On Monday a German doctor was sentenced to two years and nine months in prison for illegally distributing over 4,000 Covid mask exemptions to people during the pandemic period.
Reportedly, individuals in Germany could seek an exemption letter from a medical professional under the country’s Covid rules if they were unable to wear a mask “on account of a health disorder, chronic illness or disability.”
However, the unnamed doctor in question was sentenced by a regional court in the German town of Weinheim for “issuing incorrect health certificates” to around 4,200 people in Germany – most of whom she had never met or examined medically.
A German doctor was sentenced late Monday to two years and nine months in prison for illegally issuing more than 4,000 people with exemptions from wearing masks during the coronavirus pandemic. https://t.co/QcyAcZbdSS
— The Associated Press (@AP) January 3, 2023
For this she was given the aforementioned prison sentence, in addition to a ban on working as a doctor for three years, and fined €28,000 – the same sum she received for issuing the certificates.
The doctor’s office assistant was also reportedly fined €2,700, though no employees of her practice were given prison time.
Though Germany scrapped most of its indoor mask rules last year, face coverings are still required in medical settings, nursing homes, long-distance trains, and public transport in some regions.
According to AP, the doctor argued during the trial that masks can harm individuals’ health.
“The process is more reminiscent of a sale of certificates than a medical procedure,” the court said in a statement on the case, though the woman’s lawyer reportedly plans to appeal the decision.
The development comes as some in Ireland are calling for a re-introduction of mandatory indoor masking, with the Irish Nurses and Midwives Association (INMO) calling for a return of face covering rules this week.
INMO calls for return of mask-wearing in crowded settings amid record trolley numbers in hospitals https://t.co/Dab71kYo0a
— TheJournal.ie (@thejournal_ie) January 3, 2023
Just before Christmas, Ireland’s Chief Medical Officer Breda Smyth recommended that individuals wear masks over the winter period, claiming that Ireland was in the “eye of the virus storm.”
Professor Smyth urged the public to be extremely wary when shopping, commuting and socialising this Christmas after a huge spike in Covid cases this month.@ferghalthehackhttps://t.co/sxu4AC10Bj
— Irish Daily Mirror (@IrishMirror) December 21, 2022
Gript previously questioned Health Minister Stephen Donnelly on what scientific evidence he had for the effectiveness of masks, in a clip which can be viewed below.
"Can you name a study?": Irish Health Minister Stephen Donnelly pressed on the effectiveness of face masks, as he floats the idea of reintroducing them this winter.https://t.co/MWPibuFRaN pic.twitter.com/lfF3wr9RTm
— gript (@griptmedia) October 18, 2022