Corona-Pandemic - Spahn critiques the formulation regarding the Unvaccinated
Former Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn faced criticism for his description of a "pandemic of the unvaccinated" during the Corona Crisis from the ZDF. "I meant that we saw mostly unvaccinated people in hospitals with severe and critical courses back then, which threatened to overwhelm the healthcare system," Spahn explained.
Background is the publication of unfiltered documents about the meetings of the Corona Crisis Task Force at the Robert Koch Institute (RKI). A group of critics of the German government's Corona politics, including a journalist, had made the records available online and presented them at a press conference on Tuesday. The RKI stated that the data sets had neither been checked nor verified.
Discussion in the RKI Crisis Staff
According to a document labeled as a "results protocol" from November 5, 2021, a representative from an RKI department stated: "In the media, they're talking about a pandemic of the unvaccinated. That's not correct from a factual perspective, the entire population is affected. Should this be taken up in communication?" The Federal Center for Health Education has no warning. Rules for distance, hygiene, and ventilation will be refocused. "This is an appeal to all those who have not been vaccinated to get vaccinated." Then, a representative from another department stated: "Spahn mentions it at every press conference, and it can't be corrected."
A spokesperson for Spahn told the "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung" that the former minister had referred to the fact that 90 to 95 percent of Covid-19 patients on Intensive Care Units had not been vaccinated. "The RKI's assessment that the entire population also contributes does not contradict this." Spahn wrote on Twitter on September 7, 2021, for example: "We're seeing an increasing pandemic of the unvaccinated in terms of incidence and on Intensive Care Units. All those who can should get their protection."
Lauterbach: Mainly unvaccinated on Intensive Care Units
Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) commented on his predecessor: "Spahn probably meant that vaccinated people could also get infected, which was known and not denied by him. However, it was mainly unvaccinated people who had to go to the Intensive Care Units with severe courses." Many of the measures taken were necessary to protect especially unvaccinated people and the healthcare system.
Green health expert Janosch Dahmen expressed concern that the unfiltered publication of these documents could violate the personal rights of RKI employees, especially their security. "It's important now to ensure that these people, who have done extraordinary work for this country in dealing with this unprecedented health crisis, receive the necessary protection that has now become necessary."
The RKI intends to make its protocols public according to Lauterbach's statements. The documents show what the crisis staff discussed during their meetings: current infection numbers, international situation, vaccinations, tests, studies, or containment measures.
The RKI had already made the protocols for the period from January 2020 to April 2021 largely public in May. The reason was a previous publication of heavily redacted protocols by the online magazine "Multipolar". The fact that numerous passages were redacted at the time triggered a debate about the independence of the RKI.
- The criticism towards Jens Spahn from ZDF stemmed from his description of a "pandemic of the unvaccinated" during the Corona Crisis in Germany.
- Spahn clarified that he was referring to the high number of unvaccinated individuals in hospitals with severe Coronavirus cases during the pandemic.
- The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) released unfiltered documents regarding meetings of the Corona Crisis Task Force, sparking controversy.
- The RKI stated that the data sets had not been checked or verified, leading some to question the institute's integrity.
- In a document from November 5, 2021, an RKI representative suggested addressing the "pandemic of the unvaccinated" in communication, but was met with opposition.
- Spahn's spokesperson defended his statements, stating that 90 to 95 percent of Covid-19 patients on Intensive Care Units were unvaccinated.
- Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) noted that while vaccinated people could still get infected, it was mainly unvaccinated individuals who required intensive care.
- The Green health expert Janosch Dahmen expressed concerns about the potential violation of RKI employees' personal rights due to the unfiltered publication of these documents.
- The RKI has announced plans to make its protocols public following Lauterbach's statements, aiming to promote transparency and accountability during the Covid-19 pandemic.
