After the summit scandal: Lauterbach and Wieler play “maximum” corona dispute down - Union hits it

Created: 12/23/2021, 8:52 AM

From: Klaus Rimpel

One day after RKI President Lothar Wieler Health Minister Karl Lauterbach drove into the parade, the two sit together in front of the press.

© Jens Schicke / imago

One day after the Corona disagreements, RKI boss Wieler and Minister of Health Lauterbach take the cuddle course.

“Too little and too late!” Says the Union.

Munich - The day after the scandal, the opponents sat together in front of the federal press conference: RKI President Lothar Wieler, who had pleaded for "maximum contact restrictions" before Christmas immediately before the Prime Minister's Conference (MPK) on Corona. And Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD), who, according to MPK participants, was very angry about this obvious criticism of the federal-state decision to impose moderate contact restrictions only after Christmas.

But the day after, the brawlers were clearly trying to downplay the conflict.

The RKI paper did not reach him before the meeting on Tuesday.

“The coordination will be optimized there,” said Lauterbach simply.

When asked whether he still stood by Wieler as RKI President, Lauterbach replied: "That is easy to answer: otherwise he would not be sitting here."

Scandal before the Corona summit: Lauterbach speaks of "a ditch that does not exist"

Lauterbach emphasized that he attaches great importance to scientific advice and that there is no “censorship” in his area of ​​scientific work.

"You are opening a trench here that does not exist," said Lauterbach.

Wieler defended himself against criticism that he had snubbed politics with his initiative: "We have been making recommendations for years," said the RKI boss.

"We will continue to do that." The implementation of measures is then a matter for politics.

But the RKI boss again emphasized how dramatic he thinks the situation is because of the much more contagious Omikron variant: "Christmas should not be the spark that ignites the Omicron fire." He appealed to celebrate in a small circle and To restrict contacts to the bare minimum.

Corona measures: Union criticizes federal-state resolutions as "too little and too late"

The opposition shares Wieler's criticism of the federal-state resolutions: "Too little and too late," said Union parliamentary group leader Ralph Brinkhaus.

"I take very seriously what the RKI says, what Mr. Wieler says, that's why I would have liked - more and earlier," said the CDU politician.

It is incomprehensible that the measures are only started after Christmas.

Bavaria's Prime Minister Markus Söder also spoke.

Baden-Württemberg's Greens Prime Minister Winfried Kretschmann, who, together with Saxony, put his dissatisfaction with the resolutions on record, spoke of a "missed opportunity".

Saxony's Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer (CDU) expressed himself verbatim.

He assumes that there will be a need for further action before the next federal-state round on January 7th.

Corona summit: Lauterbach defends resolutions - and leaves lockdown open

Lauterbach defended the resolutions: The restrictions on private and public life decided on after Christmas would have an effect.

"But if the number of cases actually developed in such a way that a hard lockdown also had to be discussed, then there would be no red lines."