Icon: enlarge
Federal Cross of Merit for Özlem Türeci and Uğur Şahin
Photo: ODD ANDERSEN / AFP
At the award of the Federal Cross of Merit, Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier recognized the Biontech founders Özlem Türeci and Uğur Şahin as visionary entrepreneurs and scientists.
They managed to do "the decisive thing" at the right moment.
"The vaccine that you have developed is a service to humanity - that is why we are here today." This not only saves lives and livelihoods, but also the social and cultural survival of humanity.
The founders of Biontech would have considered it their duty to use their knowledge in the pandemic and to act accordingly.
They did it with passion, scientific ambition and dedication, added Steinmeier.
Her story is "a role model in the best sense of the word" for all decision-makers and citizens.
Germany could bring the pandemic under control.
The Mainz startup Biontech, founded by Türeci and Şahin, specializes in so-called messenger RNA technology, which was originally primarily linked to hopes for better cancer therapies.
In the corona crisis, the approach also proved to be successful in vaccine development.
The vaccine manufactured by Biontech and its US partner Pfizer was the first in the world to be approved.
The vaccine is being used on a massive scale today.
In his speech, Steinmeier called for "more pragmatism" in the debates to accelerate the corona vaccination campaign.
The country consumed "a lot of energy in the search for the culprit of the day," said Steinmeier.
Society currently needs this power more urgently “elsewhere”.
"Because now only one thing helps: vaccinate more and faster"
"Because now only one thing helps: vaccinate more and faster - with all the means we have," emphasized the President.
This must be done "with courage, with wisdom, with a good deal more pragmatism".
Of course, errors would have to be identified and eliminated.
At the same time, however, the country must remain confident.
"Right now in the face of the third wave is not the time for resignation and self-pity."
Şahin pointed out that "two thirds of the way" were covered in the pandemic.
“The next six months will be a tough one,” he added.
The third wave is more difficult to control due to the new variant.
Everything is being done to ensure that anyone who wants a vaccine has it by the end of summer.
With regard to the vaccine debates, Şahin emphasized that it was above all important "that no vaccine dose is wasted".
Steinmeier warned against nationalism in the fight against the pandemic.
Even with the success of Türeci and Şahin, there have been attempts to claim this for a single country.
"But a vaccine has no nationality - it is neither German nor Turkish, nor is it American," he said.
A worldwide distribution of the new active ingredients is also necessary.
Şahin emphasized that vaccine development was not only the result of years of research, but also a collaborative effort.
Colleagues from 60 different countries worked on the research team.
Icon: The mirror
mfh / AFP
