Lauterbach wants to improve the situation of long

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Health Minister Karl Lauterbach

Photo: Stefanie Loos / AFP

Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach wants to support long-Covid patients with more information and improve their care through investments in research.

A hotline will soon be set up in his ministry as a contact point for people who want to find out more about Long Covid, Lauterbach told the "Rheinische Post".

The hotline should also provide information on diagnostics and new therapeutic approaches.

His ministry also wants to invest 100 million euros in research that examines how long-Covid patients can best be cared for, said the SPD politician.

»One important question, for example, is which form of rehabilitation is effective.

The wrong rehab can result in additional debilitation.«

The ARD capital studio had already reported on Thursday that Lauterbach plans to plan millions in funding for projects to improve supply in the coming years.

Lauterbach did not say for what period of time he estimated these funds.

The ARD report also pointed out that it is unclear whether the minister will receive appropriate funds from the budget.

Criticism for dealing with Long Covid

Again and again Lauterbach had been criticized for his handling of Long Covid.

After a first campaign last year, the left criticized that the educational work was far from sufficient.

In June 2022, under Lauterbach's leadership, a website went online to provide information about the late effects of a corona infection.

"Sending a page online is not an educational campaign," says Kathrin Vogler, health policy spokeswoman for the left-wing parliamentary group in the Bundestag, at the time to SPIEGEL.

Meanwhile, Lauterbach repeatedly warns of the long-term consequences of a corona infection, which not only affect the patients themselves, but could also have consequences for society as a whole.

"We assume that a relevant proportion of those who fall ill after a corona infection are struggling with long-Covid symptoms," said Lauterbach of the "Rheinische Post".

»Estimates go from five to ten percent.

This often means a hard stroke of fate for the individual and can even become relevant for the job market if the number of sick people continues to rise.«

lmd/Reuters