The German ethics Council has intervened in the debate on the gradual removal of strict prohibitions and restrictions in the Corona-crisis. It is currently too early for locker, but the discussion must be allowed and also be promoted. The communication strategy of responsibility was therefore “improvements needed”, are in need of people right now hope images, which motivated to keep on.
Someone who takes this attitude is Alena Buyx. The Professor is Director of the Institute for the history and ethics of medicine at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and member of the ethics Council. FOCUS Online spoke with her about the consequences of the country-wide lock-downs and the possible tipping point at which the Use of the pandemic, measures its damage could not be justified.
FOCUS Online: The German ethics Council has called for a debate over the easing of the massive restrictions in the public and private life. Many virologists from stir in a potential Exit strategies, however, appeal to the patience and perseverance of the people. You don’t fire with your claim, the call for an end to the measures, before it would be scientifically advisable?
Alena Buyx: no, because we don’t call this, to relax now the measures, but only to think about how and when you could in the future loose. We want to have a discussion about the possible opening perspectives to raise the awareness of the deep ethical conflict that is just. Because of the medical necessity of the strict measures to implement and maintain, are the most serious interference in our basic rights. Currently these cuts are reasonable and acceptable – but not forever and not without a perspective on how we can drive you there and back again. Exciting, but just no time?
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FOCUS Online: you have that in the public debate too much about time points is discussed. Objective and social criteria are neglected. What aspects are you missing specifically?
Buyx : The economic consequences of the most on the screen. Many people are losing their jobs, micro-enterprises, but also large corporations report huge losses in revenue.
But there are also social and psychological aspects. We know, to Fears that the current set of circumstances, and depression can result. There is evidence that violence in families is on the increase, the Old and the Sick in hospitals and nursing homes can no longer be visited. It all has negative consequences on the lives of people, which must not be ignored.
FOCUS Online: In your Letter to the policy as the ethics Council, they complain that the Sick and Dying would not be so accompanied, as it requires the humanity. What is this, specifically? Where do I as a government about the border, who are allowed to visit relatives, and to whom?
Buyx : This example I think is particularly important, because it shows who the current measures are the most difficult to meet. Just people do not die in German hospitals alone, because families visit and care workers are no longer able to provide sufficient palliative care. Through these cases, we need to think, in my opinion, therefore, very soon. We need to consider how and where we can take back what restrictions in a timely manner responsible, and which exceptions are allowed. The Repeal of the visit to ban of Dying matters to me, for example. The German ethics Council
The German ethics Council 26 scientists and experts from different disciplines belong to. The panel will, among other things, position and to make recommendations for the policy, “the great questions of life”. In the past it was, for example, genetic diagnosis or the use of robots in care.
FOCUS Online: hospitals have not interrupted your operation back, OPs moved, therapies unless they are medically acutely necessary to be able to perspective as many of the Covid-19-the Sick supply. Would you make the decision differently?
Buyx : This question is not a lump sum for the country as a whole answer. So far, the strict measures were correct. Now, regional differences in the patient should pay and the utilisation of intensive care units are taken into account stronger. In a particularly heavily affected regions in NRW or Bavaria, the Situation is different than in areas with fewer Infected.
there Are intensive care beds and operating rooms empty and staff is available, one must ask the question of whether one carries out interventions that have been put back, because they should fix no acute threat to life, but. This would, for example, palliative surgery, the cancer could facilitate the last months of life.
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FOCUS Online: this Means that we need to banned to get away from Flat-rate and individual decide what is feasible and appropriate?
Buyx : I think so, anyway, with a view to the supply in the clinics. Which is now made in many places, so many hospitals to develop just-in-place concrete plans on how the recommendations of the policy and of the RKI adapted to be able to implement to the local conditions in the best possible way. Requirements up to the smallest Detail, there would be a problem. It needs sound judgment and decision-making spaces, in order to be regional and institutional Differences.
it is Important: Covid-19-patients have no ethical special status. If I must decide, who needed an intensive care bed should always be the clinical condition of a patient is recorded. If anyone Covid-ill 19, or other disease, may play for the determination of the need for Treatment no role.
We always have to decide again, who needs what treatment and can intensely hold beds are not blind, and permanently for Corona-patients, when you need to patients with other diseases at the same time, just as needed.
FOCUS Online: The negative consequences of the Single is currently in the purchase are high. When the system has reached the tipping point at which the privations and restrictions can outweigh the Benefits in the Wake of the containment of the Virus pandemic?
Buyx : If I could give you a fixed point, that would be nice. But from today’s perspective, not to say. What we know: the longer the action continues, the more severe the consequences will be. It would be Ideal therefore, if we would reach very soon, a reproduction number below 1. Then, we can only assume that the Virus is spreading pandemic, but also the measures to take back. Because we are, as a people, just very solidarity, which is great. But this resource of solidarity is not infinite and unlimited.
this is Exactly why the discussion about the possible opening strategies is so important. The people may not be in the dark. If I have the feeling that everything is in the normal state and never ends, this creates frustration and the Motivation to stick to the rules, is crumbling. Corona-office hours: here you can Set your question to Covid-19
The number of Corona-ill people increases, the of the questions as well. FOCUS Online has therefore built up a network of experts and answer your questions.
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