Lauterbach advocates for a "lockdown to halt the surge"
German Health Expert Proposes Temporary Shutdown to Curb COVID-19 Cases
Karl Lauterbach, a member of the SPD party in Germany and the party's health policy expert, has advocated for a temporary shutdown to curb the exponential growth of COVID-19 cases in the country. Lauterbach has suggested a "stopgap lockdown" where restaurants, fitness clubs, and sports clubs are closed, and general leisure activities are scaled back for a limited time.
The discussion about further measures is in response to the rising number of COVID-19 cases in Germany. Lauterbach emphasizes the need for a "massive reduction in contacts in the coming weeks" to break the growth of COVID-19 cases. He warns that without a change in strategy, Germany could face a situation similar to the spring of 2020 within three weeks.
Schools and care facilities should remain open as long as possible, according to Lauterbach. He has prepared and recommended specific measures to curb the exponential growth of COVID-19 infections in Germany, including improving the conditions for medical practices to conduct vaccinations reliably and reducing bureaucratic burdens in healthcare to support pandemic efforts.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz is scheduled to meet with state leaders on Wednesday to discuss further measures to contain the number of new COVID-19 infections. Lauterbach has proposed a "breather" or "break lockdown" to get out of the exponential growth and avoid a full lockdown during the winter.
Lauterbach also points out that neighboring countries are already facing shortages of intensive care beds and high case numbers. He states that the exponential growth leaves no "third way," implying that drastic measures are necessary to prevent a worsening of the situation.
The proposed "stopgap lockdown" is intended to buy time for the vaccination campaign to gain momentum and for the development of new treatments and vaccines. Lauterbach's suggestions come at a critical time as Germany grapples with rising COVID-19 cases and the looming threat of a winter surge.
