For the first time, Karl Lauterbach is sitting on a talk show as the new Minister of Health. At Maybrit Illner, he receives praise from many quarters – and speaks directly about his goals.
Berlin – Maybrit Illner proudly announces that Karl Lauterbach, Corona Talk Show regular guest, has chosen her talk on ZDF for his first TV appearance as Minister of Health. Illner, who had named Lauterbach “Minister of Hearts” in her last broadcast before the appointment, thanks her in her own way. She has invited well-meaning Lauterbachs to the group, who unabashedly pay their tribute to the newly appointed minister in front of the camera.
Viola Priesemann, who works closely with Lauterbach, thinks it’s “great” that Karl Lauterbach is someone who already has the basics at the helm. FDP MP Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann attests to Lauterbach that his prognoses were “rarely wrong” and that he wished him good luck “in the interests of everyone”.
CDU Prime Minister Tobias Hans is also full of praise and congratulates Lauterbach – ignoring Illner’s question about self-criticism – “to one of the most important offices that we currently have in Germany”. Hans proclaims like a federal politician: “I want him to be successful” and promises like a party leader: “From the point of view of the Union-led countries, we shall shake hands with the new federal government.”
“Maybrit Illner” – these guests discussed with:
- Prof. Karl Lauterbach (SPD) – Federal Minister of Health
- Tobias Hans (CDU) – Prime Minister Saarland
- Dr. Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann (FDP) – Member of the Bundestag, member of the FDP party executive
- Dr. Viola Priesemann – Head of a Max Planck Research Group, switched on
- Tina Hildebrandt – Chief correspondent The time
Only at time-Editor Tina Hildebrandt has sounded a bit of ridicule. Illner quotes the formulation of the print colleague, which Lauterbach had described as a “health-political lucky bag”. But Hildebrandt is also trying not to leave a bad hair on the minister, who is sitting on her left. “There is a lot in it,” the journalist attests: a health expert, an epidemiologist and an experienced parliamentarian. Lauterbach is more or less the “first directly elected minister” and an “experiment” in which it is necessary to prove whether someone from the “subject” can also do politics. Lauterbach takes it sporty and smiles.
Hildebrandt’s appeal that politics should begin, instead of just explaining, also announce clear goals for the future of the Corona, is taken seriously by the new Minister of Health and immediately provides information about the new German health policy à la Lauterbach: The goal is the triple vaccination . According to Lauterbach, 30 million vaccinations are to be carried out by Christmas – there is enough vaccine available – nobody is “in Europe at the moment” as fast as Germany.
Lauterbach explains “inventory” in the Ministry of Health
Lauterbach’s next goal is to permanently break the rolling wave of omicron variants. However, an adapted vaccine needs to be procured. “Bilateral talks are already taking place”, especially with the manufacturer Biontech, assures Lauterbach.
The updated vaccine could be ready in three months. The boosting should take place after three months. In order to continue to boost with the existing vaccines until then, the Ministry of Health is currently doing an “inventory”. Lauterbach: “We will turn every stone in the house with a full occupancy.” The vaccines could now be stored for up to nine months. Lauterbach therefore also provides sufficient reserves for new purchases. And announces: If there is too much, the rest should be “given away”.
Third-party vaccinations would in principle protect against severe courses with new variants, said the minister and made it clear in Lauterbach what could otherwise threaten: “If those who have been vaccinated twice become infected, it goes through to the unvaccinated”, the “in a very short time Time to get seriously ill ”.
Specifically addressed to those who have recovered, Lauterbach explains: “The studies on those who have recovered are not yet complete, but we have good reasons to believe that those who have recovered with Omikron in particular become infected very quickly. The original data from South Africa showed the majority of the sick, the majority of whom were convalescent, and in some cases double convalescence. Therefore, based on the data currently available, my assumption would be that the recovery status at Omikron does not help. But the data have to be evaluated, all of that is not yet ready for a decision. “
Priesemann does not rule out a nationwide lockdown in the coming weeks
Priesemann then warns that politicians must think about the “worst case” and do not rule out a nationwide lockdown. “Taking short and tough action” brings the most, according to Priesemann. According to the expert, 0.6 percent of all infected people currently ended up in the intensive care unit. A “sixfold reduction” would currently be needed to get through the winter despite the Omikron. Priesemann makes it clear that the same thing as a “Christmas miracle”, because Omikron is much more contagious than the current Delta variant: “We are seeing in the other countries that the number of cases is quadrupling every week.” The only bright spot is that it is still open to what extent it would lead to severe courses with Omikron.
Most of the points on the serenity scale were obtained from the group of Strack-Zimmermann, who warned: “This world cannot only be viewed scientifically. You have to look at them socially. ”In addition, the FDP woman reminds of mental illnesses such as depression, which, according to studies, has increased by 25 percent worldwide since the pandemic, especially among young people, and should not be ignored as a result of the measures.
Hans and Lauterbach for introducing mandatory vaccination at the beginning of the year
Illner does not want to sweep another currently extremely charged topic under the table: the introduction of a corona vaccination requirement. Prime Minister Hans speaks out in favor of a fine to enforce the mandatory vaccination and names the sum of 2500 euros that parents would currently have to pay if they give a child to daycare without the appropriate measles vaccination. “The vaccination will be compulsory”, Hans is certain. Lauterbach agrees and states that there will be compulsory vaccination in February – with the start of the new vaccine.
Finally, it comes to a headline of the image-Zeitung that, among other things, denounced scientist Priesemann as a “lockdown maker” and caused outrage among politicians. A “case for the press council,” notes Hans. Journalist Hildebrandt points out that the credibility of politics would be diminished if leading politicians from the new cabinet showed up at the party held at the same time for the relevant newspaper.
Lauterbach clarifies that he was not at “this party”. Instead, he “fought very hard”, according to the Federal Minister, “for the article to be removed”. A politician’s intervention in the press? Nobody in the group finds it offensive. On the contrary: Prime Minister Hans nods in agreement.
Conclusion of the “Maybrit Illner” talk
An astonishingly calm group comes together. All speakers present their points of view clearly and objectively. There is not a moment of excitement, no babbling, speaking in, not even raising one’s voice. This is real, German educational television. Hopefully serving the cause, it will still have left some out. (Verena Schulemann)
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