Uniform rules on 'recovered' status on the horizon

A digital certificate of recovery in front of a pharmacy logo

Berlin's Senator for Health Ulrike Gote has held out the prospect of uniform rules concerning the question of who is considered to have recovered from a Coronavirus infection in Berlin.

Deviating federal and state regulations

Currently, in areas covered by the federal Infection Protection Ordinance, such as buses and trains, the recovered status ends after three months. However, in areas covered by Berlin's Infection Protection Measures Ordinance, such as restaurants, six months still apply. At the federal level, the shortening of the deadline in the middle of the month came as a surprise. "This is another issue that confuses everyone," Gote said on Thursday (Jan. 27, 2022) in the House of Representatives. The decision came at very short notice, she said.

Adjustment in Berlin expected next week

"As a result, there are now inconsistencies in the regulations. Basically, it's not meant to be that way at all," the Senator for Health said. "We can only ever adjust our ordinance in retrospect to what has changed, and we will look into that." The Senate Department for Health added that Berlin is expected to make a corresponding adjustment from six to three months next Tuesday.

Recovery status valid for different lengths of time depending on area

According to the Berlin Health Administration, the three-month period also applies in other areas Berlin, such as in passenger transport and in the workplace. In areas where the 2G and 2G-plus regulations apply according to the Infection Protection Ordinance, such as in the cultural, retail and restaurant sectors, it is six months. The change on a federal level from six to three months led to this special situation - which will end soon, according to the Senate Department for Health. Senator Gote had already criticized the situation in the Health Committee on Wednesday. Nobody had been informed of this overnight change in the recovery status, she said. "This has certainly not been a very wise decision," Gote told committee members on Wednesday.