SRF Arena with Director of Intensive Care Medicine Martin Balmer

review

“Arena” lets the intensive care doctor do the talking; runs down his spine

In the last “arena” of the year, invited politicians and experts became extras for once. Because an interview with an intensive care doctor got under his skin.

For several years now, Watson has been looking at the SRF “arena” on Friday night to assess, summarize and classify the political duel. This year it worked the same topic more than 20 times. You have the feeling that you have spoken about the corona pandemic two and three times from all sides. The expectations for yesterday’s broadcast also coincided: the Federal Council has decided – what does the left mean, what does the right mean, what does the affected mean?

The last SRF “Arena” in 2020 focused mainly on the first two spots. However, what will really be remembered is what the team around moderator Sandro Brotz thinks. Affected delivered.

A broken, battered and exhausted voice, to be precise. She belonged Martin Balmer, head of intensive medicine at Aarau Cantonal Hospital. His face was barely recognizable to viewers – he was sitting in front of the webcam in the hospital’s recovery room wearing a protective mask, goggles, protective suit, and headphones. converted to an intensive care unit practically overnight has been.

His appearance put everything in the queue that was discussed in the hour before and a good 15 minutes later. He did not speak of politics, nor of the Federal Council measures, which had been announced hours before. Balmer didn’t even know this one. With the workload in the intensive care unit, she couldn’t find time to read about it. Brotz had to update him five minutes before filming began.

Balmer could be seen and heard from exhaustion. He was referring to the double shifts that his colleagues, barely recognizable in the background, have to work these days. “Most people don’t like it anymore. They are tired, they have very little time to relax, ”he said. He spoke of the mental stress and physical fatigue caused by long working hours, the experiences in the wards and the FFP2 mask and protective gown, in which one was “completely wet” after thirty minutes.

And then Balmer spoke those words that ran coldly down his back: “In 30 years of intensive medicine, I have never seen doctors and nurses cry so much.” This from exhaustion and doubts. “You don’t see an end either. And it hits us twice when you hear outside that Corona is just a ‘joke’ or see how the mask is sometimes used.“That makes people shake their heads, but it also makes them sad and angry.

Balmer’s appeal to all who listened was not about the political stunt. “Do not forget us” was his only demand besides the urgent desire to be more aware of hygiene measures keep. After the circuit, he will take his time and watch his companions, said the head of intensive care. I would say “thank you”; after all, despite exhaustion, many nurses reported on short notice to continue working in the new intensive care unit in the recovery room.

It took five minutes to give this impressive insight. Five minutes full of humanity that could well become a historic television moment. It will no doubt have an influence on Corona’s political discussion in the coming days, especially since the other guests on the studio hadn’t said anything groundbreaking.

Besides the connected Balmer, the two were federal MPs Alfred Heer (SVP) and Mattea meyer (SP) was there, the restorer was the second “victim” Rudi Bindella jr. invited. Represented the political and scientific superstructure Lukas engelberger (Basel-Stadt Governing Council and Chairman of the Conference of Health Directors) and the working group on infectious disorders Manuel Battegay.

As already indicated, these were the latest crown measures of the federal government. There was some consensus on the criticism of the gastronomic blockade. Foodie Bindella gave his industry a voice that, understandably, felt like the nation’s scapegoat.

Mattea Meyer, dies SP Co-chair, showed a great understanding of the frustration of the economy and referred to the (bourgeois) politics that were required, but did not provide the required support. And he tried to rehabilitate his fellow party member and federal adviser Alain Berset after criticism at the national level: He was part of a committee of seven and could not simply enforce his wishes, although he wanted to serve health workers more.

National Councilor Heer played the role of the opposition with his sweeping blows. With the caveat that food closures in neighboring countries had little effect, he even scored a good point. The failed Candidate for SVP presidium But he got bogged down with objections, personal attacks, and chaotic conversations.

The bottom line was that his appearance disappointed after he cursed everything, crisscrossed and without red thread and even felt provoked by moderator Brotz. As a result, in the end, Heer’s core arguments hardly got caught up in the television audience. This, in contrast to the restorer Bindella, who at least knew how to express well the vision of critical economics.

The political-scientific superstructure with Engelberger and Battegay was once again difficult to understand: each spoke in their role and therefore could only express themselves critically with a lot of diplomacy.

At least I could say that too President of GDK Engelberger The Federal Council does not always fully understand, it would have wanted solidarity for neglected industries and stricter measures “out of consideration” for health workers. Taskforce-Infektiologe Battegay He admitted that he, too, sometimes gets mad at politics.