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Gangelt in the district of Heinsberg - exactly a year ago the place and the district became known suddenly.
Germany’s first corona hotspot, it said.
Among other things, at a carnival meeting on February 15, there were transmissions of the new disease.
At the beginning of March, 369 cases were registered.
A crisis team was set up and 1,000 people had to be quarantined.
On March 9, District Administrator Stephan Pusch announced the first death.
Stephan Pusch, District Administrator in the Heinsberg district - March 9, 2020
»I have the sad news to inform you that a 78-year-old male from Gangelt died today at 2 p.m.
I think all of our sympathy belongs to the relatives. "
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Stephan Pusch, District Administrator in the Heinsberg district
»Difficult hour, difficult hour here in the Heinsberg district.
That was a very tough moment for me too, I have to say.
But you have seen difficult courses beforehand.
It really is that people who are dying from it, here in Germany, here in the Heinsberg district, was one thing that took a toll on me, I believe you can tell.
The scary thing is actually, I think, that now, a year later, first of all, we're still talking about Corona.
I think none of us could have imagined that a crisis could last so long.
So that the best disaster has to be over after a few months somewhere.
That's our human way of thinking. "
In retrospect, Heinsberg was not THE hotspot, but one of several infection clusters.
The events there became a dress rehearsal for the whole country.
In 2020, the Bonn virologist Hendrik Streeck gathered knowledge about the new disease in the district, which should soon be called Covid-19.
Hendrik Streeck, virologist
»It was a whole series of different studies that we did.
At first we went from household to household, first of all describing the loss of smell and taste, for example by corona infected people, but also describing that the virus is not a smear infection, but is transmitted via droplets.
Later, other scientists learned about aerosol transmission.
We have shown that there was a high rate of infected people in Heinsberg, that every fifth infection was without symptoms and that around 15 percent of those infected there were infected at the time. "
The validity of the Heinsberg study is controversial in the professional world.
As a result, Streeck was also repeatedly wrong in his prognoses and suggestions for dealing with the pandemic.
Nevertheless, the virologist became one of THE faces of the corona crisis.
Streeck is currently pleading for a gradual relaxation of the corona restrictions.
Hendrik Streeck, virologist
»Of course you can't open everything at once, you have to proceed step by step.
Open one by one and wait and see how the infection behaves.
The problem is that we have a lot of ignorance.
We don't know where the infection is currently and whether hygienic concepts in restaurants, bars or the like work or not.
Now is the time to learn, and now is the time to understand whether or not there are transmissions at all with certain hygiene concepts.
But we can only do that if we open it up in a regulated manner and also provide scientific support. "
Around a year after the outbreak, 300 people died in connection with the coronavirus in the Heinsberg district.
District Administrator Pusch would like to see more normality.
Stephan Pusch, District Administrator in the Heinsberg district
“But I think we still have to - and this is still a high goal of this entire fight against pandemics - keep an eye on the vulnerable population and are still in demand as a society with our solidarity overall.
There are also some who want to split it up according to the motto: Take care of the old people, take care of them and let the rest of them live their lives.
It will not work.
We are a society and must remain a society. "
The way out of the pandemic will not be easy.
Pusch's forecast for 2022 is cautiously optimistic.
Stephan Pusch, District Administrator in the Heinsberg district
»I think we can celebrate Carnival next year relatively carefree.
I don't know whether we will do it in closed halls and at the same density as we did now.
But at least it will be possible to celebrate carnival properly again.
Maybe we all have to show our vaccination certificate or something else at the entrance.
I dont know."