Thursday November 11, 2021
Politically wanted, but unwise
Spahn railed against the traffic light’s corona plans
There is still no clear roadmap for fighting pandemics for the winter months. Health Minister Spahn does not agree with the ideas of the designated traffic light coalition. Vaccination should remain voluntary, instead there should be more controls and fines in the 3G area.
The incumbent Health Minister Jens Spahn expresses doubts about the corona plans of the traffic light parties. “I think it is at least quite brave to want all Corona measures to expire on March 19,” said the CDU politician to the “Spiegel” with a view to planned changes to the Infection Protection Act. The epidemic emergency ends at the end of November. The traffic light parties do not want to continue in this form. As a result, a debate about changing the Infection Protection Act broke out.
The SPD, Greens and FDP want to forego nationwide contact restrictions and curfews in the fight against pandemics. “It is obviously politically wanted. Whether that is wise is another question,” said Spahn. His alternative proposal went further. “In some countries the situation is really difficult, for example in Thuringia or Saxony. The clinics are full there and the number of infections continues to rise,” said Spahn.
While Federal Minister of Economics Peter Altmaier campaigned for certain professional groups to be subject to mandatory vaccination, Spahn considers this to be ruled out – neither in care nor for the general public. “I can already see the picture of how we then drag Sahra Wagenknecht with the state police to vaccinate. That is absurd, a general compulsory vaccination would not be enforced. That would tear our country apart.” Vaccination is a private decision, but one with enormous consequences for everyone else. “Because those who do not get vaccinated are not only endangering themselves in this pandemic, but also others,” said Spahn.
Spahn wants more controls and fines
The regulations for unvaccinated and vaccinated people are still a matter for the federal states, but Spahn would like a nationwide appointment – with controls and fines. Every requirement meets with greater acceptance if it is clear and is also more strictly controlled. “At the moment there are too many unanswered questions: Should 2G apply throughout Germany or only if the hospitals are exposed to Covid patients at a certain level? How do we deal with children? It cannot be that they can no longer take part in any leisure activities.” said Spahn.
Spahn wanted these questions to be clarified from the Prime Minister’s Conference next week: “We currently have 16 different 2G approaches, that only creates confusion.” The federal and state governments agreed on important measures such as the 3G rule in August. “It was never really checked, it was actually 0G,” said Spahn. “If fines were consistently imposed, it would make a considerable difference.”