Wednesday, December 15, 2021
First government statement
Scholz: “Every adult could have been vaccinated by now”
Chancellor Scholz is dedicating his first government clarification to combating the corona pandemic, among other things. He reiterates the vaccination target of 30 million doses by the end of the year. He attacks extremists who reject the vaccination campaign and the Corona measures particularly sharply.
In his first government declaration before the Bundestag, Chancellor Olaf Scholz urgently called for a vaccination against the coronavirus. “The new federal government takes over the baton in exceptionally depressing weeks,” said Scholz in the plenary. “The most important thing is: Everyone can and should be vaccinated. That’s what I’m about.” That is why he set the “ambitious interim goal that we all get together in Germany 30 million vaccine doses in the upper arms by the end of the year”.
The Chancellor expressed a lack of understanding for citizens who do not get vaccinated even though they could. “The truth of this pandemic also includes: Today, in December 2021, every adult in Germany could have been vaccinated twice a long time ago,” he said. “At least all citizens who are particularly at risk could be boosted,” he said.
“Then we would now have the pandemic under control, then we would all experience a reflective pre-Christmas period with our old freedoms and our families and friends,” said Scholz. “The power of scientific progress would have made it possible for us to do just that.” That is why he understands the resentment of many citizens about the unvaccinated.
Scholz was particularly unhappy with opponents of the corona measures and the vaccination campaign, which have recently been more and more radical. “We will not put up with the fact that a tiny minority of uninhibited extremists are trying to impose their will on our entire society,” said Scholz. This “tiny minority”, who are marching up with torches, trying to intimidate people “with violence and death threats”, “will be countered by all means of our democratic constitutional state”. The Chancellor expressed concern that some people in the Federal Republic had already turned their backs on the state and society. “What there is in Germany today is denial of reality, absurd conspiracy stories, willful disinformation and violent extremism,” said Scholz.
Scholz referred with clear words to some of the results of this current situation: “Much too high infection rates, exhausted doctors, dramatic transfers of intensive care patients by plane and helicopter, queues in front of vaccination centers, the concern about the latest variant of the virus – I am aware that in these days it is sometimes difficult not to lose heart. ”
In these times nobody is “really well – not me, not you, not the citizens,” said Scholz. “And many are wondering. Is it going to keep going or is it getting better?” But he wanted to say: “Yes, it will get better, yes, we will fight this pandemic with the greatest determination. And yes, we will win this fight. We will overcome the crisis.” Scholz also rejected the claim that society was divided: “In addition, I state: Our society is not divided. The overwhelming majority of citizens in our country behave in solidarity, sensible and cautious.”