Also at Markus Lanz on ZDF, the guests discuss the failure of politics in the corona pandemic.
Hamburg – Corona and no end. The fourth wave is nerve-wracking. Even with Markus Lanz on ZDF, two days before the parliamentary debate in the Bundestag to tighten the pandemic containment measures again, it is topic number one again. The moderator, who was well prepared this time, devotes two thirds of the airtime to the problem of political communication about the seriousness of the situation, in which the executive government failed as well as large parts of the “traffic light coalition”.
On the other hand, the migration crisis on the border between Belarus and the European Union, with people from the Middle East and Africa who have been trying to get to Lithuania, Latvia and Poland since July 2021 in order to then gain a foothold in Germany, falls far short. And with her the Spiegel journalist Muriel Kalisch, who recently visited the border region between Poland and Belarus. She often has more specific things to say than the other three invited experts on the corona pandemic about the gruesome events in which the autocrat Alexander Lukashenko instrumentalized refugees with small children being pushed back and forth in the cold November.
Markus Lanz (ZDF): Virologist recommends corona booster from 18
Exception: Thomas Mertens, the honorary chairman of the Standing Vaccination Commission at the Robert Koch Institute (STIKO). When asked by Markus Lanz, the 71-year-old doctor, virologist and university professor dropped the bomb: A booster recommendation for ages 18+ is coming! At the moment there is still the official advice of the STIKO to give the booster to older people aged 70 and over and six months after the second vaccination. The vaccination rate is, however, much worse than it should actually be. Instead of the 70 percent achieved so far, 90 percent or more would have to be achieved in order to avoid overloading the health system, including intensive care units. Countries like Israel, Spain, Portugal and Italy would be ahead of us.
In this context, the SZ science journalist Christina Berndt criticizes the only politician in the group: She cannot understand how the party of Alexander Graf Lambsdorff (FDP), who is announced by Markus Lanz as “perhaps the new foreign minister”, “is so blind in a new wave is running ”. All warnings were ignored. The election campaign focused on other issues: “In the last few weeks and months it has been clear what will happen if we don’t increase the vaccination rate. But it did not get into the heads of politicians, especially those of the FDP. “
Markus Lanz (ZDF): School closings and corona lockdowns exclude the FDP
Therefore, in retrospect, it is downright good that the liberals had not yet been involved in the formation of the government at this time, she criticizes in the direction of the diplomat, who is also moderate but quite non-binding. Markus Lanz adds: School closings and lockdowns had previously completely ruled out the FDP as a freedom-loving party that insists on civil rights. And now the latter threatens again at Christmas.
The former Vice President of the European Parliament admits that he only found out about the gloomy forecasts shortly before the general election. Despite the skyrocketing incidence of corona, he is against curfews for vaccinated people and school closings across the board. But he also keeps a back door open diplomatically: “You can’t rule anything out today …” On the discussion about mandatory vaccination, which his party around federal chairman Christian Lindner recently categorically rejected, he says: “I think you can Discuss a facility-related vaccination requirement. I am open to it. “
Thomas Mertens is also not covered in fame. Although he was not surprised by the current situation, because it was already foreseeable in July what would happen in autumn, he had to admit, given the virologists’ predictions, which had now come exactly: “From today’s point of view, one should have said that louder.” And then he takes the managing health minister Jens Spahn (CDU) into the sinking boat: He also knew the information from the Robert Kocht Institute: “That was not a secret science.”
Markus Lanz (ZDF): In times of Corona there is the principle of hope
The data have all been published. Markus Lanz is surprised that Spahn and Mertens have only talked to each other “five to ten times” during the entire Corona period so far and were guided by the “principle of hope”. The exchange via instant messaging services such as WhatsApp was much more common, defends the herpes virus expert. Modern times.
| Markus Lanz (ZDF) | The guests of the program on November 16, 2021 |
| Alexander Count Lambsdorff | Politician (FDP) |
| Christina Berndt | Journalist |
| Thomas Mertens | virologist |
| Muriel Kalisch | Journalist |
Speaking of experts: With all the admission of minor omissions, none of the experts invited here admitted that they still do not know enough about the apparently unpredictable Delta variant, which other luminaries in this field have already admitted. Not a word is said about the sometimes drastic side effects of the vaccinations. And also 2G plus with the daily tests that are definitely decided for vaccinated persons from Thursday when visiting cultural events and restaurants is hardly touched on by Markus Lanz and Co. Up until now, politicians in this country have been suggesting: Get vaccinated and then you will have all your freedoms back! It turned out differently.
The last 25 minutes of the talk show then belong to the refugees from Syria, Somalia and other countries who are lured by Turkish smugglers from the Internet with increasingly short-term visas at horrific prices first to Minsk, and then to the forests on the border of Belarus wandering around to Poland to lead an inhumane existence. Recorded images show how they throw stones and tree trunks, but are also brutally driven back – especially by Belarusian soldiers – no matter where they want to go. Muriel Kalisch is just coming back from this frontier.
To the broadcast
Markus Lanz from November 16, 2021. The broadcast in the ZDF media library.
It is also shocking for die-hard television viewers when she talks about how the migrants are robbed and mistreated inside: “These people are stones. And we’ll throw them back! ”A border policeman from Belarus told her. In contrast to Lithuania and Latvia, however, journalists or members of an aid organization on the Belarus-Poland border are usually not allowed to approach migrants directly. Another scandal.
All participants in the discussion agree that a civilized and humanitarian Europe should not continue to turn a blind eye. Alexander Graf Lambsdorff, who is now visibly more committed than in the Corona debate, asks not to point a finger at our neighboring country in this country: “Poland is the victim of aggression!” Alexander Lukashenko, who advocated the sanctions imposed on Belarus Wanting to take revenge on the European Union, and presumably Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, who had military exercises carried out in this area and thus provoked Poland, were the masterminds of the tragedy.
Markus Lanz on ZDF: Why don’t we take people on the Polish-Belarusian border?
Rightly he says: “There are two victims: They are the states of Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. The other is the people who have been exploited. ”Markus Lanz (ZDF) is outraged. Any airline from Syria or Lebanon that takes part should never land in Europe again. Alexander Graf Lambsdorff thinks that the threat of fines has already had the effect that Turkish Airlines, for example, will no longer carry Syrians to Minsk. One must continue to exert political pressure with sanctions, but also proceed “diplomatically”. Once a diplomat, always a diplomat.
The number of refugees, at 15,000-20,000, is much lower than in 2015, when it was up to a million. “Why don’t we record them?” Markus Lanz, the moderator, wants to know with his own opinion. The answer to this question will be postponed to the next broadcast. Unfortunately. (Marc Hairapetian)
