How the pandemic story repeats itself.
For the second time in a row, the last days of a year are overshadowed by the Corona crisis, and once again the republic is flying blind when it comes to grasping the extent of the problem.
As in the previous year, this time, too, fewer tests and reports are being carried out towards the end of the year - a circumstance that has now prompted Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) to warn that the number of infections may actually be twice or even three times as high as officially reported.
How it can be that the administrations in cities and municipalities are apparently unable to keep up with the dynamics of the pandemic at this critical time is not revealed.
Certainly, the under-reporting also has to do with the fact that fewer people were tested over the holidays.
Shorter quarantine times are not a good idea
But apparently fewer test results were passed on than usual. It is correct that the authorities are not to be blamed, as Lauterbach emphasizes. Not only the staff in the intensive care units are exhausted. The accusation is to be directed at those politically responsible for the past few months. There were so many assurances that the offices would be better equipped that they hardly fit on a page if you wanted to list them all. The four billion euro “pact” for the public health service is either working too slowly or not at all.
The fact that several politicians are now advocating shortening the quarantine time because of Omikron is irritating.
The goal of preventing the critical infrastructure from being overloaded is correct.
But whether, where and when there is a risk of overloading is completely unclear. It's crazy: All too often, the federal and state governments have failed to act proactively when it comes to Corona.
But right now it would be sensible to act out of the situation.
In a pandemic, doing without tried and tested protective measures without need and without adequate information is not a good idea.