“Germany came through the corona pandemic rather well”
Xiong Qi//dpa
In Germany we are on the threshold from pandemic to endemic. That is indisputable. In China on the other hand the infection process explodes. There is talk of several thousand deaths every day. The path from a rigid zero-Covid strategy to a full opening has failed miserably. The people pay the price for irrational power politics. We in Germany are in a much better position. The virus is not gone – but it is under control. But that also means we will have to learn to live with the virus.
We managed the pandemic in three years and three phases. The first year was marked by lockdowns and distance requirements as well as a bizarre mask discussion. Let’s remember: supply chains had collapsed, masks and protective equipment were missing. Instead of taking care of the delivery of working FFP2 masks, the Bavarian Prime Minister demanded that people wear self-sewn masks and fined people who didn’t. Today we know – even self-sewn masks are better than nothing at all. But the measure masked the failure of politicians, who initially failed to obtain numerous masks and protective equipment (PPE).
Sebastian Wells/OSTKREUZ
In this phase – unprotected by immunity, there were no vaccinations yet – doctors and nurses work until they drop; there are no intensive care places, there was no therapy. The imposed “tough” lockdown saved many lives in Germany at the same time. Compared to our neighbors Italy, Great Britain and France, Germany has mastered this phase excellently.
It was unworthy how individuals enriched themselves
The lockdown has served the people, but it has also had a serious impact. The economy suffered losses and declines, children had to accept enormous restrictions on educational opportunities, “vulnerable” groups such as residents of old people’s homes were mercilessly “protected” from their relatives – to the point of indignity. There was hardly any discussion about the restrictions on fundamental rights, the frightening pictures from Northern Italy show people the dangers of this virus.
However, it was also unworthy of how individuals enriched themselves. Politicians and people close to them made millions with commissions for heavily overpriced mask purchases. But cheating was also carried out during tests and laboratory examinations. All of this will have to be dealt with both in the ethics committees of the Bundestag and in criminal law.
To person
Prof. Dr. Frank Ulrich Montgomery is Chairman of the World Medical Association (WMA) based in Geneva/Berlin. From 1989 to 2007 he headed the national board of the Marburger Bund doctors’ union, of which he has been honorary chairman since 2007. Also in 2007 he was appointed Vice President of the German Medical Association. From 2011 to 2019 he was its president. Frank Montgomery lives in Hamburg.
It should be said at this point that politicians are in a deep dilemma. They have to mediate between health protection and fundamental rights, economic concerns and social consequences. It is important to solve medical facts, socio-psychological consequences, economic effects and restrictions on fundamental rights in a dynamically changing situation. And every day new – and often different. This is only possible with openness and transparency, free of ideology and discursive, if it is to serve the well-being of the people.
Sebastian Wells/OSTKREUZ
Freedom ends where the others are affected
And then came the vaccinations: phase two! Much desired, vaccines had to be rationed and prioritized from the start. There was an unprecedented run on the salutary vaccination syringe, which led to the establishment of vaccination centers and mobile vaccination teams. The success was resounding. Despite the sharp increase in the number of infections, the proportion of seriously ill and dead people fell. The vaccine works! What a contrast to today’s vaccination fatigue.
After that, in the third phase of infection, immunity set in. And with the acquisition of immunity through an interaction of vaccination and infection, the “prevention paradox” took hold. The more successful a preventive measure (here vaccination) is, the less people feel the danger emanating from the underlying disease. And so we then allowed ourselves a grueling debate about compulsory vaccination and wearing masks. Politicians have managed to prevent important protective instruments for the population in the interests of the parties.
Anyone who says, like Justice Minister Marco Buschmann (FDP) in the Neue Zürcher Zeitung on June 12, 2022: “It must not become a principle that the individual always has to take a back seat to the community”, leads to a level-headed debate about the concept of freedom. He fails to recognize that the granting of freedom is always associated with the granting and distribution of opportunities in life. Or memories: My freedom ends where the freedom of others IS affected.
Four lessons from the pandemic
This pandemic may be over – the next one will surely come. What have we also learned from the Corona period 2020 to 2022?
1. We need better data
Despite the internet and digitization, we have made many decisions flying blind. Neither the data systems of the World Health Organization (WHO) nor the data streams from the health authorities, fractalized by German federalism, have provided us with clear pictures of the infection situation. Viruses do not respect borders, let alone small national states. A tattered, inconsistent picture of the situation in Germany: That must not happen to us again.
2. The free transfer of science is essential
Scientific discourse has never been conducted as openly and transparently as during the Corona period. The public could experience live and in real time how scientific findings were discussed, rejected and revised. That was good – it was the only way the vaccines and therapeutic approaches could be developed quickly.
3. Communication and responsibility go hand in hand
Unfortunately, with the rapid transfer of knowledge, we also experienced that ideologues took possession of the results. And of course only using the part of the truth that fits into their ideologically established picture. So “aluminium hats”, “lateral thinkers” and other confused people could always refer to parts of “science”. And true to the old maxim that the wrong half of half-truths is mainly believed, discussions bordering on the absurd arose between scientific troublemakers and serious researchers. This has often damaged the fight against the virus – even if it has benefited some media and some political currents. As a consequence, science, politics and the media should develop a code for more responsible communication.
4. Worldwide cooperation is necessary
The pandemic is a global event; anyone who thinks they can manage them locally or regionally without networking will fail like China. It would have been the task of the WHO to set up global health systems to supply vaccines and vaccinate people. Officials at WHO headquarters in Geneva have largely failed – more medical expertise and more field work would have been needed here. Maybe that will work next time!
Sebastian Wells/OSTKREUZ
Germany didn’t do badly
However, the consistency and rationality of political action have proven their worth. If you compare the number of deaths per million inhabitants, a very heterogeneous picture emerges. Countries with consistent and science-based policies (New Zealand, Japan) fare significantly better than countries with erratic, federal, and irrationally superimposed policy approaches (USA, UK). Differences of 1:6.5 in the death rate between comparable countries are actually unacceptable.
There’s certainly no room for smug pride – but we still didn’t do so badly in Germany. Our death rate is only mediocre at around 1952 deaths per million inhabitants. Our economic losses were relatively small, the gross domestic product rose moderately. The labor market has not suffered; there is still full employment – yes, we even complain about a shortage of skilled workers. The socio-psychological effects of the school closures will be with us for a long time and must certainly be urgently addressed through increased investment in educational measures.
The health system has proven its efficiency, even if it was often “at the limit”. We applauded the medical staff for their performance – now we should not quickly forget our doctors and nurses or even go back to business as usual. The public health service, the hospitals and the resident doctors must become reliable. Because the next pandemic is bound to come.