The corona pandemic has had a significant negative impact on the lives of millions of Germans. An ARD documentary by Eckart von Hirschhausen shows how bad things are for those affected and how little help they get from the German health system.
Even though corona infections have recently increased again during the autumn cold wave, the virus has no longer frightened the general public. But while for many everyday life has long since returned to normal and is untouched by the pandemic, millions of Germans are still suffering from long-term damage from Corona – whether from Long Covid, vaccine damage or psychological problems caused by the pandemic.
In his seventh Corona film, “Hirschhausen and the Long Shadow of Corona” (now available in the ARD media library and on Monday, November 18th, 8:15 p.m., on Erste), Eckart von Hirschhausen gives those affected a voice.
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Hirschhausen stunned by fate of Long Covid patient: “Makes me so angry and sad”
One of them is Andrea. Before she fell ill with Corona in 2021, she was fit and regularly climbed mountains. We can’t even begin to think about that today. “I fluctuate between bedridden and housebound,” is how she describes her condition, which is increasingly worsening, in the documentary.
But she does not receive any support from the health system, despite a lawsuit that has been ongoing for three years. She is not recognized as having an occupational illness. “That makes me so angry and sad,” states the stunned Hirschhausen.
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Andrea is by no means the only one who is desperate. Hirschhausen outlines the fates of numerous affected people for whom a regulated and healthy everyday life is utopian. Among them is cabaret artist Christine Prayon (formerly “heute-show”).
Since her second corona vaccination, she has suffered from heart damage, circulatory problems and other symptoms. “I now have to deal with a sick body and an illness that I can’t categorize – neither can all the doctors.”
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The disease is not predictable. “Whenever I feel like I’m feeling better, I can set the alarm so that I experience an absolute crash,” says Prayon in front of the camera.
The 50-year-old hasn’t lost hope for improvement, especially because of her child: “A child always means I can’t give up hope.”
Even months after the end of the pandemic, those affected are alone
Regardless of whether it is the particularly serious exhaustion syndrome ME/CFS or vaccine damage: the 45-minute documentary by Eckart von Hirschhausen dramatically reveals that those affected are often on their own, even years after the pandemic has officially ended.
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Appointments in specialist clinics have waiting times of months, health insurance companies lack support, urgently needed studies are classified as too expensive and postponed, doctors do not take patients and their complaints seriously.
“Depending on which doctor you go to, you will either be recommended yoga or given the impression that you are perfectly healthy,” complains pharmacist Diana.
“All I can do is go to the toilet, shower and eat half-sitting, half-lying in bed.”
So it is up to the sick themselves to take initiative – even though they are physically unable to do so. On the sidelines of a solidarity rally, the camera team records some shocking statements.
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“You die slowly,” is the bitter assessment of one of those affected. Another describes how bad the effects of ME/CFS can be: “All I can do is go to the toilet, shower and eat half sitting, half lying in bed.”
Luis has been waiting for payments for more than two years
The documentary shows the fate of two young men particularly drastically. Despite the suspected diagnosis of vaccine damage, Luis has been waiting for payments from the pension office for over two years.
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A 20-minute heart attack, which the documentary reflects in excerpts, shows the young man’s poor condition. Sometimes he wakes up at 3 a.m. bathed in sweat and with his heart racing – with a pulse rate of 220.
Lockdown pushed Karl into depression: “Thought I’d grab a rope and end this now”
Karl, on the other hand, is on the road to recovery. Although a corona infection never had a lasting negative impact on his health, the second lockdown in particular caused the young man to slip deeply into depression.
“I was at a point where I said to myself, that’s it,” Karl remembers in an interview with Eckart von Hirschhausen. He thought, “I’ll go somewhere now, grab a rope and finish this now.” It was only thanks to talk therapy that he successfully worked on his mental health.
