RKI skepticism
Survey on the corona pandemic: many East Germans distrust the RKI
The entrance to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) in Berlin. The current situation regarding the coronavirus is assessed here. Photo: David Hutzler / dpa
© dpa-infocom GmbH
In the corona pandemic, the work of the Robert Koch Institute in East Germany is evidently met with greater distrust than in the West.
In a representative Yougov survey of a good 3700 employed people, the RKI received an average rating of 3.3 from the East German participants, compared to 2.9 in the West.
Questions were asked in June and July; the possible reasons for RKI skepticism were not part of the survey. Whether there is a connection with the strength of the right-wing populist AfD in the east, which opposed the federal government’s corona policy, is controversial among politicians and experts.
The survey was commissioned by the insurer HDI. “The corona situation in particular poses special challenges for working people,” said Christopher Lohmann, CEO of HDI Germany. “This ranges from shopping to new home office rules.” The respondents were asked to rate the work of social groups with school grades – from their own employers to schools, trade unions, churches and academia.
Food retailers received the best rating with 2.1, followed by craftsmen (2.7), their own employers (2.7) and scientists and virologists in general (2.8). The last two places went to schools (3.8) and churches including religious institutions (4.1).
Insurance did not play a role in the survey. The corona policy of the federal and state governments was also not the subject of the survey.