Enlarge image
Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach: Collectively, it was not possible to vaccinate more people who were particularly at risk
Photo: MICHELE TANTUSSI / AFP
In the corona crisis, countries like Denmark or Great Britain are lifting the restrictions.
Although there is also a reaction to the lower infections in Germany, Federal Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach (SPD) does not see any role model for Germany in the other countries - at least not for the time being.
"We have to work with our own rules, and they always have to take into account Germany's special position," said Lauterbach in a discussion of "Zeit".
This special position results from the still large group of unvaccinated people over 60 years of age with a high risk of serious illnesses.
It is "very relevant for news that we get to know what is possible in these countries," said Lauterbach when asked about Denmark or Great Britain.
As far as the vaccination rate in the risk group is concerned, Germany cannot compare itself with these countries.
Lauterbach again campaigned for a general obligation to vaccinate from the age of 18, which must also be initiated early.
It's too late to wait and see if a new wave comes.
That would be like saying: "I'll wait and see if we get an autumn this year." Lauterbach would also "agree with drastic penalties" in the event of violations.
Lauterbach urges caution
The minister again promoted a course of cautious openings.
At the moment, the aim in the omicron wave is to fight a relatively harmless variant that nevertheless causes between 200 and 300 deaths per day on certain days.
It saddens him that parts of society seem to have gotten used to it.
Germany is well advised to be more careful because collectively it has not been able to vaccinate more people who are particularly at risk.
With a view to the development of the pandemic, Lauterbach explained that if a virus comes from scratch, two years is “quasi baby time”.
Even if there are already several virus variants, they are not descended from their parents like children.
"We are still in the second generation." The previous variants are siblings that all have a strain in the archetype.
Therefore, one is now still early in the history of its origin.
hba/dpa