“Maybrit Illner”: “Off to Meck-Pomm”: A talk show in vacation mode

Is it even allowed to send a corona talk without Karl Lauterbach? Maybrit Illner does it for once. But so that there are no withdrawal symptoms, Lauterbach then sits with Markus Lanz for the umpteenth time. There was the usual thing to discuss there like there: How should things go on with this virus? And with us? How risky will summer be? Where can you go? Is another lockdown looming?

“Everyone is wondering how long is it going to be good”says Manuela Schwesig. Helga Rübsamen-Schaeff, on the other hand, thinks she knows exactly what to expect. “Why should Germany develop differently from Great Britain?” Lisa Federle, on the other hand, thinks nothing of country comparisons, but she thinks very much about people “finally confidence and outlook again” to give. So how good that Thomas Mertens can give the all-clear: “There is no evidence that the delta variant leads to more severe disease courses in children and adolescents.”

As a guest at “Maybrit Illner” were:

Debate about vaccinations for children

Let’s stay with the children for now. Manuela Schwesig, who is already in the starting blocks to have her 14-year-old son vaccinated, calls on the federal government to submit a vaccination strategy for children by August 1st. Christian Lindner speaks of his unrest in relation to school openings after the holidays. We urgently have to step on the gas and send mobile vaccination teams to schools in the autumn.

Lisa Federle warns urgently. The data situation does not allow a vaccination recommendation to be made for children: “If there were still unknown risks, then we are guilty of the children.” In any case, one has to weigh up how relevant vaccinations are in this age group, since severe courses and deaths are very rare.

As Mertens explains in advance recording, Stiko also sees no reason to release vaccines to children. In the age group of 12 to 15 year olds, the mRNA vaccines from Biontech / Pfizer are approved, but the Stiko will “still need about three to four weeks to get the results, which now finally clears up the questions of possible side effects for this age group”.

Lindner for uniform EU travel rules

How about the vacation now? In addition to Great Britain and Russia, the German government has now also declared Portugal a virus variant area. Because the Delta variant is spreading rapidly – 50 percent of all infections are Delta in Germany too – other countries could follow suit. But who has which rules? Does anyone even know their way around? Quarantine? Testing? Also for people who have been vaccinated twice?

Lindner is pushing for uniform solutions within the EU. However, he thinks ten days of quarantine is too much – is that scientifically necessary? The question goes to Helga Rübsamen-Schaeff, but she does not comment on it. Finally, Lindner decides in the middle of the show: Two mandatory PCR tests and five days of quarantine for travelers returning could become a European solution. In the meantime, Schwesig recommends taking the holidays in Germany like last year: “Why don’t you all come to Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, it’s nice here with us.”

How dangerous is Delta?

The group worries that, on the one hand, the limits of acceptance for the measures will soon be reached and, on the other hand, more and more German citizens are wasting away their second vaccinations. “We have to maintain the sense of urgency”, warns Lindner. In addition, it is a smart test strategy for the further course “game deciding”. Illner also wants to know from him whether it should be made more uncomfortable for the unvaccinated. “That is not my view of man”, says Lindner.

Since vaccinated persons can continue to be carriers anyway, because the vaccines do not guarantee sterile immunity, it would be necessary to take a closer look at how privileges against unvaccinated persons are to be established. One should also ask what goal the federal government is currently pursuing, because the hospitals are certainly not facing collapse at the moment. “Shouldn’t we even take a look at the current death rate”Illner asks legitimately – there is no feedback in the group.

There is also no satisfactory answer to the question of how dangerous Delta is. “Delta is 50 percent more dangerous”, explains Rübsamen-Schaeff. “Dangerous means more contagious?”, says Illner. The virologist says yes. Lisa Federle turns out to be the only one in the group, the others too “construction sites” has in view. “I see how people are doing, and I hear from students that they are depressed and are thinking of suicide – these are also possible fatalities.”