Lauterbach: "Then we might be in an even worse situation in the fall"

Created: 03/14/2022, 09:05

By: Sebastian Horsch

“We cannot afford the freedoms that are possible in England, Spain or Italy”: Karl Lauterbach, Minister of Health.

© JOHN MACDOUGALL/AFP

In an exclusive interview with the Münchner Merkur, Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) talks about the coalition’s corona compromises and how to deal with hostilities, which in no way deter him from his course.

Mr. Lauterbach, as of March 20, the federal government will drop most of the corona measures.

At the same time, the number of infections is at record levels.

What would Karl Lauterbach have said before he was Minister?

The former Karl Lauterbach* is the same as today, I haven't changed.

It is crucial that there are effective measures.

Masks, distance requirements, specifications for tests, vaccinations and hygiene concepts.

Where the incidence is rising sharply - as is the case right now - or where medical care is at risk, the countries can use these instruments.

And I urge you to do the same.

Fighting the pandemic “only works with facts”

The traffic light makes a law that the FDP in particular sells as a return to normality.

At the same time, you yourself are now calling on the federal states to tighten them up.

Were you unable to assert yourself within the government?

You have to distinguish between a narrative and the facts.

Traffic light in dispute, Lauterbach does not prevail against the FDP - these are narratives, but fighting the pandemic is impossible with them.

It only works with facts.

And they are as follows: With the new Infection Protection Act, we finally have a new legal basis for fighting the pandemic.

The measures we need can be used where they are needed.

The only thing that is no longer available is contact restrictions.

About Karl Lauterbach

Mahner, talk show permanent guest, role model, stimulus figure: Karl Lauterbach stands for a restrictive course against the corona virus.

The 59-year-old from the Leverkusen/Cologne constituency has been in federal politics since 2005.

In October he was sworn in as Federal Health Minister.

The SPD politician (incidentally a former member of the CDU) is himself a doctor and professor of health economics.

We spoke to Lauterbach at the weekend.

Countries like Bavaria are not so happy with the new law.

In the future, you will first have to consult the state parliament before tightening your corona course.

Shouldn't that limit the ability to act in an emergency?

In fact, this is a significant change, but one that I really valued.

It may be difficult for the state governments that they can no longer make decisions on their own, but this also gives you more legal certainty in court.

Numerous legal regulations have been overturned in the past.

This makes this problem much less likely.

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Our problem is our low vaccination rate.

25 percent are unvaccinated.

Karl Lauterbach

Let's look at the numbers: Why is Germany actually doing so much worse when it comes to new infections than, for example, Spain, Italy or even mask-free England?

That's easy to explain.

Our problem is our low vaccination rate.

25 percent of our population is unvaccinated.

Unlike the countries you mentioned, we have a reservoir of millions of unvaccinated people who become infected much more frequently and are then also highly contagious with a high viral load.

That is why we cannot afford the freedoms that are possible in England, Spain or Italy.

We have to take a special route with very long restrictions because a subgroup of the population refuses to be vaccinated.

"I very much hope that the countries will now come out of the criticism mode"

What developments do you expect by autumn?

I very much hope that the countries will now get out of the criticism mode and quickly use the new opportunities described so that we can get the current wave under control.

It would be sad if we were to accept high case numbers and 200 to 300 deaths a day for weeks instead.

In the summer we will then have more cases than last year because the omicron variant simply spreads faster.

And what it looks like in autumn depends solely on whether we introduce compulsory vaccination.

If we can do that, the spook is over.

If we don't make it, we'll be in a situation like this – or even worse.

Because it is possible that omicron becomes more pathogenic, i.e. causes more damage.

In addition, the Delta variant can return, or a combination of both variants can occur.

Do you still think that general vaccination is coming?

I don't get paid to believe.

I fight for it and I can assure you that we need it.

I have the impression that most members of the Bundestag are in favor of compulsory vaccination and I hope that we won't fall back on party politics here, but rather fight for enforcement.

The main arguments put forward against it are all wrong.

With more than 200 deaths every day, it is medically unspeakable that vaccination is not required due to the allegedly mild omicron variant.

It is only partly true that vaccinations do not protect against infection, because the probability of infection is significantly reduced.

Above all, however, as a vaccinated person, one does not usually become seriously ill - and the serious illnesses are the real problem.

The third argument is

that one does not know future variants and therefore cannot know what works against them.

But anyone who has been vaccinated three times, no matter with which vaccine, is protected against a severe course with all variants known to date.

Since all Covid variants are genetically very similar, I don't have to be a clairvoyant to know that the vaccination also protects against future variants.

In the Bundestag, however, there is no sign of a majority for either of the vaccination proposals.

Therefore, it does not make sense to take away each other's votes as vaccination advocates.

In my view, we must convert the two motions for compulsory vaccination into a joint motion, for which we can then also achieve a majority.

I am fighting for compulsory vaccination and I can assure you that we need it.

Karl Lauterbach

You are repeatedly the target of threats or insults because of your pandemic policies.

Austria's Minister of Health, Wolfgang Mückstein, has just resigned because he no longer wanted to endure hostilities.

Have you ever thought about that?

I got to know Mr. Mückstein as a very amiable and good colleague and I very much regret his resignation.

I myself have just been confronted with hostilities again in Saxony - together with the Minister of Health there, Petra Köpping.

That's when I realized again that I'm being protected at great expense.

I am grateful to the Federal Criminal Police Office for that.

At the same time, I am very happy to take advantage of this protection and say clearly: hostilities do not hinder my work.

Do they burden you personally?

It's best to do something like this with yourself.

Even more than the pandemic, many people are currently concerned with the Russian attack on Ukraine with many civilian casualties.

Can Germany help these people?

The criminal attack on Ukraine is unprecedented.

Hospitals, medical facilities and even bakeries are targeted in order to cut off the population from medical supplies and drive them to starvation.

The federal government will therefore also provide medical help.

I have ordered that medical supplies can be easily brought to Ukraine with a blanket export permit.

We also care for wounded war victims in Germany, who are flown to us with the help of the Red Cross.

Refugees also receive uncomplicated comprehensive medical care with all health insurance benefits.

And there is a portal through which doctors and nurses who want to can register for an aid mission directly in Ukraine.

Interview: