Pandemic – requires more diversity in the choice of professionals

What is the role of science in the epidemic? Are enough positions heard in politics – and also different positions? Virologist Store believes that politics does not make sufficient use of the breadth and depth of knowledge. Other experts also recommend more variety, but they’re seeing initial progress.

Virologist Stöhr called on the federal government to form a working group made up of experts from various disciplines. He said on the Deutschlandfunk website that it is only possible to strike a balance between freedom, health and economy if different interests are heard. Intensive care physicians, virologists, and pediatricians all have different interests. Stuhr, who heads the WHO’s global influenza program, stressed that if they reach an agreement in advance, that will have a far greater impact than individual opinions such as his own. The interview is complete You can hear that here.

Politicians leave so much quality behind and do not use the breadth and depth of knowledge in Germany when it comes to decision-making like today’s federal state meeting. Germany has chosen a method for defining the occurrence of 35 as a related criterion. However, this is not realistic in the winter months, the epidemiologist said. Stor criticizes the fact that the federal government clearly does not attach much importance to an “orderly risk assessment” – and is not demanding it either.

Secretary Rachel: “Various disciplines included.”

Thomas Rachel, Parliamentary Secretary of State in the Federal Minister for Education and Research, said in the Dlf program “Agenda” that science is highly valued in society and politics, but that it becomes even more important in such situations. It was a varied process that initially had to do with information about the virus. Then the question was how to deal with it among the population and what preventive measures are needed, even the question of how the infection process affects children and adolescents. Various specialties are included.

Politics Krupp: Diversity has increased

Sabine Krupp, a professor of political science at the Free University of Berlin, said her impression is that the diversity of the disciplines used has increased. She dares to anticipate that as the pandemic recedes, other disciplines such as political science or ethics will become more important as they will have to deal with the consequences.

Virologist Schmidt Chanasset: “My experience is one of many.”

Virologist Jonas Schmidt-Chanasset of the Bernard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine at the University Hospital Hamburg confirmed that it was clear from the start that more than one viral perspective was necessary. “My experience is one of many, I don’t see it as the most important, and one of many disciplines.”

Deceleration and acceleration

“We have tried to slow down the epidemic with measures from the nineteenth century or the Middle Ages,” such as isolation and lockdown, said Professor Urban Weising, director of the Institute for Ethics and the History of Medicine at the University of Tübingen and a member of the National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina.

At the same time, a phenomenon typical of the twenty-first century occurred, namely the acceleration of science. It is a race to find a modern scientific answer as quickly as possible. A vaccine was developed within a year. This is the critical scientific response to the pandemic.

Other articles on Coronavirus

We have created a news blog. Given the vast amount of information, this provides an overview of the most current developments.

+ Covid-19: Current figures on the Coronavirus in Germany (as of March 5)
+ Holidays: When can I travel abroad again? (As of February 26th)

Test and protection

+ Test: This is how the new Corona self-tests work (as of February 24)
+ Protection: vaccination decree: who will be vaccinated first, who will be vaccinated later? (As of March 4)
+ Vaccination date: How do I vaccinate, when and where? (As of 4.3.)
+ Vaccinations: What is known about the side effects of the Corona vaccine (as of: 02/26)
Astrazeneca vaccine: reports of side effects and problems with admission – experts disagree (04.03.)
+ Protection: This is how vaccines are being developed against Coronavirus (Status: 25.02.)
+ Change strategy: Are quick tests the breakthrough in fighting epidemics? (As of February 16th)
+ People who are sick: New results in the search for drugs (as of January 30th)
Treatment: How does the antibody drug work and when does it make sense? (As of February 26th)

Infection and transmission

+ Virus variants: How dangerous are the new Corona virus mutations? (As of: 02/27)
+ Opponents of infection protection measures: What does the AfD and side thinkers have to do with the spread of the Coronavirus in Germany (as of 02/09)
Transportation: What role does aerosols play (as of January 22)
+ Excess deaths: How dangerous is the Coronavirus really? (Status: 05.02.)
+ Travel Warning: the current list of danger areas (as of 02.03.)

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This message was broadcast on March 6, 2021 on Deutschlandfunk.