The fight against the pandemic is a major challenge anyway.

But at the moment it is particularly difficult for the Federal Minister of Health.

Firstly, this has to do with the fact that the Bundestag decided on Thursday after a long and controversial discussion about compulsory corona vaccination and that there was not much left of Karl Lauterbach's original plan, which should apply from the age of 18.

Second, according to the minister, he made the wrong decision to isolate infected people.

Kim Bjorn Becker

Editor in Politics.

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Helen Bubrowski

Political correspondent in Berlin.

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Eckhart Lohse

Head of the parliamentary editorial office in Berlin.

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First of all.

No, Lauterbach said on Wednesday afternoon when asked if he had considered resigning, he "of course" didn't.

He stood in the foyer of his ministry and tried to explain why he had first decided and announced that people infected with the corona virus would no longer have to go into isolation from May 1st, but had withdrawn this proposal a day and a half later.

His goal was to relieve the health authorities, Lauterbach said at the press conference.

The numerous critical reactions then made it clear to the minister that this would send out the signal that the pandemic was over or that Corona was no more than flu.

A signal he doesn't want to send out.

So, after the first announcement on Monday, Lauterbach turned around on the talk show “Markus Lanz” on Tuesday evening, announced that the isolation for infected people would remain in place, and sent a corresponding tweet in the middle of the night, around half past two.

That was his decision, he was not urged to do so by Chancellor Olaf Scholz, but he informed him.

Lauterbach initially described his behavior as a "mistake for which I am also personally responsible".

However, he then tried to make a virtue out of necessity by portraying his behavior as professional normality.

"If I then decide to withdraw that proposal because I think it sends the wrong signal communicatively, then honestly that's the way

Sharp criticism of Lauterbach from the countries

It was not surprising that the opposition in Berlin criticized Lauterbach harshly.

The CDU member of the Bundestag, Sepp Müller, asked whether the ministry was "a weight class above him".

But Lauterbach's retreat was also received critically in the federal states.

There was talk of a “short-term volte” and of a “zigzag course” that the Federal Minister of Health had taken.

Lauterbach received criticism above all for the fact that he backed out via talk show, apparently single-handedly, without coordinating with the countries.

Bavaria's Health Minister Klaus Holetschek (CSU) accused Lauterbach of "poor communication" on Wednesday.

The minister must "correct" his political style and not unsettle the citizens with his substantive turns.

In addition, he should coordinate more closely with the countries in the future.

Karl-Josef Laumann (CDU), Minister of Health in North Rhine-Westphalia, also expressed his "surprise" at Lauterbach's communication style.

Nevertheless, he agreed on the matter: “I am glad that voluntary isolation for infected people is off the table again.

Voluntariness clearly sent the wrong signal. ”Everyone has the right to change their mind, including the Federal Minister of Health, emphasized Schleswig-Holstein’s Minister of Health Heiner Garg (FDP).

However, "an equally chaotic and unprofessional back and forth would massively damage the credibility of and trust in politics".

In the matter, several federal states support the retreat.

"I welcome the fact that isolation will not be voluntary for those who have tested positive," said Saxony's Health Minister Petra Köpping (SPD).

Lauterbach announced the end of mandatory isolation for infected people and quarantine for contact persons on Monday after a switching conference with the state health ministers.

At the meeting, several department heads had already commented critically on the project, it was heard on Wednesday.

It remained unclear why the decision to voluntarily not only quarantine but also isolate was ultimately made.