A free mobile testing station in Tübingen
Credit: Thomas Niedermueller /Getty Images Europe
As Europe faces the prospect of Christmas under lockdown, a university town in southern Germany is being held up as an example of how the coronavirus can be contained without resorting to such drastic measures.
Tübingen, just south of Stuttgart, has achieved remarkable success in preventing the spread of the virus to the elderly and most vulnerable. Until the past fortnight, the town hadn’t suffered a single case in any of its nine retirement homes since May.
At a time when infections were rising alarmingly among the vulnerable over-75 age group across Germany, Tübingen managed to avoid a single case.
That success is largely down to the town’s mayor, Boris Palmer, one of the most controversial and divisive politicians in Germany.
As the country went into full lockdown this week, Mr Palmer told the Telegraph Angela Merkel and regional leaders had made mistakes over the crucial months that led to this point. “General lockdowns can only be the last resort,” he said. “They failed to protect those most at risk.”
A longstanding critic of lockdowns, Mr Palmer instituted an alternative set of policies to protect the most vulnerable in Tübingen.
Shops were reserved for senior citizens between 9.30 and 11.00 each morning to protect them from contact with infected people. Free taxi and minibus services were provided for the elderly so they didn’t have to use public transport.
People queue for free rapid testing in Tübingen
Credit: Thomas Niedermueller /Getty Images Europe
Free FFP masks were given out to the over-65s a full month before Mrs Merkel’s government began a similar scheme on a national basis. And the town set up a rigorous testing programme for care homes: staff, residents and regular visitors are tested twice a week for free, and anyone who wants to visit can get a free, rapid test on site.
The results were dramatic. In spite of multiple infections among staff, the town managed to prevent the virus spreading to residents until the past fortnight.
“Death statistics prompted our approach. It’s impossible to eradicate the virus, so we have to prevent it getting to those for whom it is dangerous,” Mr Palmer said.
The policy did not come cheap. Tübingen, a town of 90,000 people, has had to set aside €500,000 (£450,000) to pay for it. “The city council approved it unanimously. It’s cheap compared to the cost of lockdown,” Mr Palmer said.
The town’s figures have been somewhat marred after cases of the virus were found in three of its care homes over the past fortnight, and Mr Palmer’s critics have jumped on the news. Berlin’s august Tagesspiegel newspaper even accused him of peddling a fake miracle.
The effectiveness of the town’s measures until the past two weeks is not in dispute. Yet, far from being feted, this week Mr Palmer found himself deselected by the Green Party as its candidate at the next mayoral elections.
Boris Palmer, mayor of Tübingen
Credit: Michael Gottschalk /Photothek
His first name is not all Mr Palmer shares with Boris Johnson. Like the British premier, he is something of a celebrity, with a media profile that is the envy of most rival politicians. And like Mr Johnson, he is a divisive figure, lauded by his admirers for plain speaking even as his critics consider much of what he says deeply offensive.
His deselection was prompted by remarks he made during the first wave of the coronavirus, when he told the media: “We may end up only saving people who would be dead in six months anyway.”
He now says he expressed himself badly at the time, and claims his policies to protect the elderly were his way of putting what he meant to say into action. But it wasn’t the first time Mr Palmer caused outrage.
Last year he was accused of racism when he complained at an advert for Deustche Bahn, the German railways, which depicted dark-skinned passengers and asked: “What sort of society are they trying to depict?”
But for all the controversy that surrounds him, it is clear there is public support for Mr Palmer’s coronavirus measures in Tübingen. All of the policies are voluntary. There is nothing to stop elderly care home residents going out any time they wish.
Even the reserved shopping hours for senior citizens were not enforced. Instead the town hall issued a request to people to honour them, which was largely respected. “The commitment and gratitude from the town have been great,” Mr Palmer said.
A general view of Tübingen and its River Neckar
Credit: Alamy
He acknowledges policies like Tübingen’s would not be enough to contain the virus completely. But, he argues, if they were combined with rigorous contact tracing like that seen in Taiwan and South Korea, it might be enough to avoid lockdowns.
This week, Tübingen went into full lockdown along with the rest of Germany. Mr Palmer accepted it was the right move considering the situation the country was facing.
He said he had one message for Mrs Merkel and Germany’s regional leaders: “Please, use the time to start protecting risk groups and make contact tracing efficient.”
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