Corona crisis: booster vaccinations for everyone?
What about Freedom Day?
The “Markus Lanz” group discusses sensitive issues related to the pandemic.
Hamburg - The "Markus Lanz" group will discuss the political approach to the corona pandemic on Thursday evening. In order to defend the Infection Protection Act of the Ampelkoalition, the politician Christine Aschenberg-Dugnus (FDP) is in the Hamburg studio: "With these three parties that are willing to form a government, we have created an Infection Protection Act in a very short time, which, I think that what I believe gives the countries very good opportunities is very good. I think that's a good achievement. ”A Germany-wide 2G concept is planned, and 27 million booster vaccinations are to be administered by Christmas. “How is that supposed to work?” Asks talk show host Markus Lanz the FDP health expert at the beginning of the program. Aschenberg-Dugnus: “Well, that's an effort. But it is necessary. "
Corona debate at "Markus Lanz": FDP politician Aschenberg-Dugnus: "Freedom Day - from today's perspective it was wrong"
Host Lanz would like to know from Aschenberg-Dugnus why she asked for a "Freedom Day" in mid-September.
"Why?
Because at the time I thought all boosters.
We can at least ensure that the older people who first had a first and second vaccination receive a booster vaccination and thus also receive and maintain vaccination protection. ”“ Sorry, that was nine days before the general election, ”mixes the journalist Anja Maier says, “It was just like that.
Everyone knew it well in advance and thought: We won't worry people about it now. "
Aschenberg-Dugnus admits: “Freedom Day - from today's perspective it was wrong.” “Why did you do it?
That's your area of expertise, Ms. Aschenberg-Dugnus, ”says host Lanz sprinkling salt on the wound.
The politician admits that she had misjudged the situation: “I underestimated that the vaccination progress did not take place enough during the summer break.
That was such a stagnation.
In this respect, I would no longer say that from what we know today.
Of course, we also had Denmark in mind.
It was also the case that you said you would get your freedoms back. "
"Markus Lanz" - these were his guests on November 18th:
Christine Aschenberg-Dugnus
(FDP) - politician
Alexander Kekulé
- virologist
Stefan Kluge
- doctor
Anja Maier
- journalist
Lanz von Aschenberg-Dugnus would therefore like to know “Who did you get information from?”. “I have very close contact with Professor Streeck and others and of course I also read the publications. In this respect, I've always said: We have to boost. I always said that. You can't just quote Freedom Day now. ”The host adds and quotes their party colleagues Marco Buschmann and Volker Wissing, who called for an end to the epidemic emergency at the end of October and mid-November. “I would not have made this tweet,” says Aschenberg-Dugnuns with a view to FDP General Secretary Wissing, “but he does not discuss his tweets with me. Just like I don't talk to him about mine either. "
“When did you realize that everything was getting completely out of hand?” Asks Lanz. Aschenberg-Dugnus replies: “It was only a little later that I realized that things were getting out of hand. Basically only in the last few weeks when it really got that high. ”The moderator is upset:“ In the last few weeks? You are the health policy spokesperson for your group! You’re about to take on government responsibility and you’ve only known for a few weeks what’s going on? ”Aschenberg-Dugnus remains calm:“ Yes. Because I don't look at the number of infections first, but at the hospitalization index. ”Using the example of her federal state Schleswig-Holstein, she explains that with an incidence of 100, significantly fewer people end up in intensive care units than a year ago. Her conclusion: "That meansvaccination makes a difference. That's why boosting also makes a difference. "
Was the 2G rule a driver of the pandemic? Virologist Kekulé criticizes the RKI in "Markus Lanz"
The intensive care doctor Stefan Kluge and the virologist Alexander Kekulé listen carefully and critically to Aschenberg-Dugnus. According to a single player who summarizes FDP statements during the pandemic, Kluge says: “That is difficult. I think it's a fundamental misunderstanding. For whatever reasons, politicians did not seek advice. The scientific findings were actually clear. All the top experts have always said: 'It goes up in winter, it goes up in autumn. We spend more time indoors. Please no relaxation! ' That is exactly what happened. ”The fundamental misunderstanding is“ simply always this sentence, '70 percent are vaccinated in Germany'. But we have the Delta variant, which is highly contagious, we only have that.According to many reports, this leads to more severe courses. And the fact that these 30 percent are at great risk has always been ignored. "
Kekulé therefore criticizes the Robert Koch Institute and the 2G regulation: "It is still in the population today: 'If you are vaccinated, you no longer contribute to this wave.' And that came from the Robert Koch Institute, they wrote on their website that the vaccinated no longer make a significant contribution to the infection process. ”“ This sentence is gone, but it was there for a long time, ”interjects host Lanz. Kekulé: “It was printed in bold and was also used by the Administrative Court of Berlin as a reason for this well-known procedure.” The virologist therefore calls for more precise instruments for follow-up: “You can do 2G on a small scale if you have a dance class or something. Where above all you have traceability. Then you know who was there. If you have an outbreak there is a wayto check that for the health department. "
With "Markus Lanz" - virologist Alexander Kekulé: "It was a mistake to have complete freedom for the vaccinated"
However, larger events are the real problem: “We need reliable traceability for 50 or 100 people or more.
It must be clear that everyone is registered, which 2G often no longer exists.
And it has to be tested.
And if you can't test, or if it doesn't make sense for practical reasons - for example, if you're sitting in the theater and everyone is watching a theater event - then you just have to wear masks.
With that we can turn back relatively quickly what we have basically done wrong with this promise 'You don't have to stick to anything anymore'. "
“The main problem is still the unvaccinated,” says Kluge.
“That is clear,” agrees Kekulé, but nevertheless calls for a rethink: “In the current situation, I mean, we have to recognize that it was a mistake to have complete freedom for the vaccinated.
No upper limit for the events, any number of participants, no contact limits, no distance, no mask, no testing.
And they make up a large part of the incidence and of course only a small part of the hospital occupancies.
But that is important when you think about it now: What is the point of vaccinating whom? "
Booster vaccinations in pharmacies?
Intensive care physician Kluge demands: "Everyone should vaccinate who can do it"
The discussion comes to a head on the question of whether and which people should be prioritized when boosting. Kekulé advocates helping vulnerable groups as quickly as possible: “With the elderly, you can potentially save a life with every boost.” Kluge disagrees: “Stiko has now said: 'Everyone over 18 needs the booster vaccination '. We should just do that now and stop talking about prioritization. ”“ But how do we do that? 27 million booster vaccinations by Christmas? ”, Asks talk host Lanz. Kluge: “Yes, it is the task of politics and health insurance to implement it now. I can only say very clearly: It won't work with the current family doctor system. "One also has to talk about pharmacies:" Everyone should vaccinate who can do it. "
"Markus Lanz": The conclusion of the show
At "Markus Lanz" the politician Christine Aschenberg-Dugnus (FDP), the intensive care doctor Stefan Kluge and the virologist Alexander Kekulé meet on Thursday evening.
What the three of them have in common is that they want to vaccinate and boost as many people as possible against Covid-19 as quickly as possible, but opinions differ on both “How?” And “Who?”.
Markus Lanz probes Aschenberg-Dugnus several times, while journalist Anja Maier makes no secret of her frustration at the worsening situation.
