Germany drops further mandatory mask requirements

The mandatory wearing of face masks in public transport is to be abolished in five further states of Germany, including Berlin.
Berlin, as well as its neighbouring state Brandenburg drop their face mask requirement on public transport on February 2, the state governments said on Tuesday.
It is the first time since the beginning of the pandemic that states not led by the conservative parties, the CDU and CSU, are abolishing face mask requirements on trains and buses.
Since New Year's Day, three conservative-led states, including Bavaria, are no longer requiring their citizens to wear masks.
In Berlin, the city-state's government, the Senate, in agreement with Brandenburg, decided to bring forward the end of the mandatory mask requirement instead of keeping it until at least mid-February as initially planned.