Help in the pandemic: The Bundeswehr apparently wants to mobilize thousands of soldiers because of Corona

According to a report by Der Spiegel magazine, the Bundeswehr wants to mobilize 12,000 soldiers to support overburdened clinics and health authorities by Christmas because of the worsening corona situation. Uniformed helpers should also be available for booster vaccinations and rapid tests in front of nursing homes and hospitals. Lieutenant General Martin Schelleis, who as inspector of the armed forces base has led the Bundeswehr relief operation since the beginning of the pandemic, sent a corresponding template to the Ministry of Defense on Friday. According to this, 6,000 uniformed helpers should be ready by the end of November, and a good 12,000 by Christmas time. There was also no official confirmation of the report from the ministry on Saturday.

According to information from the German Press Agency, Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer instructed a few days ago that the Bundeswehr should prepare for increased corona administrative assistance.

Der Spiegel writes that the Bundeswehr only had more than 10,000 soldiers deployed during the critical phases of the pandemic.

Because of the explosive nature of the situation, Kramp-Karrenbauer will take part in the consultations between Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) and the Prime Minister on measures against the record number of infections.

From next week at the latest, administrative assistance requests from all federal states are expected.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Defense said on Friday: “At the moment we are again providing increased support with around 570 soldiers in tracking contacts in health authorities.

17 soldiers are currently supporting the vaccination campaign. ”Also in hospitals, 48 ​​men and women of the Bundeswehr are currently on site as“ helping hands ”to provide support.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, the Bundeswehr has received a total of more than 8,500 applications for administrative assistance in federal states and municipalities.

According to the ministry, 74 measures are currently underway in 40 of the 411 independent cities, districts and districts of Berlin.