The lack of a mask requirement does not mean a mask ban

An Austrian user claims on Facebook that where there is no express requirement to wear a mask, it is even forbidden to wear mouth and nose protection. He bases this statement on the Austrian ban on covering the face. A bold claim, because when it comes to mouth and nose protection due to the pandemic, it is simply wrong!

Mask requirement gone. Mask forbidden?

In this Facebook post, the user claims that wearing masks is prohibited. He justifies this statement with a screenshot of the website oesterreich.gv.at, an Austrian e-government site ( here ).

This site is reputable, the information is correct. However, the user who wants to support his statement uses a “style” device that is common in the circles of fake news producers by presenting only that part of the information that superficially supports his statement. However, he leaves out the part that formulates exceptions that make his statement no longer tenable. And that is manipulative.

According to Austrian legislation on face coverings, it is completely legitimate to wear a mask for health reasons. If you scroll further down the page, you will find the exceptions to this legal ban.

From these exceptions it is clear that mouth and nose protection is not exempt from the ban on face coverings. For medical reasons, wearing a mask, a mouth and nose protector, is expressly permitted in Austria.

German ban on masking

What is the ban on masking in Austria is the ban on masking in Germany. Here, too, one could ask the question whether the non-existence of a mask requirement based on the ban on masking leads to a ban on mouth and nose protection.

Spoiler alert! Of course not! Everyone has the right to wear a medical mouth and nose protection or an FFP2 mask where they consider it necessary for health reasons, without coming into conflict with the ban on masking.

The German ban on masking, which applies at gatherings, does not prohibit masks for health reasons.
The regulation is as follows:

According to Section 17a Paragraph 2 of the Assembly Act,
“1. to attend such events [open-air public gatherings] in a manner appropriate and, in the circumstances, designed to prevent the establishment of identity, or to travel to such events in such a form.

Brief information from the German Bundestag: Ban on masking and mouth and nose coverings for corona prevention

Mask recommendation

On the Infection Protection.de website of the Federal Center for Health Education, which is directly assigned to the Federal Ministry of Health, it is even clearly recommended to wear a mask or mouth and nose protection in certain situations in everyday life.

This is what it says there:

“In order to protect yourself and others from infection with the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, it still makes sense to wear a mask in closed rooms that are publicly accessible. Wearing a mask also reduces the risk of infection outdoors, for example in large gatherings of people or when you cannot safely maintain a minimum distance of 1.5 meters from others.

Federal Agency for Civic Education

This means that a mask that is worn for health reasons and not for the purpose of preventing identification is permissible and that it is even recommended by government health institutions to protect yourself and others from infection by wearing a mask .

In Germany too, the abolition of the mask requirement does not mean that it is accompanied by a ban on masks. Where masks are no longer required, people can voluntarily decide to wear them. Or not.

Source:

dpa , German Bundestag , Federal Agency for Civic Education

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