The agency's meeting minutes noted that there was «no evidence»; suggest that FFP2 medical masks were useful outside of healthcare settings. Photo: THOMAS KIENZLE/AFP via Getty Images
Germany's public health agency said lockdowns could do more harm than good, in documents released after a long legal battle.
The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) expressed concern in December 2020 that shutting down society could lead to an increase in child mortality, citing examples in Africa.
The institute also disagreed with the mandatory introduction of FFP2 masks due to the lack evidence, the minutes revealed.
RKI handed over the documents last week after losing a two-year court case to a little-known media outlet called Multipolar.
The minutes are taken from daily meetings of the agency's «crisis unit» during the period from February 2020 to April. 2021
However, around a third of all documentation has been redacted, raising concerns that the health agency is still trying to hide some of its confidential discussions.
Politicians have called on the RKI to uncensor all of its findings.
“ Everything must be put up for discussion,” Armin Laschet, a center-right lawmaker, told ZDF television.
«We can now see how differentiated the discussions were in the RKI at the time and how little of that diversity eventually translated into concrete policies,» said Mr Laschet, who was the unsuccessful Christian Democrats candidate for chancellor in the last election .
Armin Laschet says the German media failed to hold the authorities accountable. Photo: Annegret Hilse/Reuters
One document in a 2,500-page batch of files shows the agency realized lockdowns could cause more harm than the coronavirus itself.
The document, dated December 2020, noted that the result of lockdowns in Africa was «expected to increase child mortality.» The consequences of quarantine are in part more serious than the virus itself.»
At another point at the October 2020 meeting, it was noted that there is «no evidence» that FFP2 medical masks are useful outside of medical settings .
“Active communication would make sense to clarify the situation. why the RCT does not recommend this measure,” the protocol notes. It also states its intention to make these concerns public.
However, the health agency has never communicated these concerns to the public.
Three months later, when Bavaria became the first German state to mandate wearing FFP2 masks in public places, the RKI said it “does not comment on decisions taken by other public authorities.”
Another January 2021 Minute expressed concern about the UK-made AstraZeneca vaccine, calling it «not as advanced» as other vaccines and saying «its use should be discussed.»
Although the country was initially praised for its quick response to the spread of the virus under Angela Merkel, the response became increasingly chaotic as the pandemic wore on. Photo: STEPHANIE LOOS/AFP via Getty Images
Mr Laschet, who has advocated a liberal approach during the pandemic, said the fact that no mainstream outlet had attempted to obtain the protocol showed that the German media had failed to hold the authorities to account.
“ The fact that these documents were published based on a lawsuit brought by a website that allegedly peddled conspiracy theories makes it clear that no mainstream publication attempted to obtain them,” he said.
< p>Unlike Great Britain, Germany did this. failed to investigate the measures taken during the pandemic.
Although the country was initially praised for its quick response to the spread of the virus, measures became increasingly chaotic as the pandemic continued.
Angela is notorious Merkel, then chancellor, announced a near-total shutdown of public life for Easter 2021, then reversed the decision a few days later.
The lockdown measures have been particularly divisive in Germany, where an opposition movement called Querdenker organized marches in cities across the country.
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