Corona policy needs to be addressed. But the main thing should be to learn lessons for the future, not to blame.

With current knowledge, schools would not be closed for so long. Photo: Klaus-Dietmar Gabbert/dpa

The debate on the recently published minutes of the meetings on the coronavirus crisis at the Robert Koch Institute shows above all one thing: this chapter is not over. A thorough review is necessary and if not carried out by questionable media portals, a sufficient political initiative is eventually needed.

It may be a natural need to take some distance after a difficult time filled with social upheavals, fears, restrictions, and grieving events. Pretend all this never happened. However, we know from history that this only works to a limited extent. There is something left about the injuries and insecurities that must be resolved; Otherwise, it will explode again and again when the opportunity presents itself.

Taking on the pandemic is a social process that must be supported by political and scientific actors. The leitmotif can only be a marginal question of what should have been done differently back then. Those post-pandemic condemnations are likely to be limited to a few political actions that were actually taken against better judgment.

However, most of the measures that today seem absurd, excessive or too lax were taken in a context of great unpredictability and overwhelming scientific findings. Rather, what is crucial for reassessment is: What would we do differently today in a similar situation? This is not just a difference in wording, it makes a difference in the entire culture of error.

The policy must be submitted

Previous reprocessing approaches have failed, mainly due to lack of resources. In 2022, an expert committee created by the federal government and the Bundestag complained that there was a lack of personnel, time and data to provide meaningful conclusions. Even for the media, which were important players in the pandemic and should not be underestimated, a comprehensive review would probably be too big.

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Until now, parts of the traffic light government have resisted a formal review, for example within the framework of a study commission. Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach is not the only one who fears political exploitation during the upcoming election campaigns.

This concern is justified. But the void left by the lack of political initiative for a comprehensive and democratic reassessment, as can be seen today, will be filled when the opportunity arises. Then instrumentalization is guaranteed.