Tuesday, February 16, 2021
Interview with Jens Spahn
"I would get vaccinated with Astrazeneca"
The pandemic makes it necessary to "drive on sight", says Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn in an interview with ntv and RTL. Nobody can yet say "what Easter is not possible".
Federal Minister of Health Jens Spahn has warned against too high hopes as well as black painting with a view to the Easter holidays. "I don't trust myself to say anything about it today," said the CDU politician in an interview with ntv and RTL when asked whether vacation will be possible.
Spahn's party colleague, the Saxon Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer, had said, "Unfortunately there can be no Easter holiday in Germany this year". Spahn said: "We shouldn't arouse false expectations, according to the motto: Easter is everything again as it was before. Nobody can really say what Easter isn't."
Kretschmer wanted to say with his sentence: "People, even if we bring the numbers down now, this pandemic will go on a little longer." That was the real message, said Spahn. "But of course, now that everyone is so excited that things might get going again soon, it has increased the frustration of many a little more." The pandemic makes it necessary to "drive on sight".
Vaccination centers will come under stress "in the next few weeks"
With a view to the upcoming vaccine deliveries to Germany, the health minister said that "there will be a phase where the vaccination centers are under stress and where we then have to take the next step, for example to involve the doctor's offices". Already in the next few weeks, the increased deliveries could lead to a limit of capacities in the centers. "Then we'll talk about opening times at the weekend," said Spahn.
Spahn emphasized that all three vaccines approved in Germany are safe and provide effective protection against Covid 19 disease. When asked whether Spahn would also be vaccinated with the vaccine from Astrazeneca, which recently had increased reactions in vaccinated people, Spahn said: "Yes, I would get vaccinated if I was offered a vaccination. Expressly also with Astrazeneca. It's a safe and effective vaccine. "
Chancellor candidate? "I'm busy"
Spahn explained that one has to distinguish between side effects and vaccination reactions: "As long as this vaccination reaction subsides after one or two days, that is not nice, but it actually shows that the immune system has jumped and that it is working." There is also evidence that Astrazeneca is effective against the mutation of the virus, which was discovered in Great Britain. As a qualification, he added: "In the case of the mutation that was first discovered in South Africa, there is at least data that suggests that it may not be complete."
A question about his ambitions for the Union's candidacy for chancellor, Spahn laughingly fended off. "Nah, to be honest, I'm pretty busy with the Federal Minister of Health." As CDU chairman, Armin Laschet is "of course the natural candidate for the CDU". Laschet and CSU boss Markus Söder would "make a smart suggestion when the time comes, I'm sure".
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