Tough but fair: This is what Karl Lauterbach says about Covid preparation

The Covid pandemic continues to cast a long shadow. In “Hart aber Fair” Karl Lauterbach had to face unpleasant questions about the preparation. And was self-critical.

The pandemic is long over – but the consequences of Covid are still being felt even five years after the first cases of illness. At “Hard but Fair”, Health Minister Karl Lauterbach discussed the long-term consequences with those affected and experts – and what he would do differently today.

The title of the show said it all: “The Corona Trauma: What has the pandemic done to us?”, moderator Louis Klamroth wanted to know from his guests. In addition to the Minister of Health, he also invited critics, experts and those affected.

• Karl Lauterbach (Minister of Health, SPD)
• Eckart von Hirschausen (doctor and author)
• Heribert Prantl (Süddeutsche Zeitung)
• Alena Buyx (medical ethicist)
• Melina Eckert (psychologist)
• Elena Lierck (mother of a Long Covid patient)
• Klaus Stöhr (epidemiologist)

A lot of criticism of the follow-up

The guests agreed on one aspect in particular: the pandemic, the political reaction and the consequences have not yet been sufficiently dealt with. There were heated debates about exactly how this should happen. There was an “inquisitorial climate,” Prantl complained about the measures. “All fundamental rights had to be put aside.”

“Have politicians managed to balance things out?” asks Klamroth. “No”; shoots it out of Prantl. This was understandable at the beginning. But not later. The rights have been restricted for too long. “I would like to see a comprehensive reappraisal of this. “What politicians did was a – sometimes fundamental – undermining of basic rights. This needs to be addressed.”

Lauterbach defends the government…

Lauterbach doesn’t want to let that slide. “Basic rights were always taken into account,” he clarifies. “It was always a trade-off. It hurt everyone, nobody liked doing it,” he said, defending the decisions on contact bans and school closings. In retrospect, he would have done many things differently. He would like a detailed review himself. “But the FDP didn’t support that.”

Before answering a question, Alena Buyx makes it clear that there is no reappraisal. “I just have to shout that out to Mr. Prantl.” Prantl nods and agrees with Buyx’s statement that individual federal states have already started doing this. Buyx can understand the government’s difficult situation. “The Ethics Council has always had to deal with difficult questions,” she explains. “Nevertheless, you have to approach it with a professional attitude. Even if at that moment it was impossible to ignore the terrible consequences that this had.”

…and is self-critical

Lauterbach has to accept another accusation with his pressure on unvaccinated people. “The entire country is held hostage by people who are proud of it,” he complains in one clip. “I don’t think the tone is optimal today,” he admits when confronted with it. “But things often get heated in Bundestag debates,” he appeals for understanding. “If we said something like that, it was also to protect the unvaccinated from their own choices.”

Today, he himself is critical of the compulsory vaccination that he also demands. “In retrospect, it was the right decision to reject the vaccination requirement,” admits Lauterbach. “It was acted as if those opposed to compulsory vaccination were opponents of vaccination,” Prantl accuses him. Lauterbach asserts that he didn’t see it that way himself

Unrequited solidarity

One group that has been hit particularly hard by the measures are young people. “It’s a super important question in the process: What do we Boomers owe the young people?” emphasizes Eckart von Hirschhausen. Buyx also sees it that way: the young people made huge sacrifices to protect the older ones. And would now be left alone to deal with the psychological consequences. “As a society, we didn’t say: Now you’re number one. Now it’s going to catch up,” she says angrily. The Ethics Council coined a harsh term for this: unrequited solidarity.

“Perhaps this pandemic is the moment in which we say: We have to treat our children differently. They deserve it,” Lauterbach also believes.

The long battle for Long Covid

Young people can also suffer from the consequences for a long time. Elena Dierks’ daughter Kalea has been suffering from Long Covid since the end of 2020 – and is getting weaker and weaker. Now she can’t even stand up herself. With her association, she is fighting to make the consequences of long-term illness more visible to society.

“It’s unbelievable that a club like ours is needed,” explains the mother – but makes it clear: “It’s not because Mr. Lauterbach doesn’t do enough.” Society as a whole is not taking the problem seriously enough.

“The fact that the treatments have to be paid for yourself is a scandal,” says Hirschhausen. “This is a real system failure. It can’t be that these people don’t get help.” That also happens, Lauterbach contradicts. “If there is a need for care, then there are levels of care,” he tries to explain. “But that takes up to two years,” objects the mother. “Not that the audience now believes that you can get that so easily.”

That is correct, Lauterbach admits. “I’m also working on speeding that up.” However, he also believes that research on Long Covid is underfunded. Despite the break in the coalition – Lauterbach has accused FDP leader Christian Lindner of “unprecedented betrayal” on several occasions – at least the continued financing of the Long Covid research projects is still secured.

What’s next?

“We would only need one percent of the money that the last pandemic cost to prevent the next one,” warns Hirschhausen. The next danger is already just around the corner. “When can we finally learn from this shit so that we don’t get it again?”

“There will be a new pandemic,” Stöhr is also certain. “That’s why I hope that the reprocessing works.” He believes that we have to deal with the pandemic in such a way that not only faces are saved. Politics relied too much on individual scientists. “We need to talk about how we reach scientific consensus.”

“Do you accept this criticism?” asks Klamroth Lauterbach. “Of course,” he shoots out. However, international committees such as the WHO are already working on exactly this. How these efforts will continue after the appointment of anti-vaccination activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Health Minister under Donald Trump is another question.

“Of course that’s not a promise,” Lauterbach tries to carefully answer the question. “This is a complete catastrophe,” Hirschhausen interjects to cheers from the audience.

Words of praise

The most positive suggestion of the evening came from ethicist Buyx. Not only in the medical field, but often also in the private sector, society has achieved an astonishing achievement by showing solidarity and support for years, some of which were strangers in households, for example, praises the ethicist. “We also need to talk about how we can heal as a society. And that includes recognizing what an incredible social achievement this was.”

What key strategies from Germany’s ⁣pandemic response could be adapted by other countries facing health crises?

⁣ 1. What are the panel’s thoughts on the effectiveness of Germany’s pandemic response, and what lessons can⁢ be learned from the experience?

2. How can society better support young people suffering from Long Covid and address ‍the issue of unrequited solidarity?

3. What ⁤are the implications of the global spread of new Covid-19 variants and how​ can the ⁢international community work together to prevent future pandemics?

4. Are there any specific aspects of the pandemic response that the panel believes were successful, and how might these tactics⁣ inform future public health measures?

5. What⁣ role⁣ should science and scientific consensus⁣ play ⁣in shaping the public ⁣health response to future pandemics?