Vaccination jams, highly infectious corona mutation and no falling numbers: do we need more lockdown now?
Topic at "maybrit illner" on ZDF: "Slow vaccination, fast virus - is the long winter shutdown threatened?"
Dispute between Lauterbach and Kretschmer
Spahn blames the EU Commission for the vaccination jam
To protect against Corona: Only a maximum of three guests in the studio
"Maybrit illner" - these guests discussed with:
Jens Spahn (CDU)
- Federal Minister of Health (connected)
Michael Kretschmer (CDU)
- Prime Minister Saxony (connected)
Karl Lauterbach (SPD)
- Member of the Bundestag
Dr.
Eva Hummers
- Director of the Institute for General Medicine, University Medicine Göttingen (activated)
Eckart von Hirschhausen
- med.
Science journalist
Claudia Kade -
Head of
World
Politics
and
Welt am Sonntag
The hope of the new year already seems perdu - at least for now.
The
corona vaccinations
are getting off to a slow start, the new mutation of the virus, which is ten times more contagious than the previous virus according to the latest findings, is spreading.
And despite all the
measures,
the number of cases remains
high and worries politicians.
At "maybrit illner" on ZDF - the most successful political talk on German television with an average of 14.3 percent market share in 2020 -
Health Minister Jens Spahn
and
Saxony's Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer
(both CDU) answered questions and answers.
Maybrit Illner asks Jens Spahn about the mistakes in his health policy
Spahn - the day before with ARD Talk colleague Sandra Maischberger emphasized relaxed appearance - this time was much more serious.
In view of the current criticism, it was obviously important for the minister to make one thing clear again and again: "Not too little vaccine has been ordered".
Spahn's account: The fact that vaccination was possible earlier in Great Britain and the USA has to do with the emergency approvals there.
In
Germany
, however, a conscious decision was
made against this in
order not to gamble
away
the trust of the population.
Moderator Maybrit Illner
throws in that the question about the emergency approval is probably not of great interest to the people who are currently waiting eagerly for the vaccine - but Spahn contradicts: "In a few weeks we will be discussing vaccination readiness here," he said for sure.
He insists: The admission question is decisive for this.
Lauterbach criticizes the EU purchasing strategy for the vaccine at "maybrit illner"
If there is something that the minister would have done differently in retrospect, Illner still wants to know from Spahn.
He replies diplomatically: "It is of course more arduous with 27 member states as with 16 federal states than when one does everything alone".
After the criticism of federalism, the minister rowed back again when Kretschmer made a serious face: The
EU was also
developing strength as a result, said Spahn.
And: “You look at it - if in doubt, the decision will be a better one.” He says that as if he didn't believe it himself.
Karl Lauterbach
criticizes: the EU's purchasing strategy was not good.
Those responsible had
bought
vaccine
too late with too little money
.
As a result, the companies lacked the security to build up larger production capacities.
An earlier order for larger quantities would have been the condition to produce more, says the SPD health politician.
Hirschhausen at "maybrit illner": Compulsory vaccination is nonsense!
Lauterbach also makes it clear: “We have a lot more vaccine than large parts of the world.” However, when the health expert begins to compare Germany with the situation in Africa and South America, Illner cuts him off and leads on to
bestselling author Eckart von Hirschhausen
about who had made himself available as a vaccine test subject for the studies at the University of Cologne.
Hirschhausen tries, as is his way, to speak clearly: “Vaccination is safe, sensible and solidarity”, he says confidently and after the recent advances by
Bavaria's Prime Minister Markus Söder
makes it clear: “Compulsory vaccination is nonsense”, voluntary vaccination always the optimum.
He criticizes the lack of information campaigns and a choice of words that convey human solidarity.
Vocabulary such as “privilege” or “special right” are problematic in this context.
He suggests
replacing
"herd immunity"
with "community protection" - after all, nobody wants to be part of a herd ...
Does the new corona mutation thwart the vaccination strategy?
Then Kretschmer is taken to prayer.
Over 400 dead in one day - in the city of Meissen alone, according to a single player.
You can see pictures of stacked coffins.
A funeral director also has a say.
She laments the overcrowding in the crematoria.
Not an easy position for Saxony's head of government, who was finally an avowed
opponent of the restrictions
in the summer
.
Due to the
current lockdown, the number of
infections has
not decreased "as we wanted it and as we need it," admits Kretschmer and announces stricter measures for public transport and more rapid tests.
Lauterbach demands significantly more and explains the drama of the situation: “We are in the race with the new mutation.” The goal must be to break the current wave before the new mutation spills over to us.
"Therefore, an extremely hard lockdown would probably be the right thing to do, even with the closure of many companies and home offices," he says.
If that doesn't succeed, Lauterbach appeals, Germany will get “growth in lockdown”.
A corona disaster.
But if everyone stays at home, the numbers will go down "exponentially," says Lauterbach.
Kretschmer looks grim.
Dispute over tough lockdown: Kretschmer is against it
Kretschmer - just refined - takes a completely different view.
He argues: "We need strong companies to be able to bear the costs of the pandemic." If
nobody moves
in
Germany
, the virus is dead, says the CDU politician - but the German and European economies and with them many companies also.
But Eva Hummers, among other things a member of the Standing Vaccination Commission, has concerns: who should still care for the people in the hospitals and nursing homes in the case of the emergency that is already there?
And who are the children of the staff?
The exceptions also cause damage, she says.
And anyway: Most people get infected at home.
There is still a lot to decide for politics, sums up Illner at the end of the program.
Conclusion of the “maybrit illner” talk
Afterwards you always know more, they say.
But can we really face the virus with all our knowledge and technology?
The claim is there, politics does what it can, sacrifices cannot be avoided.
The show did not convey hope.
But it's good that we talked about it.
List of rubric lists: © Screenshot: ZDF / Maybrit Illner