At the beginning of the corona pandemic, FFP2 masks were in short supply. “Get masks at any cost,” was the message at the time, says the former health minister. Today, there is criticism of this.
Former Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn (CDU) defends the high costs of purchasing FFP2 masks in the early days of the corona pandemic. “We wanted to make sure that masks were actually delivered,” the current deputy of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group told Welt TV.
“From today’s perspective, yes, it was very expensive, but the masks were there,” said Spahn. Everyone said at the time, including the Greens: “Get masks at any cost, in the truest sense of the word. No one said: Be particularly frugal. And that’s what we did.”
Spahn also assumes responsibility for the costs. “Did I make the decision as a minister? Of course, who else should take political responsibility and therefore the decision in a crisis, in an emergency, if not the minister,” he said.
Lauterbach wants to clarify mask processes
Spahn is reacting to a report in the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung” citing emails from the Ministry of Health. According to the report, the then Minister of Health increased the purchase price of the masks significantly, contrary to a recommendation from his department.
His successor Karl Lauterbach (SPD) announced last week that he would investigate the expensive mask purchases at the beginning of the Corona crisis. He had commissioned the former State Secretary in the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Defense, Margaretha Sudhof (SPD), to do this. At the same time, Lauterbach said that, according to current knowledge, the high purchase price of 4.50 euros per mask was set by his predecessor Spahn.
Source: Stern
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