Corona and triage: Catholic Church considers patient selection permissible in case of overload

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Georg Bätzing, Chairman of the German Bishops' Conference: Triage as an »Ultima Ratio«

Photo: Andreas Arnold / dpa

The Catholic Church in Germany considers a prioritization of patients with a further increasing number of corona patients and an overload of the health system to be justified.

Regarding the selection system known as "triage", the chairman of the German Bishops' Conference, Georg Bätzing, told the editorial network Germany (RND): "The triage must be viewed ethically under the aspect of the ultima ratio."

After excluding all other alternatives, it is "a last resort to proceed as rationally as possible in order to preserve as much humanity and life" as the situation allows.

"In this sense, the decision-making process is permissible and justified in the event of an irreconcilable gap between medical resources and treatment needs, currently as a result of a pandemic overload of the health system."

Criteria such as age, disabilities or gender and especially social criteria such as position, level of awareness, economic aspects or "system relevance" should be rejected as unethical.

The Evangelical Church also emphasizes that every human life is worth the same.

“The fact that we have to discuss triage at all shows how important it is to do everything possible to avoid such situations.

By adhering to the Corona rules, we can all help, «said the chairman of the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD), Heinrich Bedford-Strohm.

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