases in Bangladesh," she said. The Prime Minister said the government had announced various stimulus packages in the beginning of the Corona outbreak in the country to keep the economy running. Besides, she said, necessary manpower, including 2,000 physicians and a remarkable number of nurses and technologists were also recruited to face the situation. "As a result, the rate of death due to Covid-19 in Bangladesh was less than those of many countries in other parts of the world," she said. Hasina said the people of the country have trust and confidence in Awami League as the party always works for their welfare. Talking about political issues, she again urged people to stay alert against the falsehood of BNP leaders. "BNP leaders tell lies when they deliver speeches in Parliament after burning buses in the streets, while according to their plan, they withdraw from elections halfway through during voting." The Prime Minister called upon the BNP leaders not to tarnish the country's image before the world community by carrying out negative propaganda abroad. Source: UNB AH

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday directed the authorities concerned to strictly implement the “no mask no service” policy at every government and private offices in the wake of the second wave of Covid-19 in many countries in Europe and America. She issued the directives during an unscheduled discussion over Covid-19 in the regular Cabinet meeting held at the Secretariat. Sheikh Hasina chaired the meeting joining it from Ganobhaban through a video conference. “The ‘no mask no service’ [policy] will have to be implemented massively. It’ll have to be ensured anyhow. It may be through social movements, campaigns or any other means if needed,” the Prime Minister was quoted as saying by Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam at a press briefing after the meeting. Noting that there is no room for complacency over the current Covid-19 situation, she said everyone will have to be careful over the possible second wave. No-one should come to office under any circumstance without a mask, she said. Islam said all secretaries and field-level officers have already been asked to execute the decision strictly at their offices and subordinate offices. He said the government is going to execute the decision so that services can’t be availed without wearing masks at government and private offices under any circumstances. The Cabinet expressed satisfaction at the country’s economic progress in the 2019-20 fiscal year, particularly the achievement in GDP growth, per capita income and remittance inflow despite the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. The observation came when the annual report of different ministries and divisions for 2019-2020 fiscal was placed by the Cabinet Division in the meeting. Cabinet Secretary Islam said Bangladesh attained 5.24 percent GDP growth against the target of 8.2 percent in 2019-20 fiscal. “It’s a very good achievement compared to other countries. The 5.24 percent growth is really a remarkable achievement amid the Covid-19 outbreak,” he said. He said the government announced a total of Tk 120,053 crore (4.3 percent of GDP) under 21 stimulus packages to offset the fallout of the pandemic. Of the amount, Tk 57,785 crore has been disbursed. Source: UNB AH

US President Donald Trump wore a mask for the first time in public during the pandemic while visiting a military hospital in suburban Washington on Saturday. Trump flew by helicopter to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center to meet wounded service members and health care providers caring for COVID-19 patients. Health officials recommended the facial covering for Trump as a precaution against spreading or becoming infected by the novel coronavirus. As he left the White House, he told reporters: “When you’re in a hospital, especially ... I think it’s a great thing to wear a mask.” Trump was wearing a mask in Walter Reed’s hallway as he began his visit. He was not wearing one when he stepped off the helicopter at the facility. However, the president was a latecomer to wearing a mask during the pandemic, which has raged across the US since March and infected more than 3.2 million and killed at least 134,000. Most prominent Republicans, including Vice President Mike Pence, endorsed wearing masks as the coronavirus gained ground this summer. Republican governors have been moving toward requiring or encouraging the use of masks as the pandemic has grown more serious in some states in the South and West. Trump, however, has declined to wear a mask at news conferences, coronavirus task force updates, rallies and other public events. According to the people close to him, the president feared a mask would make him look weak and was concerned that it shifted focus to the public health crisis rather than the economic recovery. They spoke on condition of anonymity to describe private matters. While not wearing one himself, Trump sent mixed signals about masks, acknowledging that they would be appropriate if worn in an indoor setting where people were close together. He accused reporters of wearing them to be politically correct and retweeted messages making fun of Democratic rival Joe Biden for wearing a mask and implying that Biden looks weak. Source: AP/UNB AH

The health directorate has informed about charging fines and jail terms if anyone is caught without wearing mask outside of homes during this coronavirus pandemic situation. The information was delivered on Saturday in a circular signed by Additional Director General of health directorate Dr. Nasima Sulatana. The circular said, persons who commute outside of their homes have to wear masks during the coronavirus pandemic situation and they also have to abide by the health guidelines. If anyone violates the rules then action will be taken against him or her according to the Communicable Diseases (Prevention, Control and Eradication) Act- 2018. According to the circular, if anyone violates the rules then he or she has to face up to six months imprisonment or fine up to taka one lakh. In this case action will be taken under section 24(1,2), 25(1-a,b) and 25(2) of the act. In the circular people are made aware of not going outside of their homes from 8 pm to 6 am without necessary purpose. Although the circular asked Deputy Commissioners and proper authority to implement the rules cautiously. AH        

The mobile courts have taken actions against the persons involved in selling masks at higher prices in different parts of the country. By this time Directorate of Drug Administration has fixed the highest price of surgical mask at 30 taka. The decision was taken on Wednesday at a discussion on ensuring supply of masks and hand sanitizers to prevent coronavirus outbreak at the conference room of Directorate of Drug Administration at Mohakhali in the capital. It was said in the discussion that legal action will be taken against the person involved in selling mask at higher prices than the price fixed. Besides, mask producers were asked not to supply more than five hundred masks against one invoice to one distributor. The program presided over by Director General of Drug Administration Major General Md. Mahbubur Rahman where representatives of Bangladesh Medicine Industries Association, Medical Device Importers Association, Medicine and Medical Device Production and Importers Association were present. AH