Appeal of the Jena City Council

Appeal of the Jena city leadership for the extension of basic Corona protection measures.

In view of the ever increasing number of cases, the entire Jena city leadership pleads with the Thuringian state parliament to continue basic infection protection measures.

Everyone can currently see in their personal environment how many people are currently ill with Corona at the same time. The reported incidence of 3,000 in Jena, or even 5,800 in children, certainly does not even fully reflect reality here.

We have not always agreed with the Thuringian state government in our pandemic management, which is based on current scientific findings and forecasting models.

Nevertheless, today we fully share the state government's request to extend basic infection control measures and believe that the Thuringian state parliament has a responsibility to clear the way for this. No serious scientific source recommends in the current infection situation, which alone by the multiplicity of the simultaneous cases of illness everywhere restrictions of the public life bring with it to stop measures of the basic protection such as the carrying of a mouth wet covering. In recent years of pandemic management, Jena's city leadership has always advocated giving early preference to measures that have minimal impact on people's lives, if possible, in order to prevent more drastic restrictions. Often, we have only been listened to when the situation was already so tense that more far-reaching and then prolonged measures were unavoidable. It is as yet completely unclear whether omicron infections address the immune system to a sufficient degree to prevent re-infection after a few months, thus preventing an endless loop from occurring in which up to 10 percent of the population is confined to the sickbed at any one time. While the effects are currently visible to everyone, community facilities such as schools and nursing homes are once again particularly affected and are barely able to maintain their operations. Hospitals are also now experiencing unprecedented levels of illness, which may also jeopardize medical care.



Individual groups who, often fed by deviant sources, have long since abandoned the social consensus and consider any restriction of their personal freedom, such as wearing a mask, to be more drastic than the illnesses of other people, are increasingly loud in their demands for an end to all measures. Unfortunately, this also includes increasing personal attacks against people from politics and science who oppose this and continue to campaign for a responsible approach to the current situation. Responsible handling of this uncertain situation, however, only makes the path unanimously called for from the scientific community seem appropriate, at least to continue wearing the masks indoors, which do not restrict the individual much but make a great contribution to society.

Since the beginning of the 2020 pandemic, we have formulated our decisions and demands based on scientific recommendations and will continue to do so. We oppose the desire of some to declare the end of all measures right now, against all reason - especially in Thuringia, which has once again been severely affected by the current corona wave - and call on the Thuringian state parliament to clear the way for a temporary continuation of important protective measures.

Dr. Thomas Nitzsche Christian Gerlitz Benjamin Koppe Eberhard Hertzsch

Lord Mayor Mayor Head of Department Head of Department