The people in Germany will soon have two years of the pandemic in their bones. All have had to accept severe restrictions on their personal freedom. Most of them were often only able to organize their everyday life with great difficulty, while some had and are struggling with economic problems. Quite a few were infected with Covid-19, far too many died from it. At no point in time was it in question whether the state would still be able to fulfill its essential tasks. For the first time in the history of this republic, however, the citizens will celebrate Christmas and go into the New Year without the certainty that it will stay that way. Anyone who takes seriously what the Federal Government’s new Expert Council says about the danger posed by the Omikron variant must be prepared for the worst.
Although there has often been a bitter first time in this pandemic, Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz and the Prime Ministers of the federal states were faced with a really new situation on Tuesday that had not yet been experienced in this seriousness. If, because of the risk of millions of people infected at the same time, not only hospitals, but also the police, fire brigade, garbage disposal or electricity suppliers were at the limit of their ability to work and beyond, a situation would arise which the state is responsible for preventing. It has often been said that measures must be proportionate, i.e. not excessive. Right. But the reverse is also true. Anyone who understands now out of concern about the Christmas or even the coalition peace may not be able to make amends.
What the alarm call from the Robert Koch Institute means
In any case, the discrepancy between the analysis presented by Scholz in great seriousness and the answer he had announced was noticeable. The federal and state governments initially rely on appeals, i.e. that people get vaccinated out of insight and keep their distance. And on the fact that after Christmas contact restrictions also apply to vaccinated people who are still covered by the current legal situation. This legal situation is the first work of the traffic light and the first mistake that the traffic light will have to admit. The coalitionists had ironed out all criticism of the expiry of the pandemic situation of national scope by claiming that everything that was relatively necessary would also be possible with the amended Infection Protection Act. This line of defense is likely to collapse shortly under the force of the Omicron Wave. This is also evidenced by an alarm call from the Robert Koch Institute just hours before the beginning of the federal-state round.
In his first government statement, Olaf Scholz took personal responsibility for ensuring that all necessary measures are taken. In the worst case, it has already failed to live up to this claim. Namely, when he has accepted delays and hindrances, not least in consideration of the FDP, which were still justifiable under the conditions of the fourth wave and the delta variant, but are no longer forgiven by Omikron and the towering fifth wave will. After almost two years of the pandemic, it is terrible to prepare the population for weeks and months of new hardships. Nobody makes themselves popular with it. But if you don’t act fast enough now, you risk the functionality in central areas of the state. And actually everything.