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Berlin (dts news agency) The virologist Christian Drosten is committed to coming to terms with the corona pandemic. “Not working on it now is a missed opportunity,” he told the news portal T-Online.
In his view, a reappraisal does not necessarily have to take place at a political level. “Society urgently needs one to record a few things that have now been clearly scientifically proven.” Drosten emphasized: “If we talk about things again in the next pandemic that we no longer need to talk about, we will again losing a lot of time and making bad decisions.”
He cited the debate about protecting older people as an example. “There is no point in discussing again whether, instead of all other measures, one could simply protect the old people’s homes especially,” said the virologist. “It is crystal clear that this doesn’t work.”
Drosten doubts whether he would take on such a public role again after his experiences in the corona pandemic. “With this knowledge, I would certainly communicate differently today or not at all,” the scientist told T-Online. “As an individual, I would no longer put myself in such danger.”
For him, the main reason for this is the media society. “There was sometimes violence against me in the air,” said Drosten. “But another danger was much greater for me: the destruction of my public reputation.” This happens in the media, even intentionally. And that is “an enormous risk” for an unprotected expert.
There are many colleagues who have followed his dealings with him and would now be much more careful. “If we as a science do not find other ways to accompany such crises, a gap will arise.”
The virologist sees his own mistakes in the pandemic, especially in dealing with the media. “I was way too direct in my communication at the beginning,” he said. “I didn’t even understand what reach I had. It was only later that I realized how the media had reinforced this, sometimes shortened it and distorted it.”
Technically, he sees no reason for self-criticism. “When I look back, I don’t see any scientific errors in my assessments,” said Drosten, apart from “rather small details.”
Photo: Christian Drosten (archive) – via dts news agency
