After a heated TV appearance: Lauterbach predicts years of corona fights - and warns of new restrictions

Created: 02/20/2022, 10:06 am

By: Patrick Mayer

Federal Minister of Health: Karl Lauterbach from the SPD.

© Wolfgang Kumm/dpa

In Germany, far-reaching easing is announced in the coronavirus pandemic.

Nevertheless, Karl Lauterbach justifies threatening contact restrictions.

Criticism of vaccination refusers included.

Munich/Berlin – Corona loosening everywhere.

Finally, it was Baden-Württemberg's turn.

With 11.1 million inhabitants, the federal state is the third largest in the Federal Republic.

The otherwise rather reserved Prime Minister Winfried Kretschmann (Greens) announced far-reaching easing in the corona virus pandemic *.

Clubs and discotheques could reopen based on the 2G rule, and unvaccinated people should be allowed to use day catering again if they can prove a negative test.

Bavaria's Markus Söder (CSU) had previously pushed the pace when the corona was relaxed.

Söder, who likes to see himself at the top of "Team Caution".

One, however, remains undiminished in the “Team Caution”: Federal Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach (SPD)*.

When will Germany return to the normality it once knew is a question that has been asked for a long time.

The SPD politician said this Friday (February 18) in Berlin that one should think in terms of ten years. 

Corona loosening in Germany: Karl Lauterbach (SPD) warns Sandra Maischberger

Lauterbach explained his thesis: There is a group in the population in which vaccinations alone do not have a sufficient effect, for example in people with immune defects and patients with cancer or after chemotherapy.

Lauterbach explained that the "endemic state" sought after the pandemic is sometimes presented as if it were something "we should celebrate".

However, this still means that there can always be outbreaks and possibly new variants.

Corona in Germany: Karl Lauterbach (SPD) does not rule out future contact restrictions

The Rhinelander had previously put forward similar theses, most recently in the ARD talk “Maischberger.

The week".

In the program on February 16, Lauterbach warned of impending contact restrictions from autumn if Germany did not have the corona situation under control by then.

If we don't get the compulsory vaccination, we will have to make contact restrictions again in the fall.

Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD)

Maischberger asked the head of department if he believed that the corona pandemic would last at least two years.

"If I'm to be honest, yes!

I already said back then that we need a long stretch of restrictions," he replied, explaining: "If we hadn't gotten the vaccinations, it would have just continued.

Because this disease is actually so severe that we need and have needed the restrictions.”

Corona topics: Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) and Sandra Maischberger in conversation.

© Screenshot ARD/Maischberger

Corona: Karl Lauterbach talks himself into a rage because of vaccination refusers and "Freedom Day".

Karl Lauterbach* spoke moderately on the show, but was visibly angry at times.

His excitement increased on two topics: vaccination refusers and a possible so-called Freedom Day, on which all contact restrictions could be lifted.

Instead, the 58-year-old warned urgently – once again.

"If we don't get the compulsory vaccination, we will have to make contact restrictions again in the fall.

The debate, which no one wants to hear anymore, then comes back, and only because there is a small group here that is not willing to get involved in solidarity," he said, referring to those who refuse to vaccinate and the stalled debate about one general vaccination.

Lauterbach was also clear on the subject of "Freedom Day", sometimes in an audibly negative tone.

"I don't use that term at all.

And I don't think it's appropriate either.

First, we don't know exactly what will apply after March 20th.

Whether we can actually achieve the successes that we are trying to achieve now.

That will depend very much on how the measures work,” he explained of his motives.

In the video: Karl Lauterbach warns countries against a race to relax corona

Secondly, even after March 20th, the possible “Freedom Day”, “there are still people who are at risk.

There are people whom we cannot protect with vaccinations.

There are older people where the vaccinations don't work so well.

There will never be full freedom for these people," he said in an interview with Sandra Maischberger and said: "I don't think it's right to pretend that there is complete normality for everyone.

Even after the 20th, the world will not be what it was before the pandemic.

We have an additional illness.

I know a lot of people don't like to hear that.

But we have an additional disease that won't go away either, which is more contagious and deadly than the flu."

That's why he doesn't like it at all, "if you say 'Freedom Day'," said Lauterbach: "It would be like saying that the status before the pandemic would exist again."

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