Of course, it was right to rely on people's common sense first.

To hope that the insight will prevail.

In case of doubt, the corona vaccination not only saves your own life, it also protects the health of others.

But there is not much to suggest that this strategy will work in the long run.

Kim Bjorn Becker

Editor in politics.

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While the vaccination quota is practically stagnating, the number of infections is skyrocketing. With them, the proportion of Covid 19 patients who have to be treated in hospitals is growing - and there in particular in intensive care units. According to studies, almost exclusively unvaccinated people get so seriously ill with corona that they have to go to the intensive care unit. They already tie up eight percent of all beds there. And the development is so threatening that hospitals are already thinking out loud about skipping operations that can be planned because there is no other way.

This is where things get critical. It may sound harmless at first that plannable interventions could fail again. But the consequences are anything but trivial, as was the case at the beginning of the pandemic. It means that older people who can only walk with pain will have to wait longer for a joint replacement. It is said that non-urgent cancer surgeries will be postponed, which in individual cases may reduce the chances of recovery. In short: It mainly affects the sick who - unlike many corona patients - cannot prevent their suffering and at the same time have the right to be well cared for. Who will help them to enforce their rights against the unreasonableness of those who refuse to be vaccinated?

A survey has just shown that the vast majority of those who have not been vaccinated want to leave it at that.

Most do not care about the consequences: For 89 percent, it does not matter whether the intensive care units are full again.

It is naive to believe that this problem will be solved with patience and persuasion.

The vaccination rate must increase.

In the form of the 2-G rule, politics has an instrument at hand.

You just have to dare to use it on a large scale.