Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel allegedly covered up a report from her country&#8217;s foreign intelligence service that concluded that the likelihood that the coronavirus pandemic originated from a Chinese lab was overwhelming.
The Bundesnachrichtendienst (BND), German&#8217;s version of the CIA, conducted an intelligence gathering operation dubbed “Saaremaa” that concluded that there was an 80%-95% likelihood that the pandemic originated during a lab accident at the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
The findings were contained in a report from a joint investigation by two German newspapers, Süddeutsche Zeitung and Die Zeit, that alleged Merkel decided to keep the bombshell that she learned about in 2020 “under lock and key.”
Merkel likely made the decision to keep the explosive report secret at least in-part because she did not want to help President Donald Trump&#8217;s re-election prospects in 2020 when much of the world resisted his well-founded claims that China was responsible for what happened.
The report and its coverup by Merkel are likely to sink her approval numbers even lower as she grapples with facing intense backlash over her disastrous policies that have wreaked havoc on her country and Europe.
The backlash against Merkel hit new levels after she wrote a new memoir hoping to “secure her crumbling legacy,” The Wall Street Journal <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/angela-merkel-german-people-to-blame-for-the-problems-millions-of-refugees-are-causing">reported</a>, which noted that “the effort is backfiring.”
The more than 700-page book was “riling up even some of her most ardent supporters” because she does not believe that any of her failed policies were bad for the country — including allowing millions of Muslim refugees from the Middle East to be resettled in Germany.
Powerful German state broadcaster ARD titled the headline of their report on her book: “Much pride, little self-reflection.”
Merkel’s Christian Democratic Party blame her directly for the problems that the country is facing and they say that her memoir is making things even worse.
“The publication of this unrepentant, self-righteous book at a time of economic and political turmoil like this is hurting [her political party],” said former senior Merkel official Nico Lange.
The report said that her approval rating has plummeted from her time as a popular elected official to someone that the German public has turned against. Her allies overseas have abandoned support for her, the report said.
The most shocking part of the report focused specifically on her retelling of why she allowed millions of Muslim refugees into Germany.
Merkel said that it was “fully irrelevant whether they had a right to stay in Germany or not” when she let them enter the country.
She then blamed the German people for the problems that the refugees have caused:
<blockquote>The consequences—failed integration, ballooning welfare spending, rising crime, political polarization—can be partly blamed, she writes, on Germans’ lack of “will to change.”
In the decade since she instituted her open-door policy, immigration has changed the face of Germany and its political dynamics. An average of around 400,000 immigrants—the population of a large German city—have entered each year, and Germany now spends as much on refugees as it does on defense.</blockquote>
The report noted that the phrase that Merkel repeatedly used to justify her failed policies — that she had “no alternative” but to do what she did — served as the inspiration for the Alternative for Germany, or AfD.

GERMANY-POLITICS-VOTE-MERKEL

Angela Merkel Covered Up Explosive German Intel Report Blaming Chinese Lab For Pandemic

Angela Merkel

COVID

Germany

Wuhan Institute of Virology

Former German Chancellor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/angela-merkel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Angela Merkel</a> is facing intense backlash, including from her own political party, over a new memoir she wrote that is a nightmare for German political parties looking to stop the ascending right-wing AfD party.
She wrote the book hoping to &#8220;secure her crumbling legacy,&#8221; The Wall Street Journal <a href="https://www.wsj.com/world/europe/angela-merkel-wants-her-memoir-to-save-her-legacy-its-backfiring-509b30c5?st=W9jzbM&amp;reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>, noting that &#8220;the effort is backfiring.&#8221;
The more than 700-page book was &#8220;riling up even some of her most ardent supporters&#8221; because she does not believe that any of her failed policies were bad for the country — including allowing millions of Muslim refugees from the Middle East to be resettled in Germany.
Powerful German state broadcaster ARD titled the headline of their report on her book: “Much pride, little self-reflection.”
Merkel’s Christian Democratic Party blame her directly for the problems that the country is facing and they say that her memoir is making things even worse.
“The publication of this unrepentant, self-righteous book at a time of economic and political turmoil like this is hurting [her political party],” said former senior Merkel official Nico Lange.
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The report said that her approval rating has plummeted from her time as a popular elected official to someone that the German public has turned against. Her allies overseas have abandoned support for her, the report said.
The most shocking part of the report focused specifically on her retelling of why she allowed millions of Muslim refugees into Germany.
Merkel said that it was &#8220;fully irrelevant whether they had a right to stay in Germany or not&#8221; when she let them enter the country.
She then blamed the German people for the problems that the refugees have caused:
<blockquote>The consequences—failed integration, ballooning welfare spending, rising crime, political polarization—can be partly blamed, she writes, on Germans’ lack of “will to change.”
In the decade since she instituted her open-door policy, immigration has changed the face of Germany and its political dynamics. An average of around 400,000 immigrants—the population of a large German city—have entered each year, and Germany now spends as much on refugees as it does on defense.</blockquote>
The report noted that the phrase that Merkel repeatedly used to justify her failed policies — that she had &#8220;no alternative&#8221; but to do what she did — served as the inspiration for the Alternative for Germany, or AfD.
The AfD is rapidly growing and is now the country&#8217;s second-largest party.

GERMANY-POLITICS-MERKEL-AUTOBIOGRAPHY

Angela Merkel: German People To Blame For The Problems Millions Of Refugees Are Causing

Global Politics

Islam

Refugees

World

Olaf Scholz was selected as Chancellor of Germany on Wednesday, marking the end of Angela Merkel’s 16-year career as the nation’s head of government.
During her decade and a half in office, Merkel led Germany and the European Union through the 2008 recession, multiple currency and migrant crises, and COVID-19.
<a href="https://www.politico.eu/article/pre-written-olaf-scholz-sworn-in-as-german-chancellor/">Politico</a> reported:
<blockquote>Scholz, who led the center-left Social Democrats (SPD) to a narrow victory in September’s general election, will govern in a three-party coalition with the environmentalist Greens and the liberal Free Democrats (FDP). Such an alliance has never run Germany before.
With a coalition pact having been sealed between the parties, Scholz was comfortably elected chancellor by the German parliament on Wednesday morning. In a secret ballot, a total of 395 MPs supported him, while 303 voted against his nomination.</blockquote>
Germany’s new government will pursue “social justice,” cut carbon emissions, and maintain fiscal discipline, according to the outlet. 
Merkel’s decision to step down from her position marks an inflection point in German politics, leaving a power gap in both her nation and Europe as a whole:
<blockquote>Merkel, who emerged as Europe’s pre-eminent leader through multiple crises in her decade and a half in power, did not run for reelection, and her center-right Christian Democrats are now looking for a new chief and contemplating life as the country’s main opposition.
Although he is from a different party, Scholz has presented himself as Merkel’s natural successor, at least in terms of style, playing up his reputation as a low-key pragmatist. And he stressed that message again in a handover ceremony with Merkel at the chancellery on Wednesday afternoon.</blockquote>
Politico adds that Scholz’s government “has made clear it is ready to take tougher measures to tackle the pandemic.” Indeed, Scholz and Merkel <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/germany-announces-lockdown-for-unvaccinated-people">unveiled</a> a new lockdown for unvaccinated citizens last week. 
“We have understood that the situation is very serious and that we want to take further measures in addition to those already taken,” Merkel said during a press conference. “The fourth wave must be broken and this has not yet been achieved.”
Days earlier, Germany’s health minister <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/youll-be-vaccinated-recovered-or-dead-germanys-health-minister-warns">warned</a> the nation’s citizens that they will either be “vaccinated, recovered or dead” by the end of the winter. With 68% of people fully vaccinated, Germany has one of the lowest vaccination rates in Europe; meanwhile, its infection rate is among the highest in the world.
Reports from earlier this year indicated that Germany planned to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/germany-to-hold-quarantine-breakers-in-refugee-camps-detention-centers-reports">hold</a> citizens refusing to comply with lockdown rules in detention centers. Policymakers in the state of Saxony — which includes Leipzig and Dresden — approved plans to hold quarantine-breakers in an enclosed area of a refugee camp. Brandenburg also intended to use a refugee camp to hold quarantine breakers, while repeat offenders in Schleswig-Holstein would be held in a juvenile detention center.
For nearly two years, protests have routinely broken out in Germany, Italy, Austria, France, the United Kingdom, and other European countries in reaction to harsh COVID-19 lockdowns.

New German Government Official Transfer

Olaf Scholz Becomes German Chancellor, Promises Harsher COVID Response As Angela Merkel’s 16-Year Reign Concludes

On Thursday, Germany announced a plan for a lockdown for unvaccinated people in the country as some officials push the idea of forced vaccinations. 
As <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/02/europe/germany-lockdown-covid-restrictions-intl/index.html">reported</a> by CNN: 
<blockquote>
<div class="zn-body__paragraph" data-paragraph-id="paragraph_EE5720E6-8EDA-995F-3FBA-7B773CDA4F25" data-act-id="paragraph_1">Unvaccinated people will be banned from accessing all but the most essential businesses, such as supermarkets and pharmacies, to curb the spread of coronavirus, outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel and her successor, Olaf Scholz, announced Thursday, following crisis talks with regional leaders. Those who have recently recovered from Covid-19 are not covered by the ban.</div>
<div data-paragraph-id="paragraph_EE5720E6-8EDA-995F-3FBA-7B773CDA4F25" data-act-id="paragraph_1"></div>
<div class="zn-body__paragraph" data-paragraph-id="paragraph_220BF5BB-7F16-007D-1A3D-7B75EEC61904" data-act-id="paragraph_2">The pair also backed proposals for mandatory vaccinations, which if voted through the parliament could take effect from February at the earliest.</div>
</blockquote>
The outlet noted that with the new intensified restrictions, unvaccinated people can only get together with two people from a different household. “Bars and nightclubs must shut down in areas with an incidence rate above 350 cases per 100,000 people over one week. And the country would limit the number of people at large events like soccer matches,” CNN reported.
&#8220;We have understood that the situation is very serious and that we want to take further measures in addition to those already taken,&#8221; Merkel told the press at a news conference Thursday. 
&#8220;The fourth wave must be broken and this has not yet been achieved,&#8221; she added.
The move comes a week after Germany’s health minister <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/youll-be-vaccinated-recovered-or-dead-germanys-health-minister-warns">issued a warning</a> to German citizens that they’ll either be “vaccinated, recovered or dead” by the conclusion of the oncoming winter.
“By the end of this winter everyone in Germany will either be vaccinated, recovered or dead,” Jens Spahn told a news conference in Berlin, as reported by <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-59378548">BBC News</a>.
According to <a href="https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/germany/">data</a> from Worldometers on December 2nd, there have been 5,978,964 coronavirus cases in Germany and 102,669 total deaths.
Other countries in Europe intensely responded to the rise in cases prior to the panic caused by the new Omicron variant of the virus. 
Earlier this month, Austria <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/austria-announces-country-wide-vaccine-mandate-and-another-lockdown">headed</a> into another national lockdown that was set to last for at least 10 days as it also announced plans to mandate COVID-19 vaccination starting in February.
As <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/nov/19/austria-plans-compulsory-covid-vaccination-for-all">reported</a> by The Guardian:
<blockquote>
The age from which people will be required to be vaccinated has not yet been determined, the government said.
Those refusing to be vaccinated are likely to face administrative fines, which can be converted into a prison sentence if the fine cannot be recovered.
</blockquote>
“For a long time the consensus in this country was that we don’t want a vaccine mandate,” Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg said. “In spite of months of persuasion, we have not managed to convince enough people to be vaccinated.”
CNN <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/19/europe/austria-national-lockdown-intl/index.html">reported</a>:
<blockquote>
Asked by CNN from what age the mandatory vaccination order would apply, the Austrian Chancellory said: “Details are still to come, from what age and when you are considered fully vaccinated.”
Austrian Health Minister Wolfgang Mückstein said Friday that schools and kindergartens would remain open during the upcoming national lockdown.
</blockquote>
On Wednesday, the first case of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus was detected in the United States, but the person has only been showing mild symptoms.
As <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/omicron-variant-officially-in-us-but-johns-hopkins-expert-says-no-need-to-fear">reported</a> by The Daily Wire, Dr. Anthony Fauci told reporters at the White House Wednesday that the Omicron variant has been found in a person in California. The person had recently returned from South Africa, according to the Associated Press. 
“We knew it was just a matter of time before the first case of omicron would be detected in the United States,” said Fauci.
“CA’s large-scale testing and early detection systems have found the Omicron COVID-19 variant in California. We should assume that it’s in other states as well,” Democratic Governor of California Gavin Newsom <a href="https://twitter.com/GavinNewsom/status/1466120183018233856?s=20">tweeted</a>.  “There’s no reason to panic — but we should remain vigilant. That means get vaccinated. Get boosted. Wear a mask indoors.”

The Reichstag, German Parliament Building

Germany Announces Lockdown For Unvaccinated People

Omicron Variant

Germany’s health minister has warned the country’s citizens that they’ll either be “vaccinated, recovered or dead” by the end of the coming winter season.
&#8220;By the end of this winter everyone in Germany will either be vaccinated, recovered or dead,&#8221; Jens Spahn told a news conference in Berlin on Monday, as reported by <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-59378548">BBC News</a>.
With just 68% of people fully vaccinated, Germany has one of the lowest vaccination rates in Europe. Meanwhile, its infection rate is at the highest level since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and among the highest rates in the world.
Germany is now looking to introduce even tighter COVID-19 restrictions. “Restrictions for unvaccinated people will be introduced in areas where hospital admissions exceed a set threshold, Chancellor Angela Merkel and leaders of Germany&#8217;s 16 states agreed,” <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-59337955">BBC News</a> reported. “Under the rules, the unvaccinated will be excluded from certain venues.”
&#8220;We need to quickly put a brake on the exponential rise&#8221; in cases and intensive care unit occupancy, said Merkel.
Germany is not the only country in Europe to tighten COVID-19 restrictions in response to a spike in cases. Earlier in November, with cases of COVID-19 rising in the country, Austria’s chancellor Alexander Schallenberg threatened the use of lockdown measures for unvaccinated people. 
This move followed the implementation of social distancing requirements, which barred unvaccinated people from various public areas, such as large events, cafes, and restaurants.
Last month, the chancellor said that unvaccinated people in Austria could face lockdown restrictions if COVID-19 case numbers continue to increase.
“Austria has taken a series of measures in recent weeks in an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19 and encourage more people to get vaccinated. On Monday, new rules took effect barring unvaccinated people who haven’t recovered from an infection from restaurants, hotels, hairdressing salons and large public events,” reported <a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-europe-austria-health-1188b65ea3d8d80c40e40d3e13aea0a2">The Associated Press</a>. 
This rule, known as the 2-G-rule, applies to vaccinated and “recovered” people, meaning that proof of past infection is accepted in place of vaccination. However, a negative COVID-19 test is no longer sufficient.
While visiting Bregenz in western Austria, the chancellor said that a lockdown for unvaccinated people was “probably unavoidable.” He also added that the unvaccinated are facing an “uncomfortable” winter and Christmas.
Protests have also broken out across Europe in reaction to these forms of increased COVID-19 lockdowns. Tens of thousands of people marched in Brussels, Belgium, with protestors clashing with police officers in response to factors like COVID-19 passports. Belgium, the Netherlands, and Italy are among other countries who have witnessed protests and riots in recent weeks. 
&#8220;Covid-19 has become once again the number one cause of mortality in our region,&#8221; World Health Organization regional director, Dr. Hans Kluge, <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-59358074">said</a>, adding &#8220;we know what needs to be done&#8221; in order to fight the virus.
Dr Kluge also said that mandatory vaccination requirements should be viewed as a &#8220;last resort,&#8221; but added that it would be &#8220;very timely&#8221; to have a &#8220;legal and societal debate&#8221; on the subject.

Jens Spahn

You’ll Be ‘Vaccinated, Recovered Or Dead’: Germany’s Health Minister Warns

COVID-19 Vaccine

In an interview with public programmer, ARD, German Chancellor Angela Merkel stated that there is a need for more flexibility in Germany regarding problems rising from the coronavirus in the country but also stated that more should be done to curb the spread of the virus.
<a href="https://apnews.com/article/germany-angela-merkel-coroanvirus-vaccine-rollout-903025327d6a0deecb4bcd93f294860d">The Associated Press</a> reported that Merkel admitted her administration did not do everything right with regards to managing the virus. She also &#8220;expressed frustration over the actions of some of Germany’s state governors, including members of her own party, who have resisted tougher restrictions they had previously agreed to.&#8221;
Although Merkel <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/oct/29/angela-merkel-wont-seek-re-election-as-cdu-party-leader">isn&#8217;t running for re-election this fall</a>, she stated that she still plans to deliver vaccinations to every adult in Germany by the end of the summer, stating that the country is still doing well when juxtaposed with neighboring nations.
“We have a difficult situation,” she said. “But look at our neighbors. With the exception of Denmark they are all grappling with the same problems, in part from a much more difficult position.”
<a href="https://www.dw.com/en/covid-merkel-wants-german-states-to-do-more-to-curb-infections/a-57034263">Deutsche Welle</a> reported, however, that &#8220;[Merkel] said Germany would not get &#8216;any vaccine that is not produced in Europe.'&#8221;
The German broadcaster reported that Merkel referenced a rise in coronavirus cases in the nation, saying, &#8220;We have to break this third wave &#8230; We need action in the federal states. We need to take the appropriate measures very seriously. Some states are doing it, others are not yet doing it.&#8221;
Germany is a federal system and states are the deciders of how they will impose restrictions and curb the spread of the virus. The <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/covid-merkel-wants-german-states-to-do-more-to-curb-infections/a-57034263">outlet</a> reported that &#8220;Saarland, for example, has decided to end its lockdown measures after Easter and reopen sports and entertainment venues.&#8221;
In the interview, Merkel also mentioned her recent decision to change course and not lockdown the country over the Easter holiday.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/angela-merkel-reverses-germany-easter-lockdown-decision-apologizes">The Daily Wire</a> reported on Merkel&#8217;s decision last week:
<blockquote>German Chancellor Angela Merkel reversed an announcement made on Tuesday that included details of a decision about imposing a lockdown for five days over the Easter holiday.
The Associated Press reports that the original plan was to make Thursday of next week — the day before Good Friday — a “rest day.” This would include all shops closing with only groceries allowed to open their doors on Easter Saturday. “Since the Friday and Monday are already national holidays, that would have created a five-day shutdown of public life — on top of existing lockdown restrictions, which were extended through April 18,” per the outlet.</blockquote>
Following backlash from the decision, Merkel announced that the lockdown would no longer happen and apologized for her actions.
“The idea of an Easter shutdown was drawn up with the best intentions, because we must urgently manage to slow and reverse the third wave of the pandemic,” Merkel said. “However, the idea … was a mistake — there were good reasons for it but it could not be implemented well enough in this short time.”
“This mistake is my mistake alone, because in the end I bear ultimate responsibility for everything,” she told the press. “A mistake must be called a mistake, and above all it must be corrected — and if possible, that has to happen in time.”
“At the same time, of course I know that this whole matter triggers more uncertainty — I regret that deeply and I apologize to all citizens,” she said.
AP reported that in the interview on Sunday, Merkel discussed German perfectionism. She pointed to the necessity of vaccination sites and doctors to have lists of people who can get vaccinated with leftover vaccine supplies at the end of the day as an example.
&#8220;By Sunday, about 10.8 % of the population had received a first dose of vaccine in Germany, a far smaller share than in Britain, the United States and Israel,&#8221; the AP reported. According to <a href="https://impfdashboard.de/">Germany&#8217;s official vaccine dashboard website</a>, 4.7% of the general population is fully vaccinated.
“Perhaps we’re very perfectionist at times and want to do everything right, because obviously whoever makes a mistake always faces quite a lot of public criticism,” Merkel said.
“But there needs to be flexibility, too,” she added. “That, I believe, is an attribute that we as Germans perhaps need to learn a little bit more, alongside our tendency toward perfectionism.”
Merkel encouraged Germans, as well, saying, “We also need to voice a bit of courage and strength.&#8221;

EAB9D9D5-03FA-4D63-B79A-C6436492A7E6_1_201_a

German Chancellor Angela Merkel Discusses German ‘Perfectionism’ Amid Current Virus Struggles

German Chancellor Angela Merkel reversed an announcement made on Tuesday that included details of a decision about imposing a lockdown for five days over the Easter holiday.
<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pandemics-angela-merkel-germany-coronavirus-pandemic-64baf934e39a94e2ef635676b92222cb">The Associated Press</a> reports that the original plan was to make Thursday of next week — the day before Good Friday — a “rest day.” This would include all shops closing with only groceries allowed to open their doors on Easter Saturday. &#8220;Since the Friday and Monday are already national holidays, that would have created a five-day shutdown of public life — on top of existing lockdown restrictions, which were extended through April 18,&#8221; per the outlet.
The original decision was announced on Tuesday after videoconference meetings with the country&#8217;s 16 state governors.
<a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2021/03/23/980272577/basically-in-a-new-pandemic-says-merkel-as-germany-extends-lockdown">NPR</a> reported on Tuesday that the lockdown would mean that the churches in Germany would be requested to have Easter services on the internet and &#8220;no more than five adults from two households will be allowed to meet over the holiday, and that most shops will be closed, according to <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/germany-imposes-strict-lockdown-over-easter/a-56948895">Deutsche Welle.</a>&#8221;
Following backlash due to the seemingly abrupt decision and the many hurdles such a lockdown would impose, Merkel and the governors met virtually again. Merkel then announced that there would not be a lockdown over the holiday anymore.
“The idea of an Easter shutdown was drawn up with the best intentions, because we must urgently manage to slow and reverse the third wave of the pandemic,” Merkel said. “However, the idea &#8230; was a mistake — there were good reasons for it but it could not be implemented well enough in this short time.”
“This mistake is my mistake alone, because in the end I bear ultimate responsibility for everything,” she told the press. “A mistake must be called a mistake, and above all it must be corrected — and if possible, that has to happen in time.”
“At the same time, of course I know that this whole matter triggers more uncertainty — I regret that deeply and I apologize to all citizens,” she said.
Germany has had an uptick in infections recently, but Merkel says that while avoiding an Easter lockdown, the Chancellor and her officials have developed a “framework” to combat the rise in coronavirus cases. The new variant of the virus that was first found in Britain has also spread in the nation.
According to the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/pandemics-angela-merkel-germany-coronavirus-pandemic-64baf934e39a94e2ef635676b92222cb">AP</a>, “Germany has registered more than 75,000 deaths since the outbreak of the pandemic a year ago. The country’s disease control center also reported 15,815 new confirmed daily cases Wednesday, up from 13,435 new daily cases a week ago.”
Reporting by <a href="https://apnews.com/article/pandemics-angela-merkel-germany-coronavirus-pandemic-64baf934e39a94e2ef635676b92222cb">The Associated Press</a> states that bars, restaurants, and other establishments are still shut down in Germany. A plan created earlier this month reportedly permits certain places to reopen on a restricted basis, but includes an “emergency brake” under which areas are supposed to put restrictions back in place when the number of infections per week is more than 100 per 100,000 residents on three days in a row. &#8220;Germany is currently recording 108 weekly new cases per 100,000 residents nationwide, with wide regional variations,&#8221; says AP.
The <a href="https://www.medpagetoday.com/blogs/vinay-prasad/91054">science</a> regarding the effectiveness of lockdowns appears to be split, and studies will likely be conducted regarding their positive or negative effects for some time.
“I am deeply convinced that we will beat the virus together,” Merkel said. “The path is hard, and it is stony. It is marked by successes but also by mistakes and setbacks. But the virus will slowly but surely become less threatening.”

F3CD8C7E-4451-4E84-B89E-ED35F9661635_1_201_a

Angela Merkel Reverses Germany Easter Lockdown Decision, Apologizes

Easter

Lockdowns

In many ways since its inception, the sheer size and scale of the bureaucracy that is the European Union has been presented as the solution to any problem faced by countries in Europe. As a result, it is often referenced by those elsewhere who hope to implement a similar globalist vision of government.
This attitude was on full display as COVID-19 vaccines entered the global scene, when it was decided that the European Commission — one of the European Union’s many bloated branches — would centralize the purchasing and distribution of vaccines for every one of its 450 million inhabitants across its 27 member states.
With the familiar arguments seen from those who promote socialized medicine in the United States — promises of efficiency, lower prices, and equality of access across economic divides — the European Union forged ahead with its plan, rather than permitting its member states to procure or organize their own vaccine programs based on their individual needs.
In short, it has been a failure of epic proportions, demonstrative of the utter ineptitude of large and unchecked bureaucracies on a continental scale.
Europe is lagging behind, left in the dust by the UK (who left just in time)
After years of political and cultural turmoil, the United Kingdom finally left the European Union on January 31st, 2020, after the British Parliament ratified the contentious withdrawal agreement dubbed &#8220;Brexit,&#8221; after the December 2019 general election.
Luckily, this meant that the United Kingdom “escaped” from the European Union just before the COVID-19 pandemic, with the statistical disparities between the UK and the rest of its former European partners displaying the shocking failures of the European bloc.
The UK’s strategy focuses on nine groups who will receive the <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/health-55274833">vaccine</a> first: “care home residents and care home workers, people aged 80+ and frontline health and social care workers, those aged between 75 and 79, those aged between 70 and 74, and clinically extremely vulnerable people.”
With the first dose administered in mid-December, the number of doses given “has been steadily climbing each day — with a current seven-day average of more than 400,000,” with just over 10 million people having now received a first dose. Almost 500,000 of those have received a second dose.
When it comes to “vaccine doses per 100 people in countries with highest total vaccinations,” Israel is ranked first with 58.8, United Arab Emirates at 34.8, and the UK at 15.2. The United States, with a far larger population and far larger land mass, is fourth with 9.9.
Meanwhile, multiple European countries with medical systems lauded by those who advocate for Medicare for All are significantly lagging behind. Italy is fifth in this ranking, with just 3.5 vaccine doses per 100 people. Germany is sixth, with just 3.1. Scandinavian utopias like Denmark, Sweden, and Norway don’t even make the top ten.
Vaccine failure across the bloc
Despite the European Union’s promises that a centralization of vaccine strategy would be more efficient, the reality has been one of delay and wastage. In <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9205563/Furious-backlash-EU-vaccine-rollout-fiasco.html">response</a>, there has been a “furious backlash across the EU,” with rioting and protests breaking out.
<ul>
<li>Germany: Health minister Jens Spahn described the vaccine shortage as the “biggest crisis since the Second World War.” Of its 83 million citizens, only 2.7% have received the vaccine. </li>
<li>Denmark: Vaccinations “running at less than third of UK rate, with 228,875 jabs given,” which amounts to just 3% of its 5.8 million citizens. Appointments for healthcare workers have also been delayed.</li>
<li>Ireland: “Fury over figures showing that jab rates in North up to five times higher than in Republic,” with Northern Ireland remaining part of the UK while the Republic of Ireland is an EU state. Of its 4.7 million population, just 161,500 have been vaccinated, and “jabs for key health staff” have been postponed.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Latvia: In the largest of the EU’s three ex-Soviet Baltic states, mass vaccination of its two million citizens won’t even begin until at least April. At the end of January, the total number of vaccines administered was just 23,091. While the country was offered 800,000 Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines, there is confusion over why only 97,500 were ordered.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Poland: Of its 38 million citizens, only 1.1 million have been vaccinated. Demonstrations and protests have broken out over long lines at vaccination centers, while shortages have caused hospitals to “suspend sessions when they didn’t get Pfizer supplies.”</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Italy: Of its 60 million population, only 1.8 million have received the vaccine, with the country “ten days behind schedule,” with vaccine supply issues hampering efforts.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Spain: Vaccines have been “halted,” with Madrid’s deputy leader warning that “at current rate, it will take until 2023 before 70 per cent of population inoculated.” As the supply of the vaccine drops, almost all vaccinations have been stopped for two weeks.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">France: Of its 67 million citizens, only 1.4 million vaccines have been given, with the “target of four million to be vaccinated by end of February cut to 2.4 million.” </li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Netherlands: Of its 17.3 million citizens, only 215,000 people have been vaccinated, with the first doses administered a month after the vaccine was rolled out in the UK. </li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Lithuania: Of its 2.8 million citizens, only 91,794 vaccinations have been administered, with “no prospect of mass inoculation until July.” First round of vaccinations in care homes began in late January.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Estonia: Of its 1.3 million citizens, only 7,600 have received two doses of the vaccine, with 34,019 receiving just one. “Despite huge public pressure to approve Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine, authorities in capital Tallinn plan to stick loyally to the EU pact on supplies.”</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Bulgaria: Of its seven million citizens, with “one of the highest mortality rates,” only 40,000 doses of the vaccine have been given. The government has not set any official deadlines, and instead has announced an “optimistic” target of vaccinating between 1.5 and two million people by the end of August. As reported by the Daily Mail, with “blame being aimed at EU, government is predicted to break ranks and approve Russian and Chinese vaccines.”</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Romania: “With 647,000 inoculated, country is sixth in EU league table,” but faces concern after the government “announced delays to vaccinations for at-risk groups and key workers,” with more than 65,000 facing postponed vaccine appointments until the middle of February “due to Pfizer vaccine shortages.”</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Hungary: Was the first “EU state to defy EU leaders and approve Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine,” while 500,000 doses of Chinese Sinopharm vaccine arrived in late January.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Greece and Cyprus: Both countries are “seeking help from Israel,” asking the nearby Jewish state with an overwhelmingly successful vaccine program to “co-operate.”</li>
</ul>
Germany’s two-faced strategy on vaccine supply
Capitulating under the pressure of enraged citizens, multiple countries in the bloc are blaming their bureaucratic overlords in Brussels. Germany, with Angela Merkel often seen as the de facto leader of Europe, has also been acting to further its own interests in light of its failure, often to the detriment of the union of states it claims to support.
After countries like the United Kingdom ordered vaccine supplies from European suppliers before the EU, Germany’s health minister Jens Spahn pivoted to blame the shortfalls on external factors, <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/ed0059c9-1ea5-4ba9-a1ff-88004b59e71d">urging</a> “Brussels to force companies to obtain permission before shipping jabs from the bloc.” With familiar language, the notion of “fairness” was referenced, in order to obfuscate the EU’s own failures.
“It’s not about EU first. It’s about Europe’s fair share,” said Mr. Spahn, as reported by the Financial Times. “That’s why I think it would make sense to have a restriction on exports. It would mean that vaccines that leave the EU need a permit, so that at least we know what’s produced in Europe, what is leaving Europe, where it’s leaving Europe for, and we have a fair distribution.”
Such advocacy of fairness didn’t prevent Germany from acting in its own best interests, however, with <a href="https://www.politico.eu/article/merkel-us-uk-speed-on-vaccines-rankles-but-nothing-wrong-with-eu-approach/">Politico</a> reporting that “Germany is looking to have its cake and eat it, too,” after championing joint purchasing of the vaccine and simultaneously making additional agreements for extra doses, “now purchasing additional vaccines other EU countries didn’t want.”
***
With dwindling supplies due to a combination of delayed action in ordering the vaccines, ineptitude and inefficiency in distributing the vaccine, and cynical actions of countries like Germany trying to obtain a disproportionate supply, one thing is clear: The European Union’s vaccine rollout has been an unmitigated disaster, and one which will further fuel the continent’s <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-02-03/eu-faces-100-billion-euro-price-tag-for-bungled-vaccine-rollout">economic crisis</a>.
The COVID-19 vaccine was a bellwether test for the efficacy of mass bureaucracies like the European Union.
It’s a test they have failed spectacularly.
Ian Haworth is an Editor and Writer for The Daily Wire. Follow him on Twitter at <a href="https://twitter.com/ighaworth">@ighaworth</a>.
The views expressed in this piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

‘A Failure Of Epic Proportions’: Inside The European Union’s Botched Vaccine Rollout

COVID-19

Europe

European Union

Readers Pass

Vaccines

Last week, after the appalling violence at the US Capitol building, Twitter announced that they would be suspending President Donald Trump’s account “for repeated and severe violations of [Twitter’s] Civic Integrity policy.” Then, citing the supposed “risk of further incitement of violence,” Twitter announced that they had “permanently suspended” Trump’s account.
Subsequently, the Big Tech giants also rallied to shut down Parler, a popular alternative outlet among conservatives.
While many celebrated Trump’s suspension, there were others — even some on the Left — who criticized Twitter’s decision and the impact it would have on free speech in America.
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
Only a few days after Twitter’s announcement, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) — who are often vocal critics of conservatives and conservative principles — released a statement raising concern over the “unchecked power” of Big Tech, and the impact it could have on minority voices.
“For months, President Trump has been using social media platforms to seed doubt about the results of the election and to undermine the will of voters. We understand the desire to permanently suspend him now, but it should concern everyone when companies like Facebook and Twitter wield the unchecked power to remove people from platforms that have become indispensable for the speech of billions – especially when political realities make those decisions easier. President Trump can turn to his press team or Fox News to communicate with the public, but others – like the many Black, Brown, and LGBTQ activists who have been censored by social media companies – will not have that luxury. It is our hope that these companies will apply their rules transparently to everyone,” <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/aclu-worries-about-social-medias-unchecked-power-to-remove-people-from-platforms-after-twitter-facebook-ban-trump">the ACLU wrote</a>.
Angela Merkel
On Monday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, through her spokesman Steffen Seibert, criticized Twitter’s actions as “problematic.” According to the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/merkel-trump-twitter-problematic-dc9732268493a8ac337e03159f0dc1c9">Associated Press</a>, Seibert said that the freedom of opinion is a fundamental right of “elementary significance.”
“This fundamental right can be intervened in, but according to the law and within the framework defined by legislators — not according to a decision by the management of social media platforms,” Seibert told reporters. “Seen from this angle, the chancellor considers it problematic that the accounts of the U.S. president have now been permanently blocked.”
Emily Ratajkowski 
Model, actress and Leftist activist Emily Ratajkowski — admittedly while “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/emily-ratajkowski-slams-big-tech-censorship?%3Futm_source=twitter">floating</a> a conspiracy theory that Trump supporters were allowed to breach the United States Capitol” — expressed concern that censorship could later be applied to “any of us.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
This gives Facebook/tech/Zuck THE MOST POWER. If he can shut the president up/off he can shut any of us up/off
&mdash; Emily Ratajkowski (@emrata) <a href="https://twitter.com/emrata/status/1347247385152405504?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
My concern is that this gives big tech the opportunity to shut down “leftist extremists” who are important political organizers.
&mdash; Emily Ratajkowski (@emrata) <a href="https://twitter.com/emrata/status/1347254272686084096?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&nbsp;
Alexei Navalny
Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny condemned Twitter’s suspension of President Donald Trump as “an unacceptable act of censorship.” In a lengthy Twitter thread, Navalny described Twitter’s ban as “a decision of people we don’t know in accordance with a procedure we don’t know,” which was “based on emotions and personal political preferences.”
He also questioned the claim that Trump was “banned for violating Twitter rules,” saying that he receives “death threats here every day for many years, and Twitter doesn’t ban anyone (not that I ask for it).”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
1. I think that the ban of Donald Trump on Twitter is an unacceptable act of censorship (THREAD)
&mdash; Alexey Navalny (@navalny) <a href="https://twitter.com/navalny/status/1347969772177264644?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Andrés Manuel López Obrador
Mexican President and Leftist Andrés Manuel López Obrador also <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mexican-president-andres-manuel-lopez-obrador-condemns-tech-companies-for-censoring-trump">condemned</a> Big Tech for their decision to censor President Donald Trump.
“I don’t like anybody being censored or taking away from the right to post a message on Twitter or Face(book). I don’t agree with that, I don’t accept that,” López Obrador <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/the_americas/mexico-leader-condemns-twitter-facebook-for-blocking-trump/2021/01/07/e454ed32-514f-11eb-a1f5-fdaf28cfca90_story.html">said</a>.
“How can you censor someone: ‘Let’s see, I, as the judge of the Holy Inquisition, will punish you because I think what you’re saying is harmful,’” he continued. “Where is the law, where is the regulation, what are the norms? This is an issue of government, this is not an issue for private companies.”
Writing on Twitter, Presidential spokesman Jesús Ramírez elaborated further on the position.
“Facebook’s decision to silence the current leader of the United States calls for a debate on freedom of expression, the free exchange of information on the web, democracy and the role of the companies that administer (social) networks.”
Mateusz Morawiecki
Poland’s Prime Minister spoke generally on the issue of censorship in response to recent events, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/polands-pm-social-media-need-anti-censorship-regulations/2021/01/12/c5a25132-551d-11eb-acc5-92d2819a1ccb_story.html">saying</a> that “Algorithms or the owners of corporate giants should not decide which views are right and which are not,” and that “There is no and can be no consent to censorship.”
According to the Washington Post, Morawiecki also said Tuesday that social media corporations should not censor views that they don’t share and called for new regulations that would govern the use of Facebook, Twitter and Instagram in the European Union.
In Poland, “the functioning of Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are regulated by law,” and Morawiecki said that “The owners of social platforms cannot act above the law. We will suggest that similar regulations are also put in place in all of the European Union.”
Michael McCormack
Acting Prime Minister of Australia, Michael McCormack, “<a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/senior-ministers-take-aim-at-trump-social-media-silencing-20210111-p56t7n.html">blasted</a> [Twitter’s] move as censorship of political speech when the company had not suspended other views on its site.”
“I don’t believe in that sort of censorship. But, you know, I mean, there’s been a lot of people who’ve said and done a lot of things on Twitter previously that haven’t received that sort of condemnation or, indeed, censorship,” said McCormack. “That’s a matter for Twitter. They’ve made that call. They’ve got a company, they’ve got a business to run and they’ve made that decision.”
Keri Hilson
Singer, songwriter, and actress Keri Hilson described Twitter’s actions as “dangerous.”
“This may be funny. But it is a little dangerous too,” <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dangerous-singer-keri-hilson-criticizes-trump-twitter-ban-responds-to-criticism">Hilson posted in an Instagram story</a>. “Take Trump out of it for a moment…A democracy must include freedom of speech. Imagine other leaders or popular figures not being able to voice their opinion if it opposes majority of world leaders…Our freedom of speech being taken from us.”
“Slowly but surely (censorship),” she warned. “If the leader of the ‘free world’ can be removed. Imagine that same right of civilians. Imagine believing every time you read ‘false information detected’ and propaganda, deceptive reports, and flat out lies being the only thing we see.”
Elon Musk
Elon Musk, the world’s richest man and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has criticized Leftist policies on several occasions. In response to the wave of censorship triggered by Big Tech, Musk condemned the “West Coast high tech” for becoming the “de facto arbiter of free speech.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
A lot of people are going to be super unhappy with West Coast high tech as the de facto arbiter of free speech
&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1348688644173934593?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
This is not the first time Musk has weighed in on the subject of censorship. In June, he criticized Amazon <a href="https://www.foxbusiness.com/technology/elon-musk-weighs-in-on-big-tech-censorship">for</a> “reportedly censoring the publication of a book about the coronavirus.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Time to break up Amazon. Monopolies are wrong!
&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1268603809409888256?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 4, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Ian Haworth is an Editor and Writer for The Daily Wire. Follow him on Twitter at <a href="https://twitter.com/ighaworth">@ighaworth</a>.

Emily Ratajkowski

Leftist Celebrities, World Leaders, And The ACLU: Who Condemned Twitter’s Censorship of Donald Trump?

ACLU

Donald Trump

Elon Musk

Social Media Censorship

German Chancellor Angela Merkel criticized Twitter’s decision to permanently ban President Donald Trump from the platform, calling the action “problematic.”
Merkel delivered her thoughts on Trump’s ban through her spokesman, Steffen Seibert, on Monday. Seibert told reporters that Twitter’s decision potentially undermined the “fundamental right” to freedom of speech.
Merkel’s spokesman said that social media companies “bear great responsibility for political communication not being poisoned by hatred, by lies and by incitement to violence” and that such companies should take steps to against such communication, such as flagging messages, according to The <a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-angela-merkel-media-social-media-berlin-dc9732268493a8ac337e03159f0dc1c9">Associated Press</a>. He added, however, that the right to freedom of opinion is of “elementary significance.”
“This fundamental right can be intervened in, but according to the law and within the framework defined by legislators — not according to a decision by the management of social media platforms,” Seibert said. “Seen from this angle, the chancellor considers it problematic that the accounts of the U.S. president have now been permanently blocked.”
Twitter’s decision to ban the president of the United States has been criticized by other world leaders, such as Mexican President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mexican-president-andres-manuel-lopez-obrador-condemns-tech-companies-for-censoring-trump">Andrés Manuel López Obrador</a>.
“I don’t like anybody being censored or taking away from the right to post a message on Twitter or Face(book). I don’t agree with that, I don’t accept that,” López Obrador said on Thursday.
“How can you censor someone: ‘Let’s see, I, as the judge of the Holy Inquisition, will punish you because I think what you’re saying is harmful,’” he added. “Where is the law, where is the regulation, what are the norms? This is an issue of government, this is not an issue for private companies.”
Mexico’s presidential spokesman, Jesús Ramírez, added to the Mexican president’s comments in a post on social media, saying, “Facebook’s decision to silence the current leader of the United States calls for a debate on freedom of expression, the free exchange of information on the web, democracy and the role of the companies that administer (social) networks.”
Twitter banned the president Thursday following a Wednesday riot where pro-Trump rioters broke into the Capitol building to disrupt the counting of electors and certifying the 2020 presidential election for President-elect Joe Biden. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/twitter-permanently-bans-trump-from-platform">Twitter</a> justified its decision asserting that Trump’s personal account risked “further incitement of violence.”
“After close review of recent Tweets from the @realDonaldTrump account and the context around them — specifically how they are being received and interpreted on and off Twitter — we have permanently suspended the account due to the risk of further incitement of violence,” Twitter said in a statement. “In the context of horrific events this week, we made it clear on Wednesday that additional violations of the Twitter Rules would potentially result in this very course of action. Our public interest framework exists to enable the public to hear from elected officials and world leaders directly. It is built on a principle that the people have a right to hold power to account in the open.”

Angela Merkel Slams Twitter’s Decision To Ban Trump: ‘Problematic’ Violation Of ‘Fundamental Right’

Big Tech

Censorship

Twitter

Sucharit Bhakdi, Professor Emeritus of Medical Microbiology at the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz and a prolific and much-cited expert in his field, has published an open letter to German Chancellor Angela Merkel along with a video addressing some of its contents.
In the letter, dated March 26, Bhakdi poses five questions about the COVID-19 pandemic and the government&#8217;s response to it which, he says, &#8220;have not been answered sufficiently so far, but which are indispensable for a balanced analysis.&#8221;
&#8220;As emeritus of the Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz, and for many years head of the institute for medical microbiology and hygiene there, I feel obliged to critically question the far-reaching restrictions on public life that we are currently undertaking to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus,&#8221; he begins the <a href="https://c.gmx.net/@824224682608695698/cI1TagSeQmi0WlXK-m8vWA">letter</a> (which is written in German and unofficially translated below). &#8220;It is expressly not my concern to downplay the dangers of the viral disease or to spread a political message. However, I feel it is my duty to make a scientific contribution to correctly classifying the current data situation, putting the facts that we know so far in perspective — and also asking questions that are in danger of being lost in the heated discussion.&#8221;
Unofficial translation of the <a href="https://c.gmx.net/@824224682608695698/cI1TagSeQmi0WlXK-m8vWA">letter</a> below, followed by Bhakdi&#8217;s accompanying English-subtitled <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsExPrHCHbw&amp;t=67s">video</a>, in which he elaborates on his five questions:
Open Letter
Dear Chancellor,
As emeritus of the Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz and for many years head of the institute for medical microbiology and hygiene there, I feel obliged to critically question the far-reaching restrictions on public life that we are currently undertaking to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
It is expressly not my concern to downplay the dangers of the viral disease or to spread a political message. However, I feel it is my duty to make a scientific contribution to correctly classifying the current data situation, putting the facts that we know so far in perspective — and also asking questions that are in danger of being lost in the heated discussion.
The main reason for my concern is the truly unforeseeable socio-economic consequences of the drastic containment measures that are currently being used in large parts of Europe, and are already being practiced to a great extent in Germany.
It is my wish to critically — and with the necessary foresight — discuss the advantages and disadvantages of restricting public life and the resulting long-term effects.
There are five questions that have so far been answered inadequately, but are essential for a balanced analysis.
I would like to ask you for a swift opinion and, as it were, appeal to the Federal Government to develop strategies that effectively protect high-risk groups without cutting back on public life across the board and sowing the seeds for an even more intense polarization of society than is already happening.
Yours faithfully,
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Prof. em. Dr. med. Sucharit Bhakdi
1. Statistics
In the field of infectious diseases — founded by Robert Koch himself — a distinction is traditionally made between infection and illness. A disease requires clinical manifestation. [1] Therefore, only patients with symptoms such as fever or cough should be included in the statistics as new cases.
In other words, a new infection — as measured by the COVID-19 test – does not necessarily mean that we are dealing with a newly ill patient who needs a hospital bed. However, it is currently assumed that five percent of all infected people become seriously ill and require ventilation. Based on this, projections indicate that the health system could be overburdened.
My question: Did the projections distinguish between symptom-free infected and actual, sick patients — people who develop symptoms?
2. Dangerousness
A number of coronaviruses have been in circulation for a long time – largely unnoticed in the media. [2] Should it turn out that the COVID-19 virus should not be assigned a significantly higher hazard potential than the already circulating coronaviruses, all countermeasures would obviously be superfluous.
In the internationally recognized journal &#8220;International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents,&#8221; a work will appear shortly that addresses exactly this question. Preliminary results of the study can already be seen today and lead to the conclusion that the new virus does NOT differ in its dangerousness from traditional coronaviruses. The authors express this in the title of their work, “SARS-CoV-2: Fear versus Data.” [3]
My question: What is the current occupancy rate in intensive care units with patients with diagnosed COVID-19 compared to other coronavirus infections, and to what extent is this data taken into account in the further decision-making by the federal government? In addition: Has the above study been noted in the previous plans? Of course, the following must also apply here: Diagnosed means that the virus also plays a significant role in the patient&#8217;s disease state, and that previous illnesses do not play a major role.
3. Dissemination
According to a report in the Süddeutsche Zeitung, not even the much-cited Robert Koch Institute knows exactly how much is tested for COVID-19. It is a fact, however, that a rapid increase in the number of cases has recently been observed in Germany as the volume of tests increases. [4] It is therefore suspected that the virus has already spread unnoticed in the healthy population. This would have two consequences: first, it would mean that the official death rate — on March 26, 2020 there were 206 deaths from around 37,300 infections, or 0.55 percent [5] — was set too high; and secondly, that it&#8217;s hardly possible anymore to prevent spreading in the healthy population.
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My question: Has there already been a random sample of the healthy general population to validate the real spread of the virus, or is this planned in a timely manner?
4. Mortality
The fear of an increase in the death rate in Germany (currently 0.55 percent) is currently being discussed particularly intensively in the media. Many people worry that they can shoot up, like in Italy (10 percent) and Spain (7 percent), if there is no action in time.
At the same time, the mistake is made worldwide of reporting virus-related deaths as soon as it is determined that the virus was present at death – regardless of other factors. This violates a basic requirement of infectiology: the diagnosis can only be made if it is ensured that an agent has a significant share in the disease or death. The working group of the scientific medical societies expressly writes in its guidelines: &#8220;In addition to the cause of death, a causal chain must be specified, with the corresponding basic illness in third place on the death certificate. Occasionally, four-part causal chains must also be given.&#8221; [6]
There is currently no official information as to whether, at least in retrospect, more critical medical file analyses have been undertaken to determine how many deaths are really due to the virus.
My question: Has Germany simply followed the trend towards general suspicions of COVID-19? And: does it intend to continue this categorization uncritically, as in other countries? How should one differentiate between real corona-related deaths and accidental virus presence at the time of death?
5. Comparability
The terrifying situation in Italy is repeatedly used as a reference scenario. However, the true role of the virus in this country is completely unclear for many reasons — not only because points 3 and 4 apply here, but also because there are exceptional external factors that make these regions particularly vulnerable.
This includes the increased air pollution in northern Italy. According to WHO estimates, this situation resulted in more than 8,000 additional deaths per year in the 13 largest cities in Italy alone, even without a virus. [7] The situation has not changed significantly since then. Finally, it has also been shown that air pollution in very young and older people increases the risk of viral lung diseases very strongly. [9]
In addition, 27.4 percent of the most vulnerable population in this country live with young people, in Spain even 33.5 percent. In Germany it is only seven percent for comparison [10]. In addition, according to Prof. Dr. Reinhard Busse, Head of the Department of Healthcare Management at the TU Berlin, Germany is significantly better equipped than Italy in terms of intensive care units — by a factor of around 2.5 [11].
My question: What efforts are being made to inform the population about these elementary differences and to make people understand that scenarios such as those in Italy or Spain are not realistic here?
References:
[1] Fachwörterbuch Infektionsschutz und Infektionsepidemiologie. <a href="https://www.rki.de/DE/Content/Service/Publikationen/Fachwoerterbuch_Infektionsschutz.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Fachwörter – Definitionen – Interpretationen</a>. Robert Koch-Institut, Berlin 2015. (abgerufen am 26.3.2020)
[2] Killerby et al., Human Coronavirus Circulation in the United States 2014–2017. J Clin Virol. 2018, 101, 52-56
[3] Roussel et al. SARS-CoV-2: Fear Versus Data. Int. J. Antimicrob. Agents 2020, 105947
[4] Charisius, H. <a href="https://www.sueddeutsche.de/gesundheit/covid-19-coronavirus-testverfahren-1.4855487" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Covid-19: Wie gut testet Deutschland?</a> Süddeutsche Zeitung. (abgerufen am 27.3.2020)
[5] Johns Hopkins University, <a href="https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Coronavirus Resource Center</a>. 2020. (abgerufen am 26.3.2020)
[6] S1-Leitlinie 054-001, <a href="https://www.awmf.org/uploads/tx_szleitlinien/054-002l_S1_Regeln-zur-Durchfuehrung-der-aerztlichen-Leichenschau_2018-02_01.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Regeln zur Durchführung der ärztlichen Leichenschau</a>. AWMF Online (abgerufen am 26.3.2020)
[7] Martuzzi et al. Health Impact of PM10 and Ozone in 13 Italian Cities. World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe. WHOLIS number E88700 2006
[8] European Environment Agency, <a href="https://www.eea.europa.eu/themes/air/country-fact-sheets/2019-country-fact-sheets" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Air Pollution Country Fact Sheets 2019</a>, (abgerufen am 26.3.2020)
[9] Croft et al. The Association between Respiratory Infection and Air Pollution in the Setting of Air Quality Policy and Economic Change. Ann. Am. Thorac. Soc. 2019, 16, 321–330.
[10] United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. Living Arrange­ments of Older Persons: A Report on an Expanded International Dataset (ST/ESA/SER.A/407). 2017
[11] Deutsches Ärzteblatt, <a href="https://www.aerzteblatt.de/nachrichten/111029/Ueberlastung-deutscher-Krankenhaeuser-durch-COVID-19-laut-Experten-unwahrscheinlich" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Überlastung deutscher Krankenhäuser durch COVID-19 laut Experten unwahrscheinlich</a>, (abgerufen am 26.3.2020)
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsExPrHCHbw&#038;t=67s
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Italian artist AleXsandro Palombo has been raising awareness about violence against women by creating doctored photos of prominent political figures like Michelle Obama, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Hillary Clinton that make them appear as if they are battered victims.
&#8220;The &#8216;Just Because I am a Woman&#8217; campaign created by AleXsandro Palombo, which is currently on display in Milan, also features altered portraits of German Chancellor  Angela Merkel and French first lady Brigitte Macron,&#8221; reports <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/world/violence-against-women-art-campaign">Fox News</a>. &#8220;The posters note that such violence against women does not differ between races, classes or religions.&#8221;
Each poster features a message beneath it that reads, &#8220;I am a victim of domestic abuse. I am paid less. I&#8217;ve experienced genital mutilation. I do not have the right to dress as I want. I can&#8217;t decide who I&#8217;m going to marry. I was raped.&#8221;
Speaking with the BBC, Palombo said he created the posters &#8220;to illustrate the drama that affects millions of women throughout the world &#8230; with the aim of denouncing, raising awareness and obtaining a real response from institutions and politics.&#8221;
Palombo previously used the famous faces of Kim Kardashian and Angelina Jolie back in 2015 to highlight violence against women. “No woman is immune from domestic abuse,&#8221; the posters read.
Palombo gave no indication that the choice of certain female figures were meant as a political statement beyond raising awareness about violence against women. He also previously created campaigns such as Disabled Disney Princesses and The Simpsons Go To Auschwitz. Here is one such example:
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/-hFHWuAiB8/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link">https://www.instagram.com/p/-hFHWuAiB8/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link</a>
According to the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/intimatepartnerviolence/index.html">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</a> (CDC), roughly 1 in 4 women and 1 in 10 men experience domestic violence each year. Below is an excerpt from the CDC&#8217;s report on &#8220;intimate partner violence&#8221; in the U.S.:
<blockquote>Intimate partner violence (IPV) is abuse or aggression that occurs in a close relationship. “Intimate partner” refers to both current and former spouses and dating partners. IPV can vary in how often it happens and how severe it is. It can range from one episode of violence that could have lasting impact to chronic and severe episodes over multiple years.
IPV is common.  It affects millions of people in the United States each year. Data from CDC’s National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS) indicate:
<ul class="false">
<li>About 1 in 4 women and nearly 1 in 10 men have experienced contact sexual violence, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner during their lifetime and reported some form of IPV-related impact.</li>
<li>Over 43 million women and 38 million men experienced psychological aggression by an intimate partner in their lifetime.</li>
</ul>
IPV is a significant public health issue that has many individual and societal costs. About 41% of female IPV survivors and 14% of male IPV survivors experience some form of physical injury related to IPV. IPV can also extend beyond physical injury and result in death. Data from U.S. crime reports suggest that 16% (about 1 in 6) of homicide victims are killed by an intimate partner. The reports also found that nearly half of female homicide victims in the U.S. are killed by a current or former male intimate partner.</blockquote>
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TOPSHOT-ITALY-VIOLENCE-POLITICS-WOMEN-STREET ART

Violence Against Women Campaign Features Doctored Photos Of Hillary Clinton, AOC, Michelle Obama As Battered Victims

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Hillary Clinton

Michelle Obama

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