“If, despite the prevalence of the delta variant, the incidence does not increase, but continues to decrease every week, the effect does not seem to be that great.” This statement by CDU Chancellor candidate Armin Laschet at a press conference is causing criticism.
The more contagious delta variant of the corona virus continues to spread in Germany. For weeks, reports from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) with evaluations of random samples showed no noticeable increase in the proportion of Delta. That has changed according to data from Wednesday evening: It shows that the delta share has doubled every week to around 15 percent (week from June 7th to 13th). This is setting a pace that was feared by virologists.
North Rhine-Westphalia’s Prime Minister and CDU Chancellor candidate Armin Laschet urges caution despite a low incidence because of the Delta variant, as he said on Wednesday at a in Düsseldorf. The spread is worrying, but the vaccination campaign is the remedy.
Criticism from politicians: inside Laschet’s statement
“Everything we do has to be proportionate. At some point we will be at zero (the incidences, editor’s note). You can’t say: ‘We’re now at zero. There are no more incidences, there are Although no more dissemination, we will keep all fundamental rights restrictions upright because something could possibly come at some point. ‘ That doesn’t stand up to any court, “said Laschet. This is also unconstitutional. One has to be careful, keep an eye on Delta, “but if the incidence does not rise despite the spread of the Delta variant, but continues to decrease every week, the impact does not seem to be that great.”
This last sentence makes you sit up and take notice – and cause criticism. The member of the Green Party and former senior physician in the medical management of the Berlin ambulance service wrote: “While the Chancellor explains CT values and viral load concentration curves at any time, after 1.5 years of pandemic there are still politicians who have neither latency, hidden growth, nor seasonal Understand the effects. Laschet is one of those politicians. ” The North Rhine-Westphalian SPD member of the state parliament Sarah Philipp commented: “Extravagant gestures can not always hide ignorance.”
Other Twitter users also comment on the statement. “That is the same logic as … ‘I have now fallen 3000m without a parachute and nothing has happened to me, it can’t be that important …'”, they say. Another writes: “Armin the Great will lead us out of any crisis that he himself did not understand.”
The deaf lip reader and Green politician Julia Probst assessed the body language of the Chancellor candidate when making this statement: “I don’t know what Laschet is saying, but he seems to be completely convinced that he is reproducing something correctly. But in truth you can see in his body language that he has no idea. ”
According to the RKI, the absolute number of weekly delta cases has increased since the 21st reporting week, from around 270 to around 470 in the 23rd reporting week. Overall, the seven-day incidence in Germany has actually continued to decline and is very low. This can be explained by the significant decrease in infections caused by the still dominant alpha variant (74 percent share). Carsten Watzl, Secretary General of the German Society for Immunology, sees no reason to panic in the development, but believes it is appropriate to be vigilant: it could be a tipping point.
Laschet is sticking to the opening course in NRW
Nevertheless, Laschet also wants to take further opening and easing steps in the future. “You cannot withhold rights from people in the current state if there is no longer an objective reason,” said the CDU politician. “We will have to live with coronaviruses for the next few years.”
The schools in North Rhine-Westphalia should also remain open after the summer vacation, although he anticipates an increase in the number of corona cases in autumn. The screen cannot replace social contacts for children and young people. “We are preparing very carefully for the time after the summer holidays so that a safe start to school can begin.” The mask requirement in schools is adhered to until the beginning of the summer vacation. Laschet also made it clear that there would be no compulsory vaccination for schoolchildren, which means that the country would follow the Standing Vaccination Commission (Stiko).
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