Status: 12/27/2022 02:49 am
After the virologist Drosten declared the corona pandemic to be over, the traffic light coalition discussed how to proceed: while FDP politicians want to abolish all protective measures, the Greens urge caution.
In view of statements by the virologist Christian Drosten, who described the corona pandemic as “over”, the traffic light coalition is discussing how to deal with the virus. While FDP politicians spoke out in favor of the immediate end of the protective measures, the Green health politician Janosch Dahmen was more cautious.
Dahmen told the “Tagesspiegel”: “At the moment there is much to suggest that the corona virus is hardly changing and that its currently widespread distribution will finally decrease significantly at the end of this winter.” Until spring, however, one should “continue to be considerate and therefore wear a mask indoors, maintain hand hygiene and ensure regular ventilation” because of the current widespread spread of the virus, the associated staff shortages and the burden on the health system.
Kubicki calls for the measures to be stopped
The deputy FDP chairman Wolfgang Kubicki, on the other hand, sees no reason for corona protection measures. With this statement by Drosten, “the basis for any restriction of fundamental rights to contain the corona virus is withdrawn,” Kubicki told the newspaper. He expects the coalition partners in the federal government to come together as soon as possible and tackle a corresponding legal change to the Infection Protection Act. “This is constitutionally required.” The federal states must now end their respective measures, the FDP politician demanded.
Federal Minister of Justice Marco Buschmann had already made a similar statement. “Christian Drosten was one of the most cautious scientists during the pandemic,” wrote the FDP politician on Twitter. “Now his finding is: The pandemic is over. We are in an endemic state. As a political consequence, we should end the last corona protection measures,” demanded Buschmann.
Drosten: Experience the first endemic wave
Drosten had previously explained in the “Tagesspiegel”: “We are experiencing the first endemic wave of Sars-CoV-2 this winter, in my opinion the pandemic is over.” After this winter, the immunity in the population will be so broad and resilient that the virus can hardly get through in the summer, said the head of virology at the Charité University Hospital in Berlin. The only restriction the virologist named was another mutational leap. “But I don’t expect that anymore at the moment.”
In retrospect, the virologist considers the corona measures taken to be largely justified. “If nothing had been done, there would have been a million deaths or more in Germany in the waves up to Delta,” said Drosten.