In view of the increasing number of cases, people are becoming more aware of the corona virus, and it could become difficult again in autumn. An expert’s report continues to heat up tempers.
The dispute over the expert report on the Corona measures continues. In an article for “Zeit Online”, three members of the commission defend themselves against criticism of their work.
“The Commission is set up, works, delivers on time. And on the day of delivery, leading politicians have to read that you “already know everything” and that the report should not be a “brake pad”, write the social researcher Jutta Allmendinger, the economist Christoph Schmidt and the virologist Hendrik Streeck.
Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) defended his own comments on the work of the commission on Tuesday evening on the ZDF program “Markus Lanz”. “I know how thankless that is,” he said, referring to the volunteer work of the experts. Mistakes in filling the commission – for example with too few virologists – were made in the past legislative period. “I had nothing to do with the cast.” The report is one of several building blocks in the assessment of the corona preparations for the fall, which now have to be speeded up, Lauterbach confirmed.
“Evaluation of individual measures not possible”
“A detailed assessment of individual measures of the corona pandemic is simply not possible,” write Allmendinger, Schmidt and Streeck. The expert commission found on Friday that the effects and side effects of individual previous protective measures in the corona crisis could hardly be assessed on their own. Overall, the Board drew a mixed balance. One of the clearest statements was the helpful effect of masks – if they are worn correctly.
Bundestag Vice President Katrin Göring-Eckardt (Greens) warned the responsible politicians to prepare the country for the fall now. “Everyone who bears government responsibility must now make provisions for the fall. A pandemic fall of chaos must be prevented. This requires precautionary decisions, »she told the German Press Agency. It is not about new measures, but already tried-and-tested precautions: “Mandatory masks indoors, contact restrictions for certain areas, special protection for sensitive groups in order to ensure that children in particular can attend school.”
More work in the home office
Companies should allow more work in the home office again. Last autumn and winter, staff shortages caused an estimated cost of more than seven billion euros, said Göring-Eckardt. “Such damage must not be repeated right now.”
The new black-green state cabinet in North Rhine-Westphalia presented a timetable for the “third Corona autumn” on Tuesday. The focus is on more caution instead of loosening pressure – especially in favor of particularly vulnerable groups such as the elderly and sick people.
