The German government is reportedly weighing up bringing back compulsory mask wearing in public places from October to March over fears the world-renowned Oktoberfest, as well as the winter months, could spark a new Covid wave. According to German publication Die Welt, the plans involve mask wearing in bars, restaurants and shops in a move which is likely to be very unpopular with the population.
Germany is still regularly recording more than 100 deaths to Covid daily. Last autumn, when Germany was recording fewer deaths due to Covid, Oktoberfest - which would normally attract six million people from across the globe - was cancelled entirely by the German authorities.
According to German media the apparent plans are now known as the “O-bis-O” (Oktober bis Ostern) scheme, which refers to motoring regulations which require drivers to put winter tyres on their cars during the colder months.
READ MORE: Coronavirus cases and hospitalisations rise rapidly in Wales
German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach presented a lengthy plan for this autumn on Friday to the national press, but refused to be drawn on compulsory mask wearing. He did, however, say Germany was experiencing rising cases akin to a summer wave, and urged German people to continue to wear face masks indoors.
"I ask those who want to protect themselves or others to wear masks indoors," Mr Lauterbach, a member of the Social Democrats, told reporters in Berlin. "Voluntarily wearing masks needs to be a normality indoors."
The German government lifted almost all Covid restrictions in March despite cases and deaths rising at the time. Since then there has actually been a steady fall in cases but they are now on the up again.
MailOnline reports that the German government is likely to wait on the findings of a scientific commission, which informs the government on which restrictions have been effective, before deciding on rules to implement in the next national Infection Protection Act in September.
Covid infections are rising in the UK and particularly in Wales too, where new figures from the ONS reveal that to the week ending June 11 one in 45 people had the virus. The figures for Wales released on Friday (June 17), show that 64,800 of people had coronavirus - which equates to 2.13% of the population. You can stay updated with the latest Covid news by signing up to our Covid Briefing newsletter here.
That figure is one in 50 in England - amounting to around 1.13 million people. Experts have noted that an increase across the UK is probably down to the rise of BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron variants.
There has been a significant percentage rise in hospital cases in Wales although the total figures remain low compared to at other points in the pandemic. There were 171 patients confirmed to have Covid-19 in acute hospitals in Wales on June 16, compared to 124 on June 8. The number of those patients who were being treated for coronavirus as opposed to being in hospital for another reason while having Covid has risen from 13 to 24.
