In the debate about possible easing of the corona measures, Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) has been criticized after he justified the current restrictions with the number of reported corona deaths.

"Just arguing with the number of deaths does not do justice to an overall view," said the health policy spokesman for the Union faction in the Bundestag, Tino Sorge, of the FAZ

Kim Bjorn Becker

Editor in Politics.

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“Unfortunately, people will always die of or with Corona.

But that alone cannot be a reason to keep extending measures.” No minister alone can decide how many deaths are too many.

Sorge said: "It is questionable that the Minister of Health is moving away from established parameters.

Especially now, when they give reason for confidence.” When assessing the situation, Lauterbach must “adhere to the criteria that the federal and state governments have established over the past two years”.

Lauterbach said on ZDF on Tuesday evening that the current figures of 100 to 150 reported deaths per day were still “too many”.

If Germany were to relax the rules based on Israel's example, up to 500 people could die from or with Corona every day.

So far, restrictions have been justified by not overloading the health system.

The doorknobs recently gave the all-clear on this point.

The CEO of the German Hospital Society, Gerald Gaß, told the "Bild" newspaper that he "no longer expects the German healthcare system to be overloaded in the coming weeks".

Lauterbach received support from the Greens.

Health politician Armin Grau told the FAZ that the goal of relieving the burden on clinics was always aimed at preventing illness and death.

"It would be dangerous to open too far too quickly." You can set opening levels, but you can't forge precise timetables.

"How the omicron wave proceeds is not yet completely clear and also depends on our behavior," said Grau.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) has opposed the plan of Bavaria's Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) not to implement the facility-related vaccination requirement for the time being.

"We assume that laws will be observed," said Scholz, according to a government spokesman at the cabinet meeting on Wednesday.

The health policy spokesman for the Green Group, Janosch Dahmen, has criticized Söder's announcement as a "monstrous process".