Hendrik Streeck's opinion is in demand in the coronavirus crisis.
But it already attracted one or two shit storms.
The virologist apparently also receives death threats.
Virologist
Hendrik Streeck
has been in public since the Corona * pandemic.
The
Heinsberg study
in
particular
is associated with him.
In an interview, he talked about
getting
death threats
and how his life has changed.
Munich / Bonn - The coronavirus pandemic has been turning people's lives upside down for months.
Contact restrictions, mask requirements, curfew, research for a vaccine * and an increasing number of new infections have been ubiquitous topics that have occupied people for months.
Since then, the public has also focused on
virologist Hendrik Streeck
, who is known to
many people in connection with the coronavirus *
through the
Heinsberg study
or appearances in talk shows such as "Markus Lanz" or "Maybrit Illner".
But his approach always causes a
huge stir.
In an interview with "ntv.de" he told how significantly his life has changed.
Corona in Germany: "Walking a tightrope not to over-dramatize and not to trivialize the virus"
In particular, the question of how dangerous the
coronavirus *
actually is has played an extraordinary role since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.
"I think as soon as you say that this is a virus that should not be trivialized, then the unity does not fit the stuff," said
virologist Hendrik Streeck
, whose statements often
triggered
a
shit
storm on
social media
.
There have been situations in which he was simply misunderstood.
Last but not least, this became clear in October via Twitter, when Streeck wrote after a talk at “Maischberger” *: “For those who have misunderstood me, I would like to make it clear that the focus of fighting pandemics is on protecting body and soul [. ..]. "
For those who have misunderstood me, I would like to make it clear that the focus of fighting a pandemic is on protecting life and limb.
I mean this universally and for those who are directly and indirectly victims of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Both must be protected.
https://t.co/O391ss8BFQ
- Hendrik Streeck (@hendrikstreeck) October 15, 2020
"I always try to walk this tightrope,
not to overdramatize
the virus on the one hand
and
not to trivialize it
on the other,
" says Streeck in an interview with
"ntv.de".
He also knows the "emotional side of Covid-19".
At the beginning of the pandemic, two family members were infected.
"I was very worried about that."
During the corona pandemic: Virologist Hendrik Streeck has "police at the door"
The demand for an assessment of the current coronavirus situation in Germany and for new findings regarding the virus are
turning Hendrik Streeck's
life
upside down.
"Nothing is the same as it was before," the
virologist
summed up
in one sentence.
He was recognized on the street, got a few calls, couldn't manage to answer all of the inquiries.
“A lot of people just want to talk to me because they have certain questions.
But we also have the police on the doorstep because I received
death threats
, ”said Streeck.
However, he does not let it determine his life.
Nevertheless, there was a moment when he thought about a line.
As an example, he cited the events surrounding the
Heinsberg study
several times
.
Then he thought about whether he wanted to continue.
Especially after Heinsberg, I thought about whether I wanted to continue like this.
Especially when you've tried to contribute and help and then get approached - that's something I didn't understand.
[...] If you cause that you express yourself in a differentiated and qualified manner and that generates a shit storm, then I accept that.
I think differentiated opinion is important in the pandemic.
Hendrik Streeck in an interview with "ntv.de"
In April, Streeck was commissioned by the
North Rhine-Westphalian state government
to determine the number of unreported cases of Sars-CoV-2 patients in the Heinsberg region, which was particularly affected at the time, and to limit chains of infection.
The study caused criticism of the methodology and the support provided by a PR agency, which
Streeck
assessed in retrospect as "a mistake" in the interview.
In the end, the virologist even had to deal with a complaint.
* Merkur.de is part of the Ippen-Digital-Netzwerk (mbr)