A majority in Germany still supports the wearing of face masks on public transport, a poll has found, as the government is discussing draft legislation aiming to update regulations for dealing with the coronavirus pandemic in the autumn and winter.
According to a survey conducted by the opinion research institute YouGov on behalf of dpa, 63% of respondents support a mask requirement on public transport.
Some 58% were in favour of mandatory face masks on long-distance train rides and flights, while 24% said they were against the requirement altogether.
When it comes to wearing face masks in public spaces, for example in shops, the support for a mask requirement was slightly lower, with some 46% in favour.
Only 29% said face masks should also be mandatory in schools.
The support for the measure varies significantly according to voter affiliation, the poll found, with supporters of Germany's Greens overwhelmingly in favour of face masks. Meanwhile, the approval rate was lowest among people who had voted for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) in the last federal election. Of these, 51% said they were generally against a mask mandate.
Last week, Health Minister Karl Lauterbach and Justice Minister Marco Buschmann presented new coronavirus measures that would go into effect in the autumn.
Among other things, their draft calls for masks to remain compulsory on long-distance trains and aeroplanes nationwide, along with rules requiring masks to be worn in hospitals and care facilities.
State governments are to decide for themselves whether they will also require masks in publicly accessible indoor areas.
The proposal still needs to be approved by the Cabinet and parliament.
For the survey, YouGov polled 2,039 people between August 5 and 10.
