Merkel: "Solidarity, reason and heart are required"

Lisa Vogel studied departmental journalism with a focus on medicine and biosciences at Ansbach University and deepened her journalistic knowledge in the master's degree in multimedia information and communication. This was followed by a traineeship in the editorial team. Since September 2020 she has been writing as a freelance journalist for

More posts by Lisa Vogel All content is checked by medical journalists.

Chancellor Angela Merkel made a detailed statement on the Corona crisis for the first time on Wednesday. She calls on the citizens to show solidarity with those affected. Health Minister Jens Spahn calls on citizens to protect the elderly and the chronically ill.

"The virus has arrived in Europe - it's there," said the Chancellor at a press conference in Berlin on Wednesday afternoon. "Our solidarity, our reason, our hearts for one another are put to the test, which I hope that we will also pass this test."

Slow down the spread

Experts assume that without a vaccination or therapy, 60 to 70 percent of the population will be infected with the coronavirus. "We have to slow the spread so as not to burden our health system," said Merkel. Therefore, the recommendation to cancel events with more than 1000 participants is correct. "These measures give us time."

Spahn welcomes event cancellations

Federal Minister of Health Jens Spahn welcomes the reaction of the federal states to the recommendation. "It's good that Berlin lets the soccer game take place without a spectator," he said. However, events must be considered on a case-by-case basis. "The semester exam with a one-meter distance between people is different from a rock concert."

Capacities are limited

With 28,000 intensive care beds, Germany is comparatively well equipped. But the capacity is limited, especially since the beds are not empty even now.

The Minister of Health trusts in solidarity with the people who need special protection from the virus. "We forego a bit of everyday life in order to protect others."

RKI President Wieler: "Virus could be rampant for years"

Lothar Wieler, President of the Robert Koch Institute, said afterwards that the virus would be rampant in Germany for months - maybe years. But: the longer the outbreak goes on, the better. Because that also means that the escalation can be kept under control and particularly vulnerable groups can be protected.

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