The Erfurt state government's denial of reality must end

Thuringia's Minister for Education, Youth and Sport, Helmut Holter, repeatedly spoke out against compulsory testing in the state's schools on Friday. He also expressed his conviction that the schools would not spread infections to the population. MDR Thüringen quoted him as saying: "Scientific findings show that. Anyone who claims otherwise is spreading hysteria"

Jena's city leaders are shocked by these statements. Not only is the RKI's information on clusters of outbreaks in schools being denied, the expertise is even being downgraded as unscientific. In addition, the state government's pandemic management continues to be replaced by constant denials of reality. Rising infection figures in Thuringia are to be explained by an expert opinion. Openly communicated disregard for the valid state ordinance is not only accepted - it is also covered up by the Ministry of Health. Jena's efforts to voluntarily continue school testing were even prohibited.

Mayor Dr. Thomas Nitzsche once again clarifies the city's corona strategy: "As few infections as possible - we have taken very stringent and preventive measures to achieve this. And we also communicated these measures with the relevant sectors and affected parties at an early stage in order to make it easier to plan their implementation. The figures speak for themselves: while the 7-day incidence is currently rising significantly in other cities and districts, Jena can point to permanently lower case numbers. In the interests of a stable healthcare system, we will continue our pandemic strategy. We expect the state government to support these efforts and not sabotage them."

At the same time, Nitzsche referred to the balance between regulating and enabling: "We are clearly saying yes to infection control, but also yes to sporting and cultural events or festivals, such as the Christmas market. All of these formats should and will continue to take place in Jena, but they must be safe for all participants."

Lack of a testing strategy at schools and daycare centers no longer acceptable

For crisis team leader and department head Benjamin Koppe, it is clear that the state government is still acting haphazardly and without a strategy of its own in the current situation:

"The lack of a testing strategy at community facilities to protect the health of our children is no longer acceptable. Furthermore, there is an urgent need for uniform and clear guidelines from the state as to which regulations apply when corona warning levels are exceeded in the independent cities and districts. Anything else will cause lasting uncertainty among citizens."

In view of the sharp rise in incidences, which now once again puts Thuringia in the less glorious first place among all federal states, in view of the current incidence in the 5 to 14 age group far above the 300 mark, in view of the steadily increasing utilization of intensive care units, the responsible ministries continue to offer only reassuring words.

With Jena, there will be no laissez-faire attitude to health protection

Mayor Christian Gerlitz emphasizes: "Once again we see a patchwork of regulations in Thuringia, once again there are divided responsibilities in the state government, once again we see Thuringia taking special paths in pandemic management, which are already leading to the highest infection figures in the whole of Germany. Only in Saxony has the situation been even more dramatic at times during the pandemic than in Thuringia. From the perspective of the Jena crisis team, after a year and a half of the coronavirus pandemic, the question arises as to whether Thuringia cannot or does not want to ensure consistent health protection as well as clear and comprehensible rules."

Unfortunately, some local authorities have increasingly adopted this laissez-faire attitude, partly because, unlike in other federal states, Thuringia's regulations allow them to do so. Mistakes made in previous waves of the coronavirus have simply been repeated, contributing to additional resentment and acceptance problems. The receipt in the form of partially doubled infection figures followed within a few days.

A look at the statistics shows that in mid-October 2021, Thuringia is at the same level of infection figures as at the beginning of December 2020.

Reversal called for in the state's corona strategy

Those responsible in Jena are calling for an immediate change in the state's coronavirus strategy. The accusation of spreading hysteria is a slap in the face to all healthcare professionals, all nursing staff and all people who carefully follow the rules and thus make a real contribution to combating the pandemic. The city also agrees with the Thuringian SPD parliamentary group's call for the immediate introduction of mandatory testing in schools. This is the only way to localize and contain infections.