The Minister of Health reacts late.

But still, he reacts.

Of course, a central telephone number in the Ministry is not quite what those affected by Long Covid would have wished for - the syndrome, the causes of which are still difficult to grasp, which extends the health consequences of infection by weeks, sometimes by months.

Karl Lauterbach intends to set up such a hotline in the near future, as he has now announced.

But that's not all.

The 100 million euros that the Social Democrat wants to spend on researching the reasons for and possible therapies for Long Covid are more likely to go in the direction of what those affected expect.

It is long overdue for the government to step up its efforts to help those suffering.

For most people in the country, the Corona crisis is over.

The mask requirement is falling noticeably, and for those who need or want to protect themselves from the virus, adapted vaccines are available in large numbers.

Infections with other pathogens, above all the flu, have long overtaken the number of Covid 19 patients.

Only high-quality studies can lead to therapies

But for those suffering from the long-term effects of infection or vaccination, the crisis is not over.

Chronic exhaustion, neurological deficits and pain make it impossible for many of those affected to continue their usual lives.

The data analysis of a health insurance company recently showed that long-Covid patients are absent from work for an average of almost seven weeks.

Of course, it can be argued that money alone does not cure the sick.

But as long as scientists know as little about the exact causes of Long Covid and Post Vac as they do at present, only research can open up a perspective for those affected now and in the future.

Experts have different assumptions as to what triggers the syndromes mentioned, from previous infections with other viruses to certain previous illnesses.

Only high-quality and reliable scientific studies can help determine the possible reasons and derive effective therapy recommendations from them.

The few specialized centers in Germany currently treat their patients mainly experimentally - and cannot cope with the rush of inquiries.

Closer to lateral thinkers

It will be some time before there are professional guidelines for the treatment of long-Covid and post-vac patients.

In the meantime, acceptance helps those affected above all.

Many report being alone with their condition, not being taken seriously by individual doctors and the public.

Long Covid does not cause a visible wound, those affected suffer internally.

Part of the problem is that precisely those who blame the corona vaccination for their condition are quickly placed in the vicinity of lateral thinkers and radical opponents of vaccination.

Conspiracy theorists relentlessly try to exploit the plight of post-vac patients for their ludicrous claims about vaccination, calling them alleged witnesses to some sort of government frame-up.

The baseness of this endeavor knows no bounds, the abuse of the weak by deniers and agitators is a disgrace.

The fact is that the corona vaccination is very safe overall, the vast majority of those vaccinated benefit immensely, as numerous scientific studies have shown.

In the first year alone, the vaccination saved around 20 million lives worldwide, as researchers recently calculated.

Those who have had more harm than good from the injection – these cases are rare, but they undoubtedly exist – deserve solidarity.

Not only in the form of the best possible medical care, but also in the form of understanding and empathy.

Unfortunately, both are still missing in this country.