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According to information from SPIEGEL, members of the Leopoldina National Academy of Sciences decided on Sunday to publish a renewed, particularly urgent, appeal to politicians. The community residing in Halle had repeatedly advised politicians in recent months on how to deal with the corona pandemic; this time, however, the decision to comment was made spontaneously over the weekend, and the background is the worrying number of cases.
The scientists want to “reduce the excessive number of new infections quickly and dramatically through a strict lockdown,” they write in their statement, which is available to SPIEGEL. In a two-stage process, compulsory schooling will be lifted as of December 14 and citizens will be “strongly” encouraged to work at the central office. Also “all group activities in the field of sport and culture should cease.”
In the second stage, starting at Christmas, “public life in Germany should be largely inactive until at least 10 January 2021”, that is, a “stricter lockdown” should be introduced. This includes the Leopoldina that all stores close except for daily necessities. The schools Christmas break should be extended until January 10. Vacation trips and large gatherings should be completely avoided all the time. Without mentioning this explicitly, Leopoldina is also likely to decline the planned outdoor services.
The statement was signed by 28 scientists, including Charité virologist Christian Drosten and his Frankfurt colleague Sandra Ciesek, educational researcher Ute Frevert, and University of Mannheim health psychologist Jutta Mata. Notable is the participation of the President of the Robert Koch Institute, Lothar Wieler, who had previously retained himself as head of a federal authority. The director of the Ifo Institute, Clemens Fuest, contributed his economic experience together with Regina Riphahn from the University of Nuremberg-Erlangen.
Without visiting tour at Christmas
In his previous conference with Chancellor Angela Merkel, the federal and state governments agreed to relax the situation over Christmas. The National Academy warns against this. Rather, the holiday season should be used to drastically reduce the number of cases. Without specifying the total number of participants allowed in a celebration, according to Leopoldina, “contacts should only take place in a very close circle of family or friends limited to a few people”, followed by a crucial post: these contacts should take place throughout the “period remains unchanged. That means visiting family and friends should be avoided during the holiday season.
Researchers worry that the number of infections, which is already rising slightly to a high level, will almost skyrocket over the Christmas period due to the holiday celebrations. Internally, at worst, they expect 50,000 new infections a day from the end of January, if politicians plan to relax on Christmas and New Year’s Eve and with the current level of contact. “The Christmas season and the turn of the year, with their traditionally increased and close social contacts, carry great risks of a further worsening of the infection situation”, warn the Leopoldina researchers.
Scientists also argue economically. While a strict lockdown increased short-term loss of value added, it shortens the time until easing is possible. Otherwise, there is a risk of a loose lock, which will have to last for “months,” the researchers write in the seven-page appeal. “In addition to the loss of added value, this would also place a great burden on public budgets because closed companies need bridging aid,” the text says. With this, the experts also allude to the current dispute over the amount and type of crown aid.
Scientists criticize prime ministers for being lax
In general, academics are tough on politics, at least if you read between the lines. They call for a “long-term political agreement on a clear, uniform and multi-layered system of rules at the national level.” In doing so, they criticize the fact that the prime ministers of the federal states did not agree on consistent guidelines with the chancellor.
The chancellor had campaigned on Monday in the Union’s parliamentary group to decide on a further tougher at a meeting of the country’s leaders with her before Christmas. Some participants, such as the Prime Minister of Thuringia, Bodo Ramelow (left), rejected it, while the Prime Minister of Bavaria, Markus Söder (CSU) and his counterpart from Saarland, defended it clearly. “A uniform approach makes the measures transparent, understandable and plannable for citizens and businesses,” argue the Leopoldina researchers.
Leopoldina’s statement is likely to have political effects, as Chancellor Angela Merkel is known to have a high regard for Leopoldina. According to information from SPIEGEL, the president of the community founded in 1652, the Mainz climate researcher Gerald Haug, will speak with Merkel today. Actually, it should be about the design of the coronavirus vaccination campaign. The issue of the blockade should also be on the agenda.
