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After a positive corona test, Bundestag AfD member Thomas Seitz is treated like an inpatient at the hospital, according to his office. “The prognosis for a speedy recovery is, according to the treating physicians, favorable,” said a statement Thursday. The 53-year-old thanked hospital staff in his hometown of Lahr in the Black Forest for their commitment. The “Lahrer Zeitung” reported on it first.
According to the Bundestag administration, 23 of the 709 parliamentarians have been infected with the corona virus since the outbreak of the pandemic. According to the group, several of the 88 AfD MPs are also affected.
Seitz was noticed, among other things, at a meeting in November when he arrived at the lectern wearing an obviously pierced mask. Vice President Claudia Roth (Greens) prohibited him from returning to his seat. She handed him a new FFP2 mask. When Seitz complained about the “muzzle,” Roth threatened him with a fine.
His office emphasized that the parliamentary group AfD and Seitz had warned about the virus earlier in the year and called on the federal government to continually assess the progress of the pandemic.
According to the administration, there are a total of 140 known corona infections in the Bundestag so far. In addition to the 23 parliamentarians, 33 employees from each of the parliamentary and parliamentary groups, 41 administrative employees and 10 from external companies such as cleaning services, transport services or artisans were infected with the virus.
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According to a list from the Bundestag administration on Wednesday, 17 new infections were reported last week alone, including five MPs, employees of MPs and parliamentary groups. Therefore, in the current week there were three cases, a deputy and two members of parliamentary groups.
Shorter program in the Bundestag due to Corona
To reduce the risk of contagion, the Bundestag has compressed the program of its last week of sessions of the year to two days. This Friday there will only be a speech in plenary by the UN Secretary General, António Guterres, on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. However, Friday is no longer a meeting day and the requirement to be present is no longer a requirement.
In addition, the regulation according to which the Bundestag already has a quorum with a quarter of its members was expanded. Normally half of the MPs have to be present for this, but this mark dropped in the spring due to contact restrictions related to the crown, initially limited at the end of the year. On Thursday, the Bundestag decided that this special rule will now apply until the end of March 2021. (dpa)
